«Shiviti Ado-nai Lenegdi Tamid»

The Spiritual Principle of David HaMelech

Tehillim 16:8 שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃ - «Shiviti Ado-nai Lenegdi Tamid, ki mimini bal emot» — (I always envision G-d before me; He is at my right hand).   The book «Zera Shimshon: A Sefer of Stories and Segulot» by Rav Nachman Zeltser has collected stories of people who witnessed miracles after studying the «Sefer Zera Shimshon». The segula of studying this holy book has brought salvation to thousands of Jews. This is one of the stories connected with the pesukim of Tehillim by David HaMelech—a lesson in perfect faith. After Israel parted ways with his American partner, with whom he had worked for many years, he moved to Israel and opened his own firm. He never imagined that his former partner would sue him. Day after day, he found himself becoming increasingly entangled in a complicated legal case that threatened his financial future. He had no idea what to do or how to deal with the situation. For the first time, he felt powerless, as though he were being drawn deeper and deeper into a whirlpool. He tried to handle the situation in various ways, but nothing worked. He had to fly to attend a court hearing. The flight from Ben-Gurion Airport to New York, with a three-hour layover in London, exhausted Israel, while thoughts about the future gave him no peace: “Could it be that I will lose everything I have worked so hard for all these years? I kept the mitzvot. I studied Torah. Why is all this happening to me? Why?” His fingers found his phone. With one hand, he rolled his carry-on luggage onto the moving walkway, while with the other he dialed a number. “Rebbe,” he said, “it’s me, Israel.” “Where are you calling from?” “I’m at Heathrow Airport, about to board a flight to New York. But I feel that I can’t get on my plane. I need chizuk, Rebbe! I don’t know what to do! I’m having financial difficulties. My former partner has sued me. I’m heading to the States for several meetings where everything will be decided. Please, Rebbe, help me! Tell me the words I need to hear! Lama? Why? Why is all this happening to me? Rebbe! Lama?” After a while, a response echoed back: - “Lama? You’re saying lama? Remember Tehillim 2: לָ֭מָּה רָגְשׁ֣וּ גוֹיִ֑ם וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים יֶהְגּוּ־רִֽיק׃ - «Lama rag'shu goyim, ule'umim yeh'gu rik» — (why do the nations rage and the peoples devise futile plans). «Lama»—that is what the nations say, the «goyim», not us, the Jewish people. «Lama» (why)… «rag'shu goyim» (the nations rage and worry). That is their way—to ask the question “lama.” But for us Jews, David HaMelech wrote: «Shiviti Hashem Lenegdi Tamid, Ki Mimini Bal Emot» — (I always envision G-d before me; He is at my right hand). This means that I, as a Jew, have nothing to worry about.” At that moment, it was as though the Heavens opened, and Israel suddenly understood that there was nothing to worry about—nothing at all. Hashem was there, right before him. He had cared for him until that very day and helped him in everything, wherever he went—and even now, on the way to the law firm in New York, He was with him... When he entered the conference room, he saw numerous busy lawyers seated around a rectangular table. There was a bottle of water in front of each one. “Mr. Slater,” said the man at the head of the table, “it’s good that you came.” “Thank you for inviting me,” Israel replied, filled with confidence. Their eyes met. Man to man. And at that moment, Israel understood that everything would work out, just as his Rav had said on the phone: - «Shiviti Hashem Lenegdi Tamid»—Hashem is always before me. Even when it seems that He is «kenegdi»—opposite me, on the other side—that is an illusion. Hashem is always close. Whenever you want to open your mouth and ask: «lama» (why)—why did this happen, or why is it happening to you—remember: «Lama yomru ha-goyim»—why do the goyim say it! Jews do not ask why. Jews say: «Shiviti Ado-nai...». After the court proceedings, both legal teams reached an agreement. Israel was supposed to pay a huge sum of money. But at some point, there was a fantastic turn of events, and Israel managed to settle the case without incurring additional expenses. Later, he opened a firm that earned twice as much as the previous one. - «Shiviti Ado-nai Lenegdi Tamid»—these are words that each of us should remember at all times and by which we should live constantly. [P.S. The photograph features a work by Lyuda Miriam Shulman, provided to the site] (Based on the book «Zera Shimshon: A Sefer of Stories and Segulot», Volume 2, translated by Silatehilim)