THE GREATNESS OF SAYING TEHILLIM
In the Sefer “Chesed L’Avrohom” it is brought “that in the year 1352 c.e.
there was a poor righteous man who only knew how to learn the basics. He
became old and passed away at a ripe old age. Within the thirty days after
his death, he appeared in a dream to an exceptionally learned man. It
appeared to the leaned man that the poor man was standing in front of him in
shrouds and was holding a small book. The learned man asked, “Aren’t you the
one we buried on such and such a day?” The man answered, “You have spoken
correctly, it is I”. The learned man said, “What is that book you are
holding in your hand?” He answered, “The book of Tehillim. And I have come
to warn you to warn th e people of my town where I lived that they should
run away and save their lives. Because a tragedy will strike whoever stays
in that town. While I was alive and I finished Sefer Tehillim every day for
al thse years, that merit allowed the people to sojourn in peace and they
were saved from tragedy until now. But from now on there is no one to guard
them.”
And it was in the morning and the man shook with terror and he send a
special messenger to that town with a letter warning the inhabitants. There
were some people who listened to the words of the Chosid and ran for their
lives and there were some who were not afraid of the punishment and they
stayed in that town, until the hand of Hashem touched them (and they lost
their lives.)
From that day forward, he completed Sefer Tehillim every week. Therefore say
Tehillim constantly because the constant repetition of Sefer Tehillim will
prevent many disasters and tragedies from coming upon us and members of our
household, our families and all of our generations. The zchuses of the one
who says Tehillim will bring bounty, heavenly mercy, blessings and success.
Fortunate is the person who was worthy and causes other people to dog good
things.
THE POWER OF TEHILLIM
Ever since my children could first talk, my wife and I have made sure they
say Kiryas Shema out loud each and every night. Many years ago we took on
the habit of having the children say Tehillim for different people who
needed help at the same time they said Krias Shema. Every once in a while,
I’d be able to report to my children.
“This girl we davened for has recovered, this boy is better.”
Sometimes, unfortunately we had to let them know that “Hashem took back the
Neshoma.”
I never knew for sure how to explain to my children that sometimes despite
the strongest Tefilos for a person, that person had to die anyway. The best
I could do was to explain that Hashem knows far better than us what is right
and it is always our job to daven for a person no matter how hopeless it
seems. This year I stumbled unto a startling other answer to the question as
to why w must always say Tehillim for people no matter how hopeless the
situation.
Someone complained to me about how the whole world said Tehillim for Rav
Shlomo Zalman Urbach and the Tefillos did not seem to be answered.
“The whole world said Tehillim for Rav Shlomo Zalman Urbach this year, yet
the day after we said Tehillim, so many Yidden went to his funeral. How do
we handle the fact that so many men, women and children can say Tehillim for
a man, and yet they were disappointed with the results?” he asked.
Good question, but you see, I am one of the few people who experienced the
answer to this question first had.
I’m one of the few people who did not know the world was davening for Rav
Shlomo Zalman ben Rivka, Rav Shlomo Zalman Urbach, on that particular
Shabbos. I spent that same Shabbos in a hospital, desperately davening for
another Shlomo Zalman be Rivka, Rav Shlomo Zalman Urbach, on that particular
Shabbos. I spent that same Shabbos in a hospital, desperately davening for
another Shlomo Zalman ben Rivka. The Shlomo Zalman ben Rifka I was davening
for, was hit by a car in Boro Park and lay in Kings county Hospital fighting
for his life.
In Shomaim that day, perhaps because of the Tehillim said by so many, it was
decided that a Shlomo Zalman ben Rifka must live and recover, and so perhaps
it was with that in mind, that my brother Shlomo Handler, otherwise known as
Shlomo Zalman ben Rifka recovered so well, that he is back at work and
getting better each and every day.
The world asked that Shlomo Zalman ben Rifka recover and although many did
not know it, and that is exactly what they got!
Remember this lesson well! You many not know exactly how your Tehillim and
Tefilos are being answered, but you must know, not one word is ever wasted.
The cries of the Bnei Yisroel are never in vain.
The Power of Tefillah
By Rabbi B. Bamberger, Rav of Bais Medrash of Flatbush
How powerful is a prayer? It is beyond the capabilities of the human mind to
grasp the sheer awesomeness of the strength of a tefilla. Were we to realize
the impact that every letter of our tefillos has in the heavenly spheres, we
would definitely invest more time and effort into our davening. Every letter
of our tefillos has its own place in ohna . No tefilla, not one word or one
letter is ever lost.
The (Avos and Emohos), foremothers and forefather,laid the very foundation
for all of us to be great people who pray (mispallelim).They created for
all time an open line of communication between (Klal Yisroel) the Jews and
G-d (Hashem). We have only to follow in their footsteps to achieve great
heights in our tefillos, and be worthy that they reach the (kisah HaKovod),
throne of glory without any impediments.
The power of one’s tefilla is directly related to one’s (Kedushas HaPa
v’taharas halev u’machshova,)the sanctity one’s mouth and the purity of
one’s heart and thoughts. One must concentrate on ones (tefillos) prayers
with a purity of heart and thought and must utter the words with a
sanctified mouth. If ones mouth is used for inappropriate speech it cannot
succeed in praying (davening) words that will move the heavens and earth. If
ones heart and thoughts are clouded with information unacceptable to the
Yiddishe soul (neshama), it will not be a wellspring for proper prayers (tefillos).
It is for this very reason that a Tzaddik’s (Gadol=s) prayers (tefilla)
seems to have much more of an impact than our own: it stems from a pure
heart, pure thoughts, and is said with a pure mouth. We beseech G-d (Hashem)
(,v’tahar lebainu l’avdocha bemes) to purify our hearts to serve him in
truth please purify our hearts that we may serve YOU in truth. The word (l’avdocha)
to serve you refers to prayer (tefilla) as it is written,aizah he avoda
shabelev zu tefilla). What is considered a work of the heart?? Prayer (Tefilla).
Yet even with the proper thoughts andkedushas hapa)the holiness of the
mouth ones prayers (tefillos) are only guaranteed to be heard by G-d (Hashem).
It is not promised that they will be answered in the manner in which we
expect and wish, or in the time frame which we desire. One need only to took
back into the Torah to see how many times the prayers (tefillos) of
Tzaddikim remained seemingly unanswered, and how many other prayers (tefillos)
were only answered after many years.
In relation to the world=s existence we all live through but a tiny speck of
time. Can we really judge if our prayers (tefillos) have been answered? The
following moving story illustrates this point beautifully.
Many years ago in Yerushalayim we met a woman whom we shall call Rochel -
though it is not her real name. Rochel told us an amazing story, one which
touches everyone who hears it. Rochel was raised in a totally assimilated
family and was very distanced from her religion. One day a flippant remark
made by a family member sent her on a search for her roots. This eventually
led her to Israel and subsequently to Yiddishkeit. When Rochel=s grandmother
heard that she had become religious she sent her a letter of encouragement
and told her how proud she was to have a frum grandchild.@...I know that I
should have remained religious Rochel, but I just couldn=t, it was too hard.
Enclosed you will find a letter from my father which he sent me from Europe.
You will find it interesting I am sure..@
The letter was written in Yiddish. Rochel took it to a Rav in her school to
have it translated for her. It was an emotional and poignant letter @...I
know that you are in America, my child, and there are many temptations, but
I will pray (daven) every day that you will remain a good Jew, keeping the
commandments (Mitzvot)...@
Rochel=s voice cracked with emotion as she reached this part of her story.
ALook what my great-grandfather=s prayers (tefillos) accomplished! After all
these years, and against all the odds, I suddenly became religious. It has
always been the furthest thing from my mind...@ However, it was not the
furthest thought from G-d’s (Hashem=s) mind. Rochel=s grandfather’s prayers
(zeidie=s tefillos) had been stored for many years, and until Rochel became
religious (frum) it seemed as though they were and would remain unanswered:
it was only that G-d (Hashem) was waiting for the right moment.
This story should serve as a source of inspiration and consolation to all of
us. We often pray (daven) for a particular person or for a change in a
specific situation and we are left feeling that our prayers (tefillos) have
not been answered. We must have the ith and firm knowledge that our prayers
( tefillos) are never wasted and never unanswered.
