THE POWER OF T’HILLIM

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

As Chassidim, we are constantly encouraged by our holy Rebbeim to add in our recitation of T’hillim. As the Rebbe writes (HaYom Yom 24 Shvat): “If you only knew the power that lies in the verses of T’hillim and their effect in the celestial heights,” the Tzemach Tzedek once said, “You would recite them all the time. Know that the chapters of T’hillim break through all barriers and soar aloft from level to level, unimpeded. They intercede before the Master of the Universe and secure their effect with kindness and mercy.”

The HaYom Yom of 22 Kislev states the minhag to recite T’hillim daily: “One of the practices instituted by the Rebbe [Rayatz] is the recitation of the daily portion of T’hillim every morning after davening, following the division of its 150 psalms according to the days of the month — including Shabbos, festivals, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. When this portion is recited with a minyan, it is followed by a Mourner’s Kaddish. In a month of 29 days, the portions for both the 29^th and the 30^th days should be recited on the 29^th day.” The HaYom Yom of 26 Kislev instructs regarding the monthly reading: “[On Shabbos Mevarchim, it is our custom] to recite the entire Book of T’hillim early in the morning and to hold a farbrengen on that day.”

This is especially relevant in the month of Elul. The Rebbe writes in HaYom Yom 1 Elul: “When the Tzemach Tzedek was nine years old, the Alter Rebbe told him: ‘I received a directive from my mentor (the Maggid of Mezritch) who received it from his mentor (the Baal Shem Tov) who received it from [Achiya HaShiloni], who is known to have been his mentor, that in the course of each day from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur, one should recite three chapters of T’hillim. On Yom Kippur, one should recite 36 chapters: nine before Kol Nidrei, nine before going to sleep, nine after the Musaf service, and nine after the N’ila service. If one did not begin [this program] on the second day of Rosh Chodesh [Elul], he should begin on the day [he remembered, according to the schedule for that day, and later] should make good the readings that he missed.’”

There is a special story, recorded in the diary of the Frierdike Rebbe, connected with the above:

“Black clouds covered the sky, lightning and thunder and a gush of rain. This went on until four in the afternoon when a bright sun shone opposite a brilliant rainbow. I went out to the garden. Suddenly I remembered a conversation of ten years earlier on the first of Elul too, when my father promised that when I am bigger he would tell me the details of a narrative he had started then. It was a Wednesday, 1 Elul 5649 (1889). I had just come home for lunch from cheider—this was always at two o’clock—and I was my usual excited and happy self. These two hours, from two until four, were free, especially since our teacher spent the afternoon hours on Rosh Chodesh for stories. When I came home I found my father in a serious mood. I don’t remember whether he had already had lunch, but he looked grim and he did not eat with us that day. ‘Hurry with your meal,’ he instructed me, ‘then come into my room.’

“I felt that this had something to do with learning, but I was intrigued, because it was unusual for father to intrude in my free time. I hurried through lunch and went to his room as instructed. I found him sitting at a table by the east windows instead of at his desk, saying T’hillim. His eyelashes were moist and his eyes red. I stood at the doorway waiting for him to conclude the kapitel he was saying. He closed the T’hillim, marking the place with a handkerchief, and turned to me pleasantly. ‘When I was nine, that summer they finished building the new house after the fire of the summer of 5628 (1868). The first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul fell on Shabbat that year. After Shabbos my father (the Rebbe Maharash, Reb Shmuel) called for me and told me: When I was nine years old, in the year 5603 (1843) when my father (the Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek, Reb Menachem Mendel) returned from Petersburg in Elul he sent for me and told me: When I went to Petersburg I instructed you and your brothers that every day you are to recite a portion of T’hillim specifically that G-d be merciful and give me success on my way, for His Name’s sake, for the Torah— the Concealed and Revealed—and for the welfare of the community of Israel. The note of the Minister to the provincial Governor stated that the Rabbinical Commission was to last no more than seven days or ten at the most, and it actually lasted eight weeks.

“‘When I was nine (the Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek continued to his son, Reb Shmuel), on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul 5558 (1798) that was a Sunday, my grandfather (the Alter Rebbe) told me: “I received from my teacher, the Maggid of Mezritch, that which he received from his teacher, the Baal Shem Tov, in the name of his famed mentor, that from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul through Yom Kippur, to say three chapters of T’hillim every day during the course of the day. On Yom Kippur say 36: nine before Kol Nidrei, nine before retiring, nine after Musaf, nine after N’ila. Whoever starts later than the first of Elul is to start from the chapters of that day (and complete the missed chapters), but should not say more than three a day.’ (Thus far the account of the course of the tradition as it was transmitted through the generations within the Rebbe’s family.)

“‘Now,’ my father said to me, ‘Take a T’hillim and say the first three chapters. Be careful to say it every day as I told you, and when you are bigger, I will tell you, G-d willing, everything I was told about this.’

“I recalled all this now, and wondered at myself. Ten years have passed since then, and every year, with G־d’s help, I fulfil the outlined program, yet somehow I completely forgot —until this moment —what my father promised me then.”

THURSDAY, 18 ELUL, 9:00 PM. “I am happier than I could possibly describe, since I remembered that promise, as I recorded earlier, about telling me a story or a subject. I kept remembering the promise and on Rosh Chodesh I remembered his instructions to observe the program of T’hillim during Elul through Yom Kippur, as described above, that he gave me on that same day ten years ago, and that he had promised me that when I grew up he would tell me something—whether a narrative or some Torah subject, I don’t know—related to this matter.

“Since that day, 5649-1889, I have scrupulously kept this program for ten years without once remembering that promise until this year. I decided, I said to my father, to ask him if he would be gracious enough to fulfil his assurance, and then again I forgot, and this series of forgetting-remembering kept going on for days now until this moment. So, I was a bit embarrassed to ask.

“‘Ever since I started relating various matters to you, since the summer of 5655 (1895), I have been waiting for you to remember to ask. You see, my father did not tell me until I asked him,’ my father told me, and he related that story. ‘It was Friday Toldos 5637 (1876). I was standing in the Small Hall near the table waiting for my father (the Rebbe Maharash) to come from his room to deliver a maamer. Suddenly I recalled his order to me of the first of Elul 5829 (1869) and his promise to me that when I am older he would relate to me a matter relevant to the order. I decided to bring this up when I go to his room, but I forgot. This happened a number of times where I repeatedly forgot again. It was a rainy day so father did not go for a stroll today. He sat on the veranda for some two hours. After reciting for me the maamer “L’cha Amar Libi” as he regularly did on the festival of Chai Elul, I recalled the promise of over ten years ago. However I just couldn’t bring myself to remind him. My father could tell that something was oppressing me and he remarked, ‘You obviously want to ask something but you are afraid or embarrassed. Go ahead and ask, and I will tell you.’

“‘My father gazed at me, a look I cannot forget. I still tremble when I recall it. Then he spoke (Rebbe Maharash): ‘In Tishrei 5608 (1846), my father (Reb Menachem Mendel), was deeply embittered. His mood was grave all through the Holy Days, a mood that sorely troubled my brothers and the close Chassidim. However no one had the temerity to ask him the reason. The day after Sukkos was a Monday. My father summoned my brother, Reb Baruch Sholom, and gave him instructions that early every morning, no later than four o’clock, he is to arrange a minyan to recite the whole T’hillim. This shall continue until he tells them to stop. No one is to have any inkling where these orders emanate from.

“‘From that Tuesday through Shabbos VaYishlach, thirty-five days, a minyan recited the full T’hillim. My father’s attendant, Chaim Ber, told us that my father also said T’hillim at that time, but he did not know how much or which ones. He did know that after every few verses he would place coins into the pushkas of charity in his desk drawer, the coins being copper, silver and gold. My brothers, Reb Yehuda Leib and Reb Shneur Zalman, speculated that 5608 was a leap year; there is a tradition from the Maggid in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that a leap year requires more mercies than an ordinary year. My brother, Reb Yisroel Noach, suggested that 5608 was a Messianic year and such years call for more abundant mercies than others.

“‘On Friday, 18 Kislev, my father called Reb Baruch Sholom and told him to stop the required early morning T’hillim. Those who wish to may continue, but he (my father) did not instruct this further. My father celebrated Yud-Tes Kislev in a joyful mood, teaching Chassidus three times. That Chanuka the first printed copies of the sacred Likkutei Torah arrived from the printer. My father’s happiness was incalculable. 24 Teves, the yahrtzait of the Alter Rebbe, was Friday. My father was shliach tzibbur all three times, and we were all invited to his Shabbos table. He was deep in d’veikus throughout the meal, singing a great deal, including the Alter Rebbe’s melody of four passages.

“‘After the singing he spoke (Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek, as related by Rebbe Maharash to Rebbe Rashab, then to the Frierdike, as recorded in his diary): “On the first evening of Rosh HaShana I saw a grave accusation charged against the community of Israel and particularly Torah students. I was deeply troubled by this, and I was unable to see my grandfather (the Alter Rebbe). All my efforts were useless. I did see my father-in-law, the Mitteler Rebbe, and he emphasized the gravity and threat of the accusation. He did say that the decree was not yet signed, that intensified prayer was imperative, but there must be no public knowledge, for this could be most harmful. During the Simchas Torah meal, while singing the Alter Rebbe’s melody before bentching, I saw my grandfather (the Alter Rebbe), and he said to me: “The Cup of Blessing should be elevated a hand’s breadth above the table. The Cup of Blessing of David, namely the book of T’hillim, elevates one a hand’s breadth and nullifies all accusations. Arrange, without any public announcements, that every morning, no later than four o’clock, the entire T’hillim be recited for thirty-five days. The accusation will be nullified.”

Let us all strengthen our commitment to and our understanding of T’hillim, and we will break through the barrier of galus now!

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com