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THE BEST SONGWRITER
by Adina Hershberg
"I lift my eyes to the hills; from whence will come my help?
My help is from Hashem Who made heaven and earth." These
words of Dovid Ha-Melech have often brought me comfort. No
matter what the event — whether sad or happy,
comforting or frightening, tense or peaceful — there is
a psalm to match every occasion. In recent years there has
been a sprouting of Tehillim groups throughout the
world. Reciting Tehillim on one's own is good, but
completing it with a group is far superior. Concerning the
latter, Rebbetzin Shaindy Gross described it as laser
treatment. Loads of energy is focused on a spot and miracles
can occur and do occur.
Chaya from South America was visiting Israel and attended a
Tehillim group in Har Nof. She was so impressed with
the idea that she decided to start one in her community. The
next day a little boy was run over by a school van. He was
taken to Hadassah Hospital for examination, and the doctors
could not find any injuries. The young boy was Chaya's
son.
While traveling to and from Kever Rochel with friends, I have
heard some amazing Tehillim stories: Sara did not have
an easy childhood. As an adult in Israel, she became
religious and married a religious man. She was married for
several years before becoming pregnant. Her medical problems
during pregnancy would fill a medical journal. On Taanis
Esther, Sara was rushed to Sharei Tzedek Hospital with a
life-threatening medical emergency. When my friend Miriam
arrived at the hospital, she waited outside of the intensive
care unit for news of Sara's condition. An announcement was
made over the public address system which caused a large
group of medical staff to run to where Sara lay. While this
was occurring, Miriam waited in the waiting room and recited
Tehillim. A few men came over to Miriam to ask for
Sara's name. More men suddenly appeared out of nowhere and
all of them said Tehillim. A while later, a large
group of medical personnel exited the ICU. The men who were
praying for Sara disappeared as quickly as they had come.
Sara had pulled through. But she still had another 3 1/2
months until the end of her pregnancy. Would it end safely
and happily? Thank G-d, Sara gave birth to a baby boy. May
she and her husband raise him in good health. May Sara be
blessed with only healthy pregnancies and babies.
J., another friend in the group that travels to Kever Rachel
each week, told me this account: She has a Tehillim
group in her home several times a week. One Shabbos the group
prayed for a girlfriend of one of the hostess's daughters.
Her daughter's friend was critically ill following a
Caesarian section. When Shabbos ended, my friend's daughter
received the news that her friend had recovered—despite
the fact that she had been pronounced brain dead! G-d
willing, more people will realize that prayer is a powerful
drug. The following story which happened to a neighbor and
friend attests to the power of Tehillim. One night
Rose could not sleep. She was concerned about a school issue
with one of her children. She decided to get up and say
Tehillim. Earlier that evening, her oldest child
Boruch had taken the car to visit a friend in a yeshiva
outside of Yerushalayim. On his way back he fell asleep at
the wheel. The car crashed into a pole on the side of the
highway. The car was totaled. Miraculously, he received only
a small cut on his face. Someone driving by noticed the
accident and stopped. The cell phone was extricated from the
car to call for help. At the time that his mother could not
sleep, she assumed that her son had returned home and was
asleep in his bed. When she found out about the car accident,
she realized that when she had risen to say Tehillim
for one child's success, it was the time of her oldest
child's accident.
The story does not end here. Not too long afterwards, Boruch
was sitting with a friend on a park bench overlooking the
Jerusalem forest. As they spoke, from down below there was a
sudden screech of brakes, a crash, a scream and then silence.
Boruch quickly dialed HaChovesh, the local ambulance service.
He told them the approximate location of the car accident. He
and his friend rushed down to the forest road and searched
for victims. They found the injured driver, who had been
thrown by the impact, into the forest. Had Boruch not heard
the accident and sprung into action, the man would probably
not have survived the night, due to the cold exposure and his
injuries. It is interesting to note that Rose is a volunteer
for HaChovesh.
A year ago Elul, I attended an evening of shiurim
regarding Tehillim groups. One of the rebbetzins who
spoke told the following story: One of the regulars in her
group is very quiet, but one week she overcame her shyness
because she felt that she had to tell the group what had
occurred. The participant said that on the way to the
Tehillim group the previous week, she suddenly
remembered that it was the yahrzeit of an aunt of
hers. At the group she quietly dedicated her recital for her
aunt's iluy neshoma.
That night her aunt came to her niece in a dream. She told
her niece, "You can't imagine what your Tehillim did
in Heaven!" May the Tehillim groups continue to
proliferate, and may we merit Divine salvation.
ahersh@netvision.net.il The author recommends getting
`hooked' on Tehillim as well as on other prayers.
Growing up in the United States, she doesn't remember people
being so "into" Tehillim. She loves seeing people
standing in bank lines, sitting at bus stops, waiting for the
dentist, etc. reciting Tehillim. She especially loves
when her little ones recite them by heart with their sweet
voices.
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