David HaMelech teaches us in T’hilim (32:10), “The one who trusts in Hashem, kindness will surround him.” If you put your trust in Hashem, He will shower you with kindness. Chazal assure us that Hashem grants special protection, mercy, and kindness to those that put their absolute trust in Him.  Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher (1255-1340), in Kad HaKemach, wrote: “One who trusts in Gd, he is rewarded by being carried high above affliction – even when it is befitting for such affliction to befall him.”

In Sefer Yalkut Shim’oni, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Tanchum explain in the name of Rav Yirmiyahu: “Even a wicked person who trusts in Hashem will be surrounded by kindness.” When one has bitachon, he is guaranteed results, despite his personal standing as a righteous person or a wicked person. The Eitz Chayim commentary explains that even if a person is unworthy of Hashem’s kindness, the merit of his hope, prayer, and trust in Hashem can enact supernatural salvations on his behalf, as the pasuk in B’reishis 49:18 states: “Liy’shuas’cha kivisi Hashem – I hope for your salvation, Hashem.”

The basis of our existence is the realization of the concept “Ein Od Milvado.” There is nothing besides Him – Hashem is the ultimate Controller, Conductor, Facilitator, Creator, and Owner of everything and every occurrence in existence – past, present, and future.  In times of trouble, Rav Chaim of Volozhin advises that a person should concentrate on Hashem’s absolute power, recognizing that there is no force in all existence that has any influence to help or harm him accept for Hashem’s will.  If he fully acknowledges this truth, nothing in the world will be able to harm him (Nefesh HaChaim).

When a Yid is in a difficult situation, he works on strengthening his emunah and bitachon. Saying Sheim Shamayim b’kavanah, thinking Adon ha’kol, is an exercise in emunah and bitachon. Everything depends on the sincerity of his bitachon, through which he can be redeemed from troubles, even if he is not worthy.  True kavanah is about communicating with Hashem and realizing that you are speaking to a true and live G-d who is listening to every word you utter. The world and all of its resources are in His control, and He is the only one who can truly disseminate at will. During prayer, our focus should be completely on Him.

The Vilna Gaon teaches us that when we focus on the kindness and mercy that Hashem has bestowed upon us in the past, and recognize that we were not truly deserving of His gifts, rather we received them only due to His kindness and mercy, then we can begin to rely on His kindness once again.  Once we realize that all of His gifts of the past were pure kindness and mercy – and we know that His kindness is endless – we can be confident that He will help us again now.

List of People Who Need
a R’fuah Sh’leimah

(a complete recovery)

Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.

Boris Baruch ben Frecha Frida

Alter Shmuel ben Chavah Leah

Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zisel

Yehudah Yudel ben Miriam Gittel

Chaim Yitzchak ben Feiga Hinda

Yitzchak Chaim ben Altoon Aura

Yosef Yitzchak ben Gittel

Eliezer ben Roma

Yosef Ezriel ben Chayah Michal

Aharon ben Feiga

Menachem Mendel ben Gitta Perel

Moshe ben Rachel

Yitzchak Nissim ben Luna

David ben Zina Priyev

Yosef ben Zackie

Yehoshua ben Miriam

Asher ben Rima

Tinok ben Chanah

Yechiel Nasan ben Sarah

Chaim Shmuel ben Leah

Shlomo Chaim ben Liza

Meir Moshe ben Ilanah

David Yehudah ben Maya Mazal

Avraham Refael ben Esther

 

Miriam bas Orah

Esther Pesel bas Beila Chayah

Minna Rivkah bas Chanah Frahdl

Tovah Yocheved bas Esther Bukas

Ruchamah Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel

Esther Hadassah bas Devorah

Leah bas Malkah

Avigayil bas Sarah

Ronit bas Olga

Perel bas Nechamah

Tehilah Hadassah bas Elanah

Berta Duchtar bas Rivkah

Avivah bas Yehudis

Chanah Chayah bas Rivkah Breina

Rivkah Esther bas Nina Naomi

Miriam bas Esther

To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.