12 Sep THE MESSAGES AND POWER OF L’DOVID HASHEM ORI – PART ONE

As we are in the heat of
the Days of Awe, there
is a powerful segulah,
a propitious activity in
which all of us can take
advantage of, and yet
most of us are unaware
of its power. We all know
the custom of saying
L’Dovid Hashem Ori, the
27th Chapter of Tehillim from the beginning
of Elul until Shemini Atzeres. The earliest
record of this custom is from the siddur
of Rab Shabtai Mei’Rakshov, zt”l, zy”a,
although some people ascribe it even earlier,
to the Baal Shem Tov, zt”l, zy”a.
What most people are unaware of is what
Rab Shabtai wrote about the custom. He
reveals, “It is a tradition in our hands that
whoever says this psalm with concentration
from Elul till Simchas Torah will be declared
innocent in judgement and will cancel from
upon himself all harsh and evil decrees.” This
is also cited in the widely accepted Mateh
Efraim. The Chida adds that with proper
saying of this psalm, one can be confident that
he will live out his days with goodness.
The simple connection between this psalm
and this time of the year lies in its opening
and subsequent statements. As the Medrash

elaborates, Hashem Ori – Hashem is my light,
zu Rosh Hashanah – this refers to the Day
of Judgment. V’yishi – and my salvation,
zu Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. Ki
yitz’pneini b’suko b’yom ra’ah – for Hashem
shelters me in his booth on a day of evil, zu
Succos – this alludes to Succos. Furthermore,
in this psalm, Dovid HaMelech reveals the
mission statement, the primary focus of his
life. He passionately declares, “Achas sho’alti
mei’eis Hashem, osah avakeish: Shivti b’veis
Hashem kol y’mei chaiyai, lachazos b’noam
Hashem ul’vakeir b’heichalo – I have one
request from Hashem, for this I beseech you:
that I should dwell in the House of Hashem
to see the sweetness of Hashem and to visit
His Abode.”
When we ask Hashem on Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur for renewed life and menuchas
hanefesh, a contentment of spirit, our petition
is much more effective and successful if
we give Hashem a strong reason to grant
our request. We learn this idea from the
Haggadah shel Pesach. There, the Haggadah
instructs before saying the Mah Nishtanah,
“Kan haben sho’el.” Most take this to mean,
“Here the son asks (the four questions),”
but the great rebbes of old interpret, “Here
is the proper place (for parents) to ask for a
son,” for we are giving Hashem a powerful

reason to grant us this boon in order that we
should fulfil the mitzvah of answering our
son’s Mah Nishtanah. So too, we emulate
Dovid HaMelech’s mission statement and
ask Hashem to grant us a trouble-free life
so we could see the sweetness of Hashem
by learning His Torah, which is described as
“Deracheha darchei noam – Its ways are ways
of sweetness,” and to regularly, and without
interruption, be able to visit His Abode, our
Shul, which is our Mikdash Me’at, our mini
sanctuary.
Indeed, in the beginning of every week, we
enunciate these two missions in our Havdalah
prayer. In prose, very similar to the psalm
of L’Dovid, we say, “Hinei, Ke’l yoshuasi,
evtach v’lo efchad, ki azi v’zimras Kah,
Hashem, vayehi li liyeshuah – Behold the
Almighty is my salvation, I will trust in Him
and not be afraid, for Hashem is my might
and my song, and therefore Hashem is to me
a salvation.” Here again, we have reference
to the twofold mission statement: my might
refers to the Torah, as it says in the verse,
“Hashem oz l’amo yitein – Hashem gave
might (the Torah) to his nation,” and zimras
Kah, refers to praying and connecting with
Hashem.
So, let’s utilize this powerful segulah of
L’Dovid Hashem Ori, saying it with intense

concentration and may it help us be blessed
with a kisiva v’chasima tovah, a sweet, happy,
healthy, and wonderful New Year.
To Be Continued.