Pearls of Wisdom Posted 3/26/2003
It seems that in today`s world, the sefer that more and more people reach for each day is Sefer Tehillim (the Book of Psalms). It is this sefer that we turn to on every occasion — whether it is to thank Hashem for good fortune, to daven for someone who is ill, to ask for livelihood, shidduchim, and for the peace and security of our brethren, acheinu Bnei Yisrael.
There are 150 chapters in Sefer Tehillim. Maseches Sofrim, however, states that there are only 147 chapters. The Minchas Shai explains that the Gemara (Brochos 9b) considers the first two chapters as one unit. The Radak says that Chapter 115 is a part of 114, and that 116 continues uninterruptedly into 117. This brings the total to 147.
According to the Kisei Rachamim, the number 147 represents the number of years of the life of Yaakov Avinu. Yaakov Avinu said Tehillim all through the night while watching Lavan`s flocks. To be sure, night- time is the time of exile. Yaakov Avinu was the one who begged Hashem to reveal the End of Days. Yaakov is the one who supplicated Hashem for peace and tranquility.
In our times, we are living through dramatic events. In the words of our sages, the remnant of the Jewish people and the entire civilized world is facing momentous challenges. It is clearly evident that Hashem Yisborach is causing great changes to sweep His world in an awesome manner.
The deeds of our forefathers are a sign for the children (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 9). Just as Yaakov Avinu recited Tehillim throughout the night, so too it is our holy responsibility to stand with a Tehillim in our hands and pray for Klal Yisrael throughout this long night of exile. In the merit of our prayers, may we hear besoros tovos, yeshu`os, v`nechamos (good news, salvation and comfort).
During the reign of the Czars in Russia, it was decreed that Jewish children were to be taken away from their parents at a very tender age and drafted into the army. Once, a large group of particularly young children were seized from one town. The children realized that they were going to be forcefully converted.
Thinking about the pain that their parents were experiencing, they instinctively huddled together to come up with a plan. They reminisced that back at home, "when something bad would happen, the town would gather together to recite Tehillim. What should we do? We have no Tehillim and we don`t know the words by heart. But," they said, "we do know the niggun, the tune, in which to say Tehillim." They started singing until their song pierced the Heavens... And miraculously, they were all freed.
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