David Hamelech said: “Va’ani kirvas Elokim li tov (As for me, being close to Hashem is what’s considered good).” What King David (David HaMelech) desired was only one thing: to be close with Hashem.
The time between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur is known as the Ten Days of Repentance. T’shuvah enables us to become close to Him again. The Rambam (Hilchos T’shuvah 7:6-7) expresses that the main point of t’shuvah is rebuilding our relationship with Hashem: “T’shuvah is great because it brings a man closer to the Shechinah… Yesterday he was loathsome, distanced from Hashem, and an abomination; but today he is beloved, a delight, close, and a friend… Before, when he davened, Hashem did not listen; and when he did mitzvos, they were torn up before Him… Today, he clings to the Shechinah… He calls out to Hashem and is answered…and he does mitzvos, which are received with joy.”
Many have the custom of taking on extra stringencies on themselves in order to develop a pattern of more meticulous religious observance. It is also customary to listen to shiurim, learn musar, and to give tz’dakah during this time period.
The Rambam in Hilchos T’shuvah, “The Laws of Repentance” (2:6), says, “Despite the fact that t’shuvah and crying out to Hashem are always timely, during the Ten Days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim it is exceedingly appropriate, and is accepted immediately, as it says, ‘Seek Hashem when He is to be found’ (Yeshayahu 55:6).” In Maseches Rosh HaShanah (18a) it explains that “Seek Hashem when He is to be found” are the days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim.”
The Rambam continues in Hilchos T’shuvah (3:4): “…Every person should view himself all year as if he were half innocent and half guilty. And that is the way he should look at the world as well, as if it were half innocent and half guilty. If he did just one sin, he would thereby tip both himself and the entire world towards the “guilty” side and cause great destruction. And if he did just one mitzvah, he would tip both himself and the entire world towards the “innocent” side and cause for himself and for them salvation, as it says, “The righteous person is the foundation of the world” – because his being righteous tipped the world for good, and saved it.”
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Moshe ben Bahieh Clara
Yisrael Pinchas ben Sarah
Meir Tzvi ben Sarah Esther
Avraham Eliezer ben Tasharnea Leah
Yechiel ben Chayah
Avraham Yosef ben Meital Rachel
Rav Yehudah ben Chayah Esther
Nasan Eliyahu ben Shirin
David ben Dinah
Avraham ben Mazal
Yochanan ben Leah
Hinda bas Taba Rachel
Sarah bas Tziporah
Chayah Ayelet bas Geulah
Angela Adinah bas Gulcherra
Ayelet Chayah bas Geulah
Leah Perla bas Chanah Brachah
Sima Simchah bas Sarah
Leah bas Frieda
Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)
Avishai ben Gilah Rachel
Uriyah ben Pazit
Itai ben Hermina
Elchanan Yair ben Devorah
El’ad ben Liyat
Binyamin ben Rinah
D’vir Tzion ben Osnas Shulamis
D’vir ben Iris
David ben Tziporah
Yedidyah ben Orit
Yosef ben Anat
Yishai Chai ben Rivkah
Leor ben Idit
Michael ben Chavah
Michael Gilad ben Shoron
Nesanel ben Sigalit
Idan ben Chanah
Akiva ben Iris Meira
Ro’i Rachamim ben Nurit
Sasson ben Yonah Yi-Stella
Tamir Yitzchak ben Edna
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.
