Within Tehillim 7 lies one of the most powerful healing secrets of Kabbalah ā the ability to raise a sick person from their bed through the power of a Holy Name.
The Hidden Name in Psalm 7
In verse 2 of Psalm 7, we find the words:
×Ö°Ö¼×Öø ×Öø×”Ö“××ŖÖ“× ××ֹש֓×××¢Öµ× Ö“× ×Ö“×ÖøÖ¼×-×ØÖ¹×ְפַ×, ×Ö°×ַצּ֓××Öµ× Ö“×
"In You I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me."
The Mekubalim (Kabbalists) reveal that within this verse, the second of the 72 Holy Names of Hashem ā ××× (Yud-Lamed-Yud) ā appears encoded twice.
The Power of the Name ×××
This Holy Name possesses extraordinary properties:
- Victory over enemies ā It grants power to overcome adversaries
- Birur Nitzutzot ā The ability to extract and elevate Holy Sparks
- Refua Shlema ā Complete healing and restoration of health
According to tradition, it was through this very Name that Moshe Rabbeinu lifted the coffin of Yosef from the depths of the Nile when the Israelites left Egypt.
ā” Teaching of the Arizal
The holy Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria) taught that this Name has the specific power of Refua Shlema ā to raise the sick from their beds. He revealed this secret through a profound passage in the Talmud.
The Talmudic Source: Brachot 5b
The Talmud in Tractate Brachot (page 5b) relates three connected stories of healing:
Story One: Rabbi Yochanan Heals Rabbi Chiya bar Abba
Rabbi Chiya bar Abba fell ill. Rabbi Yochanan came to visit him and asked:
"Are your sufferings dear to you?"
Rabbi Chiya responded: "Neither them nor their reward."
Rabbi Yochanan said: "Give me your hand" (×Ö·× ×Ö“× ×Öø×Öø×Ö° ā Hav li yadach).
Rabbi Chiya extended his hand, and Rabbi Yochanan raised him and healed him.
Story Two: Rabbi Chanina Heals Rabbi Yochanan
Later, Rabbi Yochanan himself became ill. Rabbi Chanina visited and asked the same question. When Rabbi Yochanan expressed he wanted neither the suffering nor its reward, Rabbi Chanina said: "Give me your hand."
Rabbi Yochanan extended his hand, and Rabbi Chanina healed him.
ā” The Prisoner Cannot Free Himself
The Sages ask: Why couldn't Rabbi Yochanan heal himself? They answer with a profound principle: ×Öµ×× ×Öø××Ö¼×©× ×Ö·×ŖÖ“Ö¼××Ø ×¢Ö·×¦Ö°××Ö¹ ×Ö“×ÖµÖ¼××Ŗ ×Öø×Ö²×”×Ö¼×ØÖ“×× ā "A prisoner cannot free himself from prison." Someone must extend a hand and help lift him out.
Story Three: Rabbi Yochanan Heals Rabbi Elazar
Rabbi Elazar fell ill. When Rabbi Yochanan visited, he found Rabbi Elazar lying in darkness. Rabbi Yochanan uncovered his arm, and light filled the room ā for Rabbi Yochanan was extraordinarily beautiful.
Rabbi Yochanan noticed Rabbi Elazar weeping and asked why. After addressing various concerns ā Torah study, livelihood, children ā Rabbi Elazar revealed:
"I weep for this beauty that will eventually turn to dust."
Rabbi Yochanan agreed: "For this, it is certainly worth weeping." They wept together.
Then Rabbi Yochanan asked about his sufferings. When Rabbi Elazar said he wanted neither them nor their reward, Rabbi Yochanan said: "Give me your hand."
Rabbi Elazar extended his hand, and Rabbi Yochanan healed him.
The Secret of "Give Me Your Hand"
The Ben Ish Chai (Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad) reveals the hidden meaning:
In Aramaic, "Give me your hand" is ×Ö·× ×Ö“× ×Öø×Öø×Ö° (Hav li yadach). The initial letters form: ×××
When we add the prefix "and" making it "And give me your hand" ā ×Ö°×Ö·× ×Ö“× ×Öø×Öø×Ö° (Ve-hav li yadach) ā the initials form the complete Holy Name: ×××
ā” Teaching of Ben Ish Chai
The Ben Ish Chai teaches that when one has kavana (focused intention) on these two Names ā ××× and ××× ā one can raise a sick person from their bed.
The Gematria of Healing
The Arizal provides deeper understanding through gematria (Hebrew numerology):
- The Hebrew word for "sick person" ā ××Ö¹×Ö¶× (choleh) ā equals 49
- This corresponds to the 49 levels of impurity (known from the counting of the Omer)
- The 49 levels stand opposite the 50th Gate of Holiness (Shaar HaNun)
The Arizal explains: When a person is ill, they lack the spark from the 50th Gate of Holiness.
The gematria of the Name ××× equals exactly 50. This Name provides the energy of the 50th Level of Holiness, which raises and heals the sick person.
The Name ××× in the Torah
Parashat Noach
This Holy Name appears again in the Torah in Parashat Noach (Genesis 9:29):
×Ö·×Ö°×Ö“× ×ÖøÖ¼×-×Ö°×Öµ× × Ö¹×Ö·
"And all the days of Noach were..."
The final letters of these words spell: ×××
The Midrash teaches that while in the Ark, Noach once forgot to feed the lion on time, and the lion bit his leg. When Noach emerged from the Ark, Hashem healed him through the power of this Name.
Tehillim 23
The Name also appears in Tehillim 23:6:
×ÖµÖ¼××Ŗ ×Ö°××Öø× ×Ö°×Ö¹×ØÖ¶×Ö° ×Öø×Ö“××
"In the house of Hashem for length of days"
The first letters form: ××× ā the Name through which healing comes, granting long years of life.
How to Use This Teaching
Based on these teachings, when praying for the sick:
- Recite Psalm 7 with focused intention on verse 2
- Meditate on the Holy Name ××× hidden within
- Have kavana that this Name brings the energy of the 50th Gate
- Extend your hand (literally or spiritually) to help raise the sick person
Create a Personalized Healing Prayer
On Tehillim.Site, you can create a personalized prayer for healing, incorporating these powerful verses and connecting the patient's Hebrew name with the ancient wisdom of Psalm 7.
May the words of Tehillim bring complete healing ā Refua Shlema ā to all who need it. Amen.
(Based on the teachings of Rabbi Israel Yakobov, "The Secret of Tehillim 7")