"G-d is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? G-d is the stronghold of my life; from whom shall I be frightened?... My adversaries and my enemies against me? They stumbled and fell!"
This week, along with hundreds of thousands of Jews worldwide, I began reciting Psalms 27 twice a day. It’s an ancient tradition during the month of Elul, continuing until Hoshana Rabbah.
But this year, Psalm 27 holds a whole new meaning for me.
On Rosh Chodesh Elul, the very day we began this custom, I received a video clip that shook me to my core. In it, Sapir Cohen shared her incredible story about this very Psalm.
A few months before October 7th, Sapir had an overwhelming feeling that something terrible was going to happen. Convinced it was a terminal illness, she went to her doctor for a full health check. Everything came back normal, but she couldn’t shake the sense that her life was in danger.
In her search for answers, she came across a suggestion online: recite Psalm 27 for 30 days, and it would bring healing from sickness. Desperate for a solution, she did exactly that, saying the Psalm every day for 30 days.
The last day was October 7th.
“I remember how, in the last week of reciting Psalm 27, I started paying closer attention to the words,” Sapir recalled. “I was confused – this Psalm talks about enemies and evildoers, but I wasn’t fighting enemies; I thought I was sick. How did this apply to me?”
But on that fateful day, when terrorists broke into her bomb shelter, Sapir’s fear turned into clarity. “Suddenly, I remembered the words of the Tehillim, and I knew: I would survive.”
Sapir continued reciting the Psalm—the only prayer she knew by heart—every day during her captivity. One day, her captors even asked her if she knew how to pray, and suggested she pray out loud. It was a surreal moment for her, sitting there with her captors, saying King David's words: "My adversaries and my enemies against me? They stumbled and fell!"
Thank G-d, she was released and is now safely back home.
Hearing this story on Rosh Chodesh Elul gave the recitation of Psalm 27 a new significance for me. Thinking of Sapir and her faith, helps me strengthen my own faith.
But unfortunately, we still have many enemies, and many of our brothers and sisters remain in captivity, desperately needing our prayers. As we continue through this month of Elul, let’s unite in saying Psalm 27 daily, hoping for their safe return and for peace.
In the words of the final verse of Psalm 27:
“Hope for the L-rd, be strong, and He will give your heart courage. Hope for the L-rd!”
Wishing you a good Shabbos,
Rabbi Yitzi and Rishi Hein