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I have a cousin who is not religious at all. (this is the way she was brought up). She is now going through a very rough time in her life – legally and emotionally. She has expressed interest in religious ideas. She says she’s a very spiritual person.
I would like to send her a Sefer Tehilim with English translation. I’m just wondering which particular perakim I should emphasize to her. In other words which ones do you think would reach someone who has no background at all? Which ones would have the most meaning to someone like this?
So far we have thought of gimmel, kuf chaf, kuf chaf aleph, kuf lamed, and chaf zayin. Any other suggestions? Nothing that she could misinterpret. It has to be inspirational to a non-religious person.
If you have any ideas other than Tehilim, I’d be glad to hear them.
Thanks
perek 100-thanking and seeing the good in things especially when going through the tough times has always been healing for me
How about Garden of Emuna in English?
You can also contact Project Inspire with this great question; I’m sure they’ve got tons of experience with just such issues.
I say pei vav (as per rabbi wallerstein’s advice) and it really keeps me going. an amazing perek!
very interesting
pei vav is my favorite kpital, if i can say such a thing
i never heard anyone else mention anything about it before
very nice.
he said you have to say it with an english tehillim or else its not that meaningful. i will admit that it totally pulled me through! what makes it your fav perek?!?!?
i say it in Lashon HaKodesh with the metsudah linear translation on the side if i forget some of the meanings
im a little embarrassed, i havent said it in a long time. i just remember it expressed well the things i most wanted to say to HaKodeshBorchu. i made a point to learn the translation well. its the only one that i have a bookmark for in my Tehillim
what made you chance upon that one? you were just saying tehillim and when you came to that one it sort of “talked” to you?
Lamed bais, gimmel, and the next few kapitlach have some very “comforting” (for lack of a better word) pesukim. I would recommend going through it if you’re looking for something that can’t be mistranslated.
(I found those very helpful when I needed it.)
Hatzlacha
i was looking through the translation of Tehillim for something that expressed particular thoughts that i wanted DovidHeMelechs help with expressing to Hashem and yes i “came across” this one
wow!!! very powerful!
Maybe she would appreciate a good song? The one thats coming to mind now is “You’re never alone” from Avraham Fried but anything along those lines, really.
Gefen
Unless this cousin is Israeli she wont be able to read the hebrew and reading just the English is less powerful and less meaningful.
I have a different suggestion. There is a concept in Chassidus called Hisbodedus (or Hitbodedut depending on how you pronounce words). What it basically means is going somewhere private. Go to a room someplace where there wont be any disturbances (and don’t bring a phone or turn it off) and just talk to Hashem. Pour your heart out and tell Him everything. Tell Him how you feel. Tell Him that You need His help. Tell Him that you know that you are helpless without Him and that only He can help you get through any problem. Ask Him, beg Him for mercy. Cry to Him and beseech Him to release you from your problems. At the same time, accept upon yourself to come closer to Hashem. To be better, to try harder. In the case of your cousin I would say she should be mekabel (Bli Neder explain what that means to her) to do a certain mitzvah like give X amount to a Tzedaka or to Light Shabbos candles or whatever…you can help her with that. Just don’t pick anything too difficult, but still pick something she will see meaning in.
I wish you and her much Hatzlacha and may she see the light of Hashem and be zoche to be a chozeres biteshuvah.
Unless this cousin is Israeli she wont be able to read the hebrew
Why not? Many not-yet-frum people read Hebrew. In regard to your second point, I’m all for talking to Hashem, but the words of Tehillim are very calming in a different way.
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