Ukraine marks today (Tuesday) 1,000 days of the harsh war imposed by Russia, and to commemorate this symbolic day, the printing of 100,000 copies of pocket-sized Psalms for distribution across the country has been completed. What makes these Psalms special, beyond being portable booklets, is the fact that they have been printed in Ukrainian for the first time ever.
Rabbi Levi Engelsman, from the publishing team based in Dnipro, ‘the capital of Ukrainian Jewry,’ says that “this is a special initiative by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) designed to bring personal protection to as many Jews as possible. The ‘pocket-sized Psalms’ they will carry everywhere are meant to serve as protection, and the chapters of Psalms they read from these books will certainly ascend before G-d and fulfill their purpose.”
Alongside distribution to the country’s Jews, in cooperation with Chabad emissaries in all cities, tens of thousands of additional copies are being distributed to soldiers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, across all fronts. This distribution, similar to holiday supplies distribution, is conducted through Federation representatives working with the Ukrainian military.
According to Rabbi Mayer Stambler, Chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, “A key part of integrating community rabbis with the country’s Jews is speaking their language, and if they have chosen to speak Ukrainian instead of Russian, we need to adapt ourselves. This is why after printing Torah books, Passover Haggadah, Book of Esther, and children’s books in Ukrainian, we decided that the Psalms should also be in Ukrainian. The language,” he continues, “is part of the war narrative. And when Ukraine announced a few years ago that they wanted to make Ukrainian the official language, instead of Russian which had been customary for many years, this includes us as well.”
“Moreover, there is another important interest here: Victory on the battlefield is connected to spiritual victory, and therefore it’s important for us to print the Psalms in Ukrainian – to help Ukraine win.”
As part of an agreement with Kehot – Chabad’s official publishing company, rights were granted to publish the book, ensuring it would be identical in color, size, and page layout to the Psalms books that Kehot has published in more than ten languages worldwide.
“We want the Ukrainian Psalms book to be identical to Psalms books from around the world,” the publishing team explains, “so that when a Jew from Ukraine visits synagogues worldwide, the Psalms in local languages will be identical to the Psalms book they know. Every detail is considered. Additionally, when a Jew enters a synagogue and sees Psalms in Ukrainian, it immediately connects with them. They feel spoken to in their language. They understand that Judaism isn’t something outdated in an abstract language. It’s something adapted and relevant in every situation.”
Without question reciting Tehillim will confer protection. Can someone,however, cite a makor stating that just carrying the Sefer Tehillim is a source of protection?
It would seem that Rambam is totally against this as cited in Hilchos Avodas Kochavim 11 Halacha 12. Ty.
…where there is evidence from a Mishnah (Keilim 17:16 as understood by Tosefos Yom Tov) that people would carry them for protection (see Likkutei Sichos 19:125). I don’t know whether there’s any similar source about a Tehillim, but at least it shows that the idea is there.
The Ukrainian Jews definitely need protection this war is unfortunately escalating to a very dramatic level.. I was surprised to find out that most Ukrainian Jews are very nationalistic first and foremost, mother Ukraine comes first before anything else … they should be ready to leave before this war goes nuclear ☢️