מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִזְכּוֹת לִתְשׁוּבָה, יִהְיֶה רָגִיל בַּאֲמִירַת
Tehillim Opens the Gates of Teshuvah
Whoever wants to merit teshuvah should make a habit of saying Tehillim. There are fifty gates of teshuvah: forty-nine, matching the letters of the tribes' names, are open to every person, and the fiftieth is Hashem's own return to us. Tehillim awakens the heart, brings a person to his own gate and opens it; King David said it with ruach hakodesh so that everyone can find himself in it.
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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִזְכּוֹת לִתְשׁוּבָה, יִהְיֶה רָגִיל בַּאֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, כִּי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים מְסֻגָּל לִתְשׁוּבָה.
כִּי יֵשׁ נוּן שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, וּמ"ט שְׁעָרִים יָכוֹל כָּל אָדָם לִכְנֹס בָּהֶם וּלְהַשִּׂיגָם, אַךְ שַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים הוּא בְּחִינַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, כִּי גַּם אֶצְלוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ מָצִינוּ בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלאכי ג׳:ז׳): שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם.
וְאֵלּוּ הַמ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה הֵם בְּחִינַת מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּשְׁמוֹת שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי קָ־הּ, כִּי כָל שַׁעַר וָשַׁעַר יֵשׁ לוֹ אוֹת מִמ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת הַשְּׁבָטִים. וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל חֲפֵצִים לְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן לָאו כָּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, כִּי יֵשׁ אֶחָד שֶׁאֵין לוֹ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת כְּלָל לִתְשׁוּבָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת לִתְשׁוּבָה, אֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל הָאוֹת וְהַשַּׁעַר שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה הַשַּׁיָּךְ לוֹ; וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם מַגִּיעַ לְשָׁם, יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁהַשַּׁעַר שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה סָגוּר, וּמֵחֲמַת כָּל זֶה אֵין הָאָדָם זוֹכֶה לִתְשׁוּבָה. וְעַל־יְדֵי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שׁוּם הִתְעוֹרְרוּת לִתְשׁוּבָה, הוּא מִתְעוֹרֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, וְגַם זוֹכֶה עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל הַשַּׁעַר וְהָאוֹת הַשַּׁיָּךְ לוֹ וְלִפְתֹּחַ הַשַּׁעַר. נִמְצָא שֶׁזּוֹכֶה עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שמואל ב כ״ג:א׳): נְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הוּקַם עָל, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מו"ק טז:): שֶׁהֵקִים עֻלָּהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה; וּנְעִים זְמִרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת נְעִים זְמִירוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהַיְנוּ סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים שֶׁיָּסַד, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּקַם עֻלָּהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים זוֹכִין לִתְשׁוּבָה כַּנַּ"ל.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ע"ז ד:): לֹא הָיָה דָּוִד רָאוּי לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לְהוֹרוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה לְיָחִיד וְכוּ'. נִמְצָא שֶׁעִקָּר הוֹרָאַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה עַל־יְדֵי דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְעִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ הוּא סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים, שֶׁאֲמָרוֹ בְּהִתְעוֹרְרוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד וּבְרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ, עַד שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא יָכוֹל לִמְצֹא אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים, וְלִזְכּוֹת לִתְשׁוּבָה עַל־יְדֵי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים כַּנַּ"ל:
וְעִקָּר הִזְדַּכְּכוּת שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי קָ־הּ, שֶׁהֵם מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינוֹת מ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, הָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מֵצַר הַגָּרוֹן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה עִלָּאָה (כַּמּוּבָא בְּכִתְבֵי הָאֲרִ"י זַ"ל, וְעַיֵּן שָׁם וְהָבֵן הֵיטֵב). וְעַל־כֵּן אַחַר שֶׁנִּזְדַּכְּכוּ שָׁם בְּמִצְרַיִם וְזָכוּ לָצֵאת מִשָּׁם, סָפְרוּ מ"ט יְמֵי הַסְּפִירָה, שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד מ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת הַנַּ"ל. וּבַיּוֹם הַחֲמִשִּׁים, אָז: וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי (שמות י״ט:כ׳) – זֶה בְּחִינַת: וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם, בְּחִינַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, בְּחִינַת שַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים כַּנַּ"ל:
וְזֶהוּ: וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ (שמות א׳:א׳) – סוֹפֵי־תֵבוֹת הֵם אוֹתִיּוֹת תְּהִלִּים וְאוֹתִיּוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים זוֹכִין לִתְשׁוּבָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה וְכוּ'. כִּי מ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה הֵם בְּחִינַת מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּשְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה, לְהִזְדַּכֵּךְ שָׁם כַּנַּ"ל:
וְזֶה שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִין, שֶׁבִּימֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, דְּהַיְנוּ בֶּאֱלוּל וַעֲשֶׂרֶת־יְמֵי־תְשׁוּבָה, כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹסְקִין אָז בַּאֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, כִּי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים מְסֻגָּל לִתְשׁוּבָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־כֵּן הוּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל מְאֹד לַעֲסֹק תָּמִיד בַּאֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, כִּי תְּהִלִּים הוּא הִתְעוֹרְרוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחַז בּוֹ:
Hebrew text: Likutei Moharan Tinyana - rabenubook.com via Sefaria (Public Domain) · Sefaria. Names of Hashem are written in the customary form.
Transcripts
1-minute recap
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah seventy-three. Tehillim opens the gates of teshuvah.
Whoever wants to return to Hashem should make a habit of saying Tehillim. It is a segulah for teshuvah.
There are fifty gates of teshuvah. Forty-nine a person can reach; the fiftieth is Hashem returning to us.
Some have no desire to return, some cannot find their gate, and some find it closed. Tehillim wakes the heart, finds the gate, and opens it.
That is why we count forty-nine days of the Omer, and on the fiftieth Hashem came down on Mount Sinai.
Our own reflection: say a little Tehillim every day, and find yourself in its words.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah seventy-three: Tehillim opens the gates of teshuvah. A short Torah with a simple and powerful piece of advice.
Rebbe Nachman says: whoever wants to merit teshuvah should make a habit of saying Tehillim. There are fifty gates of teshuvah. Forty-nine are open to every person, and they match the forty-nine letters in the names of the twelve tribes. The fiftieth is Hashem's own return to us, as the verse says: return to Me, and I will return to you.
So why does not everyone return? Some feel no pull at all. Some feel it, but cannot reach their own gate. And some reach it and find it closed. Tehillim helps with all three: it awakens the heart, brings a person to his gate, and opens it.
King David came to teach teshuvah to every individual, and his teshuvah is the Book of Tehillim. He said it with such feeling and with ruach hakodesh that every person can find himself inside it.
The tribes were refined in Egypt, the narrow place. Then we counted forty-nine days, one for each gate, and on the fiftieth Hashem came down on Mount Sinai. The Rebbe even finds Tehillim and teshuvah in the final letters of the Torah's words: these are the names of the children of Israel.
That is why all Israel say Tehillim in Elul and the Ten Days of Teshuvah. And the Rebbe urges us to say it always, for it is a very great awakening toward Hashem. Fortunate is the one who holds on to it.
Our own reflection: a few chapters of Tehillim each day, said slowly, can open a gate we did not know was there.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Tehillim and the Fifty Gates —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah seventy-three: Tehillim opens the gates of teshuvah. A shiur in one part.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah seventy-three. Grey is a verse or teaching he quotes. Green is our own explanation. The Hebrew is the public-domain text from Sefaria; the English is our own paraphrase.
Rebbe Nachman opens: Whoever wants to merit teshuvah should make a habit of saying Tehillim, for saying Tehillim is a segulah for teshuvah.
For there are fifty gates of teshuvah. Forty-nine gates every person can enter and attain, but the fiftieth gate is the teshuvah of Hashem Himself, as it were. For we find, so to speak, teshuvah with Him too, as it is written: return to Me, and I will return to you.
He explains: These forty-nine gates of teshuvah correspond to the forty-nine letters in the names of the twelve holy tribes; each gate has its own letter among the forty-nine letters of the tribes. Now, everyone desires to fear Your Name. The names of the twelve tribes together have forty-nine letters.
Even so, not every person merits to do teshuvah. One person has no arousal toward teshuvah at all. Even one who is aroused may not reach the letter and gate of teshuvah that belongs to him. And even if he reaches it, the gate may be closed. For all these reasons a person may not merit teshuvah.
But through saying Tehillim, even one who has no arousal at all toward teshuvah is awakened to it. Through Tehillim he also merits to reach his own gate and letter, and to open the gate. So through Tehillim he merits to do teshuvah.
Our explanation. The Rebbe names three obstacles to teshuvah: no desire to return at all, not finding the gate that is one's own, and finding that gate shut. Tehillim answers all three. It wakes the heart, leads a person to his own gate, and opens it.
He brings a verse about King David: This is: the words of the man raised up on high, which our Sages expounded: he raised up the yoke of teshuvah; and the sweet singer of Israel. Through the sweet songs of Israel, the Book of Tehillim that David composed, the yoke of teshuvah was raised up, for through Tehillim one merits teshuvah.
He continues: This is what our Sages said: David was not fit for that deed, except in order to teach teshuvah to the individual. So the main teaching of teshuvah came through King David, and King David's main teshuvah is the Book of Tehillim, which he said with tremendous arousal and with ruach hakodesh, so that every single person, whatever his level, can find himself in the Book of Tehillim and merit teshuvah through saying it.
Our explanation. Tehillim is not only David's own prayer. It was said with ruach hakodesh so broadly that every person, wherever he stands, can find his own words in it. When you find yourself in a psalm, you have found your way back.
Rebbe Nachman continues: The main refining of the twelve tribes, the forty-nine letters which are the forty-nine gates of teshuvah, took place in Egypt, Mitzrayim, which is the narrow place, meitzar, of the throat: the higher teshuvah. In brackets he adds: as brought in the writings of the Arizal; see there and understand well.
So after they were refined there and came out of Egypt, they counted the forty-nine days of the Omer, corresponding to the forty-nine gates of teshuvah, the forty-nine letters. And on the fiftieth day: Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai. That is: and I will return to you, the teshuvah of Hashem Himself, as it were, the fiftieth gate.
And this is: these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt, with Yaakov, each man and his household. The final letters spell Tehillim, and also teshuvah. For through Tehillim one merits teshuvah, which is the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt, since the forty-nine gates of teshuvah are the forty-nine letters in their names, who came to Egypt to be refined there.
Our explanation, step by step. In Egypt, the narrow place, the tribes were refined. Then came forty-nine days of counting, one for each gate of teshuvah. And on the fiftieth day, Hashem came down on Mount Sinai: the fiftieth gate, Hashem returning to us.
And finally: This is why we see that in the days of teshuvah, in Elul and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, all Israel are busy saying Tehillim, for saying Tehillim is a segulah for teshuvah. Therefore it is a very great thing to be constantly occupied in saying Tehillim, for Tehillim is a very, very great awakening toward Hashem. Fortunate is the one who holds on to it.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Keep a few chapters of Tehillim every day, not only in Elul. Look for yourself in the words. And remember: the fiftieth gate is Hashem returning to you.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah seventy-three. Mi sherotzeh lizkos liteshuvah.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 73, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.73
English: our own paraphrase of the Hebrew, written for these videos. It is not copied from any published translation.
Verses and teachings of the Sages appear only as Rebbe Nachman quotes them inside this Torah.
How the text is shown
The Divine Name is shown as ה' and voiced as Hashem. Other Names are written in the customary form (אֱלֹקִים, קֵ-ל, קָהּ, שַׁ-דַּ-י, אֲדֹ-נָ-י, אֶקְיֶ-ה, צְבָקוֹת). No full Name is written or voiced.
Parenthetical source references inside the printed Hebrew are left off the screen to save space; the citation line names the source instead.
Long paragraphs are shown in consecutive pieces. Every Hebrew word on screen is from the edition above; nothing is reworded.
Cards labelled EXPLANATION (green), and every line marked 'our own reflection — not a quote', are our own words, not quotations.
Notes
Part 1, scene 12: In brackets in the text: as brought in the writings of the Arizal; see there and understand well.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Tehillim and the Fifty Gates
Scene 3 · LM II:73 §1 · paragraph §1.1
מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִזְכּוֹת לִתְשׁוּבָה, יִהְיֶה רָגִיל בַּאֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, כִּי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים מְסֻגָּל לִתְשׁוּבָה.
EN (our paraphrase): Whoever wants to merit teshuvah should make a habit of saying Tehillim, for saying Tehillim is a segulah for teshuvah.
Scene 4 · LM II:73 §1, on Malachi 3:7 · paragraph §1.2
כִּי יֵשׁ נוּן שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, וּמ"ט שְׁעָרִים יָכוֹל כָּל אָדָם לִכְנֹס בָּהֶם וּלְהַשִּׂיגָם, אַךְ שַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים הוּא בְּחִינַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, כִּי גַּם אֶצְלוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ מָצִינוּ בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם.
EN (our paraphrase): For there are fifty gates of teshuvah. Forty-nine gates every person can enter and attain, but the fiftieth gate is the teshuvah of Hashem Himself, as it were. For we find, so to speak, teshuvah with Him too, as it is written: return to Me, and I will return to you.
Scene 5 · LM II:73 §1 · paragraph §1.3
וְאֵלּוּ הַמ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה הֵם בְּחִינַת מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּשְׁמוֹת שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי קָ־הּ, כִּי כָל שַׁעַר וָשַׁעַר יֵשׁ לוֹ אוֹת מִמ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת הַשְּׁבָטִים. וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל חֲפֵצִים לְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ,
EN (our paraphrase): These forty-nine gates of teshuvah correspond to the forty-nine letters in the names of the twelve holy tribes; each gate has its own letter among the forty-nine letters of the tribes. Now, everyone desires to fear Your Name.
Scene 6 · LM II:73 §1 · paragraph §1.3
וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן לָאו כָּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, כִּי יֵשׁ אֶחָד שֶׁאֵין לוֹ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת כְּלָל לִתְשׁוּבָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת לִתְשׁוּבָה, אֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל הָאוֹת וְהַשַּׁעַר שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה הַשַּׁיָּךְ לוֹ; וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם מַגִּיעַ לְשָׁם, יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁהַשַּׁעַר שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה סָגוּר, וּמֵחֲמַת כָּל זֶה אֵין הָאָדָם זוֹכֶה לִתְשׁוּבָה.
EN (our paraphrase): Even so, not every person merits to do teshuvah. One person has no arousal toward teshuvah at all. Even one who is aroused may not reach the letter and gate of teshuvah that belongs to him. And even if he reaches it, the gate may be closed. For all these reasons a person may not merit teshuvah.
Scene 7 · LM II:73 §1 · paragraph §1.3
וְעַל־יְדֵי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שׁוּם הִתְעוֹרְרוּת לִתְשׁוּבָה, הוּא מִתְעוֹרֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, וְגַם זוֹכֶה עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל הַשַּׁעַר וְהָאוֹת הַשַּׁיָּךְ לוֹ וְלִפְתֹּחַ הַשַּׁעַר. נִמְצָא שֶׁזּוֹכֶה עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
EN (our paraphrase): But through saying Tehillim, even one who has no arousal at all toward teshuvah is awakened to it. Through Tehillim he also merits to reach his own gate and letter, and to open the gate. So through Tehillim he merits to do teshuvah.
Scene 9 · LM II:73 §1, on Shmuel II 23:1 and Moed Katan 16b · paragraph §1.4
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: נְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הוּקַם עָל, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: שֶׁהֵקִים עֻלָּהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה; וּנְעִים זְמִרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת נְעִים זְמִירוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהַיְנוּ סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים שֶׁיָּסַד, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּקַם עֻלָּהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים זוֹכִין לִתְשׁוּבָה כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): This is: the words of the man raised up on high, which our Sages expounded: he raised up the yoke of teshuvah; and the sweet singer of Israel. Through the sweet songs of Israel, the Book of Tehillim that David composed, the yoke of teshuvah was raised up, for through Tehillim one merits teshuvah.
Scene 10 · LM II:73 §1, on Avodah Zarah 4b · paragraph §1.5
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: לֹא הָיָה דָּוִד רָאוּי לְאוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לְהוֹרוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה לְיָחִיד וְכוּ'. נִמְצָא שֶׁעִקָּר הוֹרָאַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה עַל־יְדֵי דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְעִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ הוּא סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים, שֶׁאֲמָרוֹ בְּהִתְעוֹרְרוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד וּבְרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ, עַד שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא יָכוֹל לִמְצֹא אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים, וְלִזְכּוֹת לִתְשׁוּבָה עַל־יְדֵי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): This is what our Sages said: David was not fit for that deed, except in order to teach teshuvah to the individual. So the main teaching of teshuvah came through King David, and King David's main teshuvah is the Book of Tehillim, which he said with tremendous arousal and with ruach hakodesh, so that every single person, whatever his level, can find himself in the Book of Tehillim and merit teshuvah through saying it.
Scene 12 · LM II:73 §2 · paragraph §2.1
וְעִקָּר הִזְדַּכְּכוּת שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי קָ־הּ, שֶׁהֵם מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינוֹת מ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, הָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מֵצַר הַגָּרוֹן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה עִלָּאָה.
EN (our paraphrase): The main refining of the twelve tribes, the forty-nine letters which are the forty-nine gates of teshuvah, took place in Egypt, Mitzrayim, which is the narrow place, meitzar, of the throat: the higher teshuvah.
Scene 13 · LM II:73 §2, on Shemos 19:20 · paragraph §2.1
וְעַל־כֵּן אַחַר שֶׁנִּזְדַּכְּכוּ שָׁם בְּמִצְרַיִם וְזָכוּ לָצֵאת מִשָּׁם, סָפְרוּ מ"ט יְמֵי הַסְּפִירָה, שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד מ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת הַנַּ"ל. וּבַיּוֹם הַחֲמִשִּׁים, אָז: וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי – זֶה בְּחִינַת: וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם, בְּחִינַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, בְּחִינַת שַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): So after they were refined there and came out of Egypt, they counted the forty-nine days of the Omer, corresponding to the forty-nine gates of teshuvah, the forty-nine letters. And on the fiftieth day: Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai. That is: and I will return to you, the teshuvah of Hashem Himself, as it were, the fiftieth gate.
Scene 14 · LM II:73 §2, on Shemos 1:1 · paragraph §2.2
וְזֶהוּ: וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ – סוֹפֵי־תֵבוֹת הֵם אוֹתִיּוֹת תְּהִלִּים וְאוֹתִיּוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי תְּהִלִּים זוֹכִין לִתְשׁוּבָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה וְכוּ'. כִּי מ"ט שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה הֵם בְּחִינַת מ"ט אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּשְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה, לְהִזְדַּכֵּךְ שָׁם כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): And this is: these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt, with Yaakov, each man and his household. The final letters spell Tehillim, and also teshuvah. For through Tehillim one merits teshuvah, which is the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt, since the forty-nine gates of teshuvah are the forty-nine letters in their names, who came to Egypt to be refined there.
Scene 16 · LM II:73 §3 · paragraph §3.1
וְזֶה שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִין, שֶׁבִּימֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, דְּהַיְנוּ בֶּאֱלוּל וַעֲשֶׂרֶת־יְמֵי־תְשׁוּבָה, כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹסְקִין אָז בַּאֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, כִּי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים מְסֻגָּל לִתְשׁוּבָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־כֵּן הוּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל מְאֹד לַעֲסֹק תָּמִיד בַּאֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, כִּי תְּהִלִּים הוּא הִתְעוֹרְרוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחַז בּוֹ:
EN (our paraphrase): This is why we see that in the days of teshuvah, in Elul and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, all Israel are busy saying Tehillim, for saying Tehillim is a segulah for teshuvah. Therefore it is a very great thing to be constantly occupied in saying Tehillim, for Tehillim is a very, very great awakening toward Hashem. Fortunate is the one who holds on to it.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: יִהְיֶה רָגִיל בַּאֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים,
Scene 3 · §1.3: וְעַל־יְדֵי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים, אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שׁוּם הִתְעוֹרְרוּת לִתְשׁוּבָה,
Scene 4 · §1.5: יָכוֹל לִמְצֹא אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים,
Scene 5 · §2.1: וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי
Scene 6 · §3.1: אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחַז בּוֹ:
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: כִּי אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים מְסֻגָּל לִתְשׁוּבָה.
Scene 3 · §1.2: כִּי יֵשׁ נוּן שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה,
Scene 4 · §1.3: לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל הַשַּׁעַר וְהָאוֹת הַשַּׁיָּךְ לוֹ וְלִפְתֹּחַ הַשַּׁעַר.
Scene 5 · §2.1: וַיֵּרֶד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי