The Traditional Feast in Honor of the Hilula of David Hamelech

As every year on the day after Shavuot, a Seuda and Farbrengen are held near the tomb of David Hamelech ZT”L on Mount Zion in the Old City of Jerusalem, in honor of his Hilula and the Hilula of the founder of Hasidism, the holy Baal Shem Tov ZT”L.

After washing hands for the lavish feast, Rabbi Ephraim Pros, the head of the Tehillim Olami group, and all of the participants recited Tehillim for the rescue of captives and the healing of the wounded. Between the rabbis’ speeches, stirring Hasidic melodies were sung.

Honoring the head table were prominent rabbis: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Salomon, Rabbi of Central Jerusalem; Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Halperin, Rabbi of the Chabad Shul in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood; the Mashpia Rabbi Ozer Alperowitz; the educator Rabbi Yaakov Ehrentreu; and the well-known lecturer Rabbi Chaim Sasson, author of numerous books on redemption. Each of them delivered words of Torah, Hasidism, and encouragement to the crowd, especially to the regular members of the Tehillim group.

The Tehillim Olami group was established for the merit of Am Yisrael by the Rebbe Rayatz ZT”L, and renewed by the directive of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT”L on the eve of Shavuot in the year 5750 (1990). Since then, a quorum of Torah scholars gathers daily, reciting the entire Book of Tehillim for the salvation of Am Israel.

Once a year, on the day after Shavuot, a Hilula feast is organized by Colel Chabad under the direction of Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Deitch, who has been in charge since the society’s renewal. He receives names from all over the world to pray for their healing and salvation, and these are mentioned by the regular members in the daily recitation of the entire Book of Tehillim for their merit. Many have witnessed supernatural salvations.