8242 —היסח הדעת ממחשבות רעות ואמירת תהלים בלילה

B"H, 20th of Marcheshvan, 5722. Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter requesting a blessing and a pan. At an auspicious time, all those you wrote about will once again be mentioned at the holy resting place of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of blessed memory.

Regarding what you wrote about the known matter, and that you say Tehillim before sleep: I believe I have already written to you that the advised counsel in such cases is distraction. Distraction does not mean waging war with the negative thought but rather diverting one's attention from it and occupying the mind with another matter—ideally with words of Torah and prayer. If a little light dispels much darkness, how much more so does much light! However, your practice—saying Tehillim—is actually the opposite of distraction. This should be understood.

Additionally, it should be noted that our community's custom is not to recite Tehillim at night before midnight, except on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

With blessings that you fulfill the teaching of our Sages: "You have toiled" (toil in Torah study and meticulous mitzvah observance, and then the Sages' assurance will be fulfilled for you) "and found." With blessings for good news in all mentioned above.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that overcoming negative thoughts is best achieved through distraction by engaging in Torah or prayer—not by direct confrontation—and reminds us of the custom regarding when to say Tehillim at night.