Peninah

Many have the practice to recite, in the prayer following Shemoneh Esrei, a verse that starts and ends with the same letter as their name, or that contains their name, or both. This is considered a source of merit. In this series, we will briefly analyze these verses.

פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק אָבֹא בָם אוֹדֶה קהּ

Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter through them, I will give thanks to G-d. - Psalms 118:19

What are these gates of righteousness? The Metzudas Dovid explains that David - the author of Psalms - is asking G-d to permit him to enter the gates of the Temple so that he might enter in order to thank G-d for his salvation. (Many of David's Psalms express a longing for the Temple, which he was denied permission to build.)

Verses for women's names may be found in the book Rigshei Lev by Rabbi Menachem Nissel, based upon Tefillah Yesharah/The Boston Siddur.