{"id":6227,"date":"2010-01-14T01:00:26","date_gmt":"2010-01-13T23:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=6227"},"modified":"2018-05-24T11:35:57","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T08:35:57","slug":"02-14-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-14-01\/","title":{"rendered":"01 – The Reason for Its Recital"},"content":{"rendered":"
The appropriate sequence of prayer is to begin by praising Hashem and only afterwards to approach Him with our requests. We learn this from Moshe Rabbeinu who commenced his prayer with words of praise, saying (Deuteronomy 3:24), \u201cHashem, God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand. What force is there in heaven or earth that can perform deeds and mighty acts as You do?\u201d Only afterwards did Moshe plead, \u201cPlease let me cross [the Jordan] so that I may see the good land\u2026\u201d Based on this, Rav Simlai interprets, \u201cA person should always praise Hashem first and afterwards pray\u201d (Berachot<\/i> 32a). This is the order of the berachot<\/i> in the Amidah<\/i>. The first three berachot<\/i> open with words of praise and only later continue to the berachot<\/i> detailing our requests. Even in the rest of the prayer service it is proper to begin in this fashion; therefore the Chachamim<\/i> established the recital of Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i>, words of praise and exaltation of Hashem. The Chachamim<\/i> instituted opening Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i> with Birkat<\/i> Baruch She\u2019amar<\/i> and ending it with Birkat<\/i> Yishtabach<\/i>.<\/p>\n
During the time of the Tanna\u2019im<\/i>, the recital of Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i> was considered to be an extra pious act praised by the Chachamim<\/i>. As time went on, however, the minhag<\/i> spread until it became an obligatory custom, and now all of Israel commence their prayers with Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah.<\/i>[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n By reciting Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i>, a person reflects upon the magnitude of the Creator, and thus when he subsequently prays, he knows before Whom he stands. Otherwise, he might come to request his needs like idol worshipers, whose whole aim is to achieve personal success in their lowly matters, and who are not interested at all in devoting themselves to Hashem, the Source of Life. However, a person who purifies his heart by meditating on the greatness of Hashem knows how to pray. Even when requesting health and livelihood, he does so in order to devote himself to Hashem\u2019s Torah and to rectify the world under the Almighty\u2019s sovereignty. In this spirit, his prayers will be accepted (see Olat Ra\u2019aya<\/i> part 1, p.14).<\/p>\n The name \u201cPesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i>\u201d means \u201cverses of songs of praise.\u201d Additionally, it derives from the phrase \u201czemirat hakerem<\/i>\u201d (the pruning of a vineyard). Just like one who prunes his vineyard cuts off the extra branches in order to increase the growth of the vines and thus produce better fruit in the future – by saying Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i> we destroy our flawed thoughts and negative feelings, so that our prayers will ascend upward and be accepted. This process of mental and emotional purification inspires us to joyous song; therefore these passages are called \u201cPesukei d\u2019Zimrah.”<\/i>[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n
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