{"id":6229,"date":"2010-01-14T02:00:18","date_gmt":"2010-01-14T00:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=6229"},"modified":"2018-05-24T11:36:08","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T08:36:08","slug":"02-14-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-14-02\/","title":{"rendered":"02 – What Are Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah?"},"content":{"rendered":"
The main part of Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i> is the last six chapters in the book of Psalms, the most significant being the first, \u201cTehillah L\u2019David<\/i>\u201d (Psalm 145). One who recites it three times daily is ensured a place in the World to Come, both because the praises in that Psalm are organized according to the order of the alef-bet<\/i>, and because it mentions the important verse, \u201cPote\u2019ach et Yadecha<\/i>\u2026,\u201d \u201cYou open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living being\u201d (Berachot<\/i> 4b). It is customary to recite the verse \u201cAshrei<\/i>\u201d before it, therefore the Psalm is generally referred to as Ashrei<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, we say the five Psalms which start and end with the word \u201cHalleluyah<\/i>,\u201d about which Rabbi Yossi says, \u201cMay my portion be among those who complete the Hallel<\/i> every day\u201d (Shabbat<\/i> 118b).<\/p>\n
During the era of the Savora\u2019im<\/i> (after the Amora\u2019im<\/i>), the recital of \u201cHodu<\/i>\u201d (Chronicles I 16:8-36) was instituted, which is the song and praise that King David recited as he returned the Ark of God from the captivity of the Philistines to the tent of the Tabernacle. Later, in the Temple, half of this praise would be recited while offering the morning Tamid<\/i> and the other half when bringing the Tamid<\/i> of the afternoon (Beit Yosef<\/i>, Orach Chaim<\/i> 50). According to Nusach<\/i> Ashkenaz<\/i>, Hodu<\/i> is said after Baruch She\u2019amar<\/i> so that all the songs of praise and exaltation are included within the berachot<\/i> of Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i> (Tur<\/i>, Orach Chaim<\/i> 51). According to Nusach<\/i> Sephard<\/i>, Hodu<\/i> is said before Baruch She\u2019amar<\/i> because it is a continuation of the recital of the Tamid<\/i> offering (Eshkol<\/i>, Kolbo<\/i>).<\/p>\n
The Savora\u2019im<\/i> also instituted (Masechet Sofrim<\/i> 17:11) the recital of a compilation of verses before Ashrei<\/i> that start with Yehi Chevod<\/i>. These verses possess a strengthening of one\u2019s faith in Hashem and in the redemption of Israel. The Ari<\/i> explains the deeper, mystical meanings of this Psalms\u2019 enigmatic words (Kaf HaChaim<\/i> 51:13).<\/p>\n
After that, during the time of the Geonim<\/i>, it became customary to add more Psalms and verses to Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i>. They established saying \u201cMizmor L\u2019Todah<\/i>\u201d (Psalm 100). Chazal<\/i> say that in the future, all songs will be nullified with the exception of this one (Vayikra Rabbah<\/i> 9:7). Therefore, it is proper to recite it with a melody. It is not said on Shabbatot<\/i> and festivals; instead, \u201cMizmor Shir L\u2019Yom HaShabbat<\/i>\u201d (Psalm 92) is recited. According to the Ashkenazic minhag<\/i>, Mizmor L\u2019Todah<\/i> is recited to correspond to the Todah<\/i> (thanksgiving) offering which contained chametz<\/i> (leavened bread). For that reason this Psalm is not recited on Erev Pesach<\/i>, Chol HaMo\u2019ed<\/i> Pesach<\/i>, and Erev Yom Kippur<\/i>, <\/i>since the Todah<\/i> offering is not brought on those days because of the prohibition of chametz<\/i>, or the obligation to fast. However, the Sephardim<\/i> do recite it on those days because according to the Sephardic<\/i> minhag<\/i>, it does not correspond to the Todah<\/i> offering; rather its fundamental purpose is to praise and express thanks (Beit Yosef<\/i> and Rama<\/i> 51:8).<\/p>\n
The main parts of Pesukei d\u2019Zimrah<\/i> are taken from the songs of David, as we say in the wording of Baruch She\u2019amar<\/i>, \u201cThrough the songs of David, Your servant, we will extol You.\u201d Nevertheless, in the period of the Geonim<\/i>, there were those who had the custom to add verses from the Torah and from the book of Nehemiah, such as Vayevarech David<\/i> (Chronicles I 29:10-13 and Nehemiah 9:6-11), and Az Yashir<\/i> (Song at the Sea), that Moshe and the nation of Israel sang to Hashem (Exodus 15:1-18). By the end of the era of the Rishonim<\/i> everyone became accustomed to saying them.[3]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n