Siman 133

After "Uva LeTziyon," the shaliach tzibbur says Kaddish "Titkabel," for the prayer is finished. However, we are accustomed to say afterward the great praise of "Aleinu LeShabe'ach," which the ancients said Yehoshua bin Nun established at the conquest of Yericho. The Ari, of blessed memory, warned to say it after every prayer, aloud, standing, and with joy. And one bows at "and we kneel." Also our teacher, the Rema, in the previous siman, wrote that one should be careful to say it with kavanah. And one should pause slightly before "and we kneel" (so that it does not sound as if it refers to the preceding, Heaven forbid). And we say Kaddish Yatom after "Aleinu." Even if there is no orphan in the beit din, one who does not have a father and mother should say it. And even one who has a father and mother may say it if they do not object. Thus far his words. For this Kaddish has a basis to complete four Kaddishim in Shacharit. Through the recitation of "Aleinu," faith is strengthened within us, that there is no power besides Him, may He be blessed, and the hope to perfect the world under the sovereignty of the Almighty (see Bach). Some say "and the throne of His glory in the heavens above." And some say "and the seat of His honor," and the Tur wrote that such is the version in the Sefer Heikhalot, see there. Nevertheless, we say "and the throne of His glory" for the reason known to us.

And afterward they say the shir shel yom, in memory of the song of the Levites in the Beit HaMikdash. And during Mincha it is not the custom to say it, even though they also said a song in the Beit HaMikdash during the afternoon tamid. And it is an explicit Mishnah at the end of Rosh Hashanah that once the Levites erred in the song, and it refers to the afternoon, see there. Nevertheless, since it is merely a remembrance—it is sufficient in Shacharit. And in Rosh Hashanah (31a) the reasons for each shir shel yom are explained, how each one relates to that day, see there. And in Masekhet Soferim (chapter eighteen) he brings this Mishnah of the song that the Levites would say in the Beit HaMikdash which is at the end of Masekhet Tamid, and concludes that anyone who mentions a verse in its season—it is accounted to him as if he built a new altar and offered a sacrifice upon it. Thus far his words. Therefore, one should be careful in this. And after the shir shel yom there is no need for Kaddish, for we have already said four Kaddishes, and one should not increase Kaddishes as I wrote in siman 55, see there. However, the mourners have the custom to say Kaddish after it, and therefore when there is no mourner in the beit knesset, this Kaddish is not necessary.

And know that on a day when there is a musaf, the Levites would say the morning shir after the morning tamid, and for musaf there were other shirim, as is explained in Masekhet Soferim there regarding Rosh Chodesh and Yom Tov. And by law, one should say on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Rosh Chodesh the shir of the day for the morning after the shacharit prayer. And such is the custom of the Sefardim, and it is correct. But we do not practice this way, as we say it after musaf. And also the shirim of musaf we have no custom to say at all, and it is a wonder. And the Sefardim say on Rosh Chodesh "Barchi Nafshi," which is the shir of the musaf of Rosh Chodesh. And on Yom Tov even they do not say it, and I do not know why. And it is also a marvel to me that regarding the musaf of Shabbat, it is explained in Rosh Hashanah there that they would say a shir from Parashat Ha'azinu, yet in Masekhet Soferim it does not reckon it. And also those who say on Yom Tov the shirim of musaf. And they have already been printed in the machzorim, so why on Shabbat is there no one who says them? And it requires great investigation.

The custom of Sefarad is to say after "Uva LeTzion" the psalm "A prayer of David, incline O Hashem Your ear," which is psalm 86. Afterward they say "Hoshienu...", the song of the day, and afterward they say "Ein Keiloheinu...", "Pitum HaKetoret...", "Tanna Debei Eliyahu: Everyone who studies halachot...", "Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Chanina: Torah scholars increase peace...". And they say Kaddish DeRabbanan, because of their statement at the end of Sotah which we cited in the previous siman, where the Shas says there "Amen. Yehei Shmeih Rabba" of Aggadata. And afterward "Aleinu". And their custom is correct and good, and so wrote in Peri Etz Chaim. However, our teacher, the Rema, wrote in siman 132, and this is his wording: There are those who wrote to say "Pitum HaKetoret" from the text and not by heart, because the recitation is in place of the offering of the incense, and we are concerned lest one omit one of its ingredients. And we say that one is liable for death if he omits one of its ingredients. Therefore, they practiced not to say it on a weekday, for they hurry to their work and we are concerned lest he omit. And when he exits the beit knesset he says "Hashem, lead me...", and bows and exits. Thus far his words. And the Maharil performed three bows, and when he exited the beit knesset he did not exit with his back to the Heikhal but rather turned sideways (Magen Avraham). And when the bimah intervenes – it is of no concern to us, since another domain intervenes between the Heikhal and the entrance. (And therefore in Ashkenaz they did not practice to say "Ein Keiloheinu" and "Pitum HaKetoret" for the reason that the Rema wrote. Nevertheless, one who says it – behold, this is praiseworthy. And because of the concern of omitting one of the ingredients, some practiced to count on the fingers, and he will not err further, obviously. And a Torah scholar certainly should say them. And so wrote the Magen Avraham, subsection 5, that the meticulous practiced to say it every day, see there. And regarding what he elaborated in subsection 4 concerning the matter of the song of Mincha – there is no need to elaborate on this as there is no doubt in this, and the correct view is as I have written. Examine and you will find it simple.)

Our teachers, the authors of the Shulchan Aruch, wrote: On Shabbat and Yom Tov one does not say "Barchu" after the final Kaddish, even in a place where they were accustomed to say it on weekdays lest there were individuals who were not in the beit din when they said "Barchu"; nevertheless, on Shabbat and Yom Tov one does not say it because everyone comes to the beit knesset before "Barchu." Thus far his words. And this custom is not known among us. And we do not say this, neither on weekdays nor on Shabbat and Yom Tov.