Siman 51

It is stated in Berakhot (32a): A person should always arrange the praise of the Omnipresent, and afterward he should pray. From where do we know this? From Moshe, as it is written: "And I besought the Lord... O Lord God, You have begun to show... Your greatness and Your strong hand... Let me go over, I pray You." Therefore, before the recitation of Shema and the prayer, we arrange the praise of the Omnipresent with the Pesukei D'Zimra that King David, peace be upon him, said at the end of Psalms, from "Tehillah L'David" until "Kol HaNeshamah," as there are many praises there. And they said in Shabbat (118b): May my portion be with those who complete Pesukei D'Zimra every day. And they said: Anyone who says "Tehillah L'David" three times every day is assured that he is a son of the World to Come (Berakhot 4b), because it follows the order of the Aleph-Bet, and it contains the verse "Poteach et yadekha." And they preceded this with two verses of "Ashrei": "Ashrei yoshvei veitekha," "Ashrei ha'am shekakhah lo." And also in the time of the Shas it was so, for behold they said there: Why was the letter Nun not stated in "Ashrei," see there, and they did not say "in Tehillah L'David." And the reason is because from the verse "Ashrei yoshvei veitekha" we learned that one must tarry a little before the prayer (ibid. 32a). And this is its explanation: "Ashrei yoshvei veitekha" and afterward "od yehalelukha selah." And incidentally they also juxtaposed "Ashrei ha'am..." because it is a great praise for Israel, as is understood. And at the end of "Tehillah L'David" they added the verse "Va'anachnu nevarekh... Halleluyah," in order to chain Halleluyah after Halleluyah (Tur), since all these psalms conclude with Halleluyah and open with Halleluyah, and "Tehillah L'David" does not conclude with Halleluyah. Therefore they juxtaposed this verse to it, so that it too should conclude with Halleluyah. (And the term "leshalshuli" that our teacher, the Tur wrote in the name of Rabbi Akiva Gaon, it is explained that they should say them together, the Halleluyah of the end with the Halleluyah of the beginning without interruption. And some practice accordingly. And there are ten instances of Halleluyah in them, and they hint at lofty matters as is known to those who understand. Examine and you will find it simple.)

They instituted a blessing before Pesukei D'Zimra and after them. The preceding blessing is "Baruch She'amar," and one must say it with melody and pleasantness for it is a beautiful and lovely song. And it is written in Sefer Heichalot that it contains eighty-seven words, and your sign is "His head is fine gold" (Tur). And it contains thirteen instances of "Baruch" corresponding to the thirteen attributes, to draw blessing from each and every attribute. And furthermore: because in Pesukei D'Zimra there are thirteen matters of praise, namely "Hodu," and "Mizmor L'Todah," and the verses of "Yehi Chevod," and "Ashrei," and the five psalms of "Halleluyah," and "Baruch Hashem L'Olam Amen V'Amen," "Vayevarech David," "Vacharot," and Shirat HaYam – behold, thirteen. And corresponding to them they instituted thirteen instances of "Baruch" (it seems to me). And one says "Baruch She'amar" standing, even in private. And one says "b'feh ammo" and not "b'fi." And one concludes "batishbachot," the tav with a chirik (Magen Avraham subsection 1). And one says "unigadelcha unishabechacha unefaercha unamlichecha, venazkir shimcha malkenu elohenu." And in the prayer books it is printed "venazkir shimcha unamlichecha malkenu," and it is not so. For this was emended by one who thought to place "unamlichecha" adjacent to "malkenu," and he erred in this, for the primary old versions were as I have written (Ma'adanei Yom Tov in the fifth chapter of Berachot, page 8, letter 17). And such is the Sephardic version, and such is primary. And it is the custom to hold the two front tzitzit.

This blessing of "Baruch She'amar" is different from all other blessings. For all blessings that open with "Baruch" and conclude with "Baruch"—we say at the beginning of the blessing "Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe," whereas regarding "Baruch She'amar," we say this in the middle of the blessing near "the merciful Father Who is praised by the mouth of His people." And why did they not establish it at its beginning as in all other blessings? Therefore, it appears in my humble opinion that truly the essence of the blessing of Pesukei D'Zimra begins from "the merciful Father Who is praised." And it is necessary to say so, for every blessing is of the nature of the matter for which we are blessing. And behold, from "Baruch She'amar" until "praised by the mouth of His people," there is nothing at all of the matter of praise and songs. According to this, the blessing truly begins in the middle, and they only appended to it this of "Baruch She'amar" until "blessed is His name" because the Men of the Great Assembly wanted to mention at the beginning of the prayer how the world was created by the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, and how in His goodness He renews every day continually the work of creation, and this is "blessed is He Who performs the work of creation." And in the Sephardic version it is after "blessed is He Who speaks and does, blessed is He Who decrees and fulfills," because these two are regarding the time of creation, and "performs the work of creation" is regarding every day. And they wanted to mention that He has mercy on the earth and on the creatures, and pays a good reward to those who do His will, and that He is living and enduring, therefore they appended them to this. But the essence of the blessing is from "Who is praised, lauded, and glorified, and with the songs of David we shall praise You...", for this is of the nature of Pesukei D'Zimra. According to this, one could say that it is permitted to interrupt when necessary from "Baruch She'amar" until "Blessed are You...", and in practice, it requires deliberation.

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote: If one finished "Baruch She'amar" before the chazzan finished—he answers "amen" after him. Thus far his words. That is to say: but if he finished with the chazzan—he should not answer "amen," for it would be answering "amen" after his own blessings, which is forbidden, as I wrote in siman 215. Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, maintains that even though he is answering to the blessing of the chazzan, nevertheless, since he also finished the blessing—it is like answering after himself. Reason does not agree with this, but an elder has already instructed (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And he wrote further that after "Yishtabach" he may answer "amen" to his own blessing. Thus far his words. Because it will be explained there that at the end of blessings one may answer "amen" even to his own blessing. However, it will be explained there that the custom is not so, and only after "Boneh Yerushalayim" in Birkat HaMazon do we answer "amen." However, it is certain that after "Yishtabach" when one finishes with the chazzan—he may answer "amen" (ibid.). And so too if the chazzan finished a different blessing than the one he finished, even according to our teacher, the Beit Yosef, he may answer "amen." And so is the simple custom (ibid.).

One must be careful not to interrupt with speech from "Baruch She'amar" until the end of the Shemoneh Esrei. And even for the sake of a mitzvah, one should not interrupt between "Baruch She'amar" and "Yishtabach." Similarly, between "Yishtabach" and "Yotzer" one should not interrupt, and it will be explained in siman 54. Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 5: Between these psalms, one may ask out of honor and return a greeting to any person. And in the middle of a psalm, one may ask out of fear and return out of honor. Thus far his words, and the Tur wrote similarly. The explanation of "out of fear" and "honor" will be explained in siman 66. And they compared Pesukei D'zimra to the blessings of Kiryat Shema; if so, it is also forbidden to answer "Amen" in the middle of a chapter. However, in the Kavanot of the Ari, of blessed memory, he ruled that it is permitted to answer "Amen" (Magen Avraham, subsection 3), and even in the middle of the blessing of "Baruch She'amar" it is permitted to answer "Amen" (ibid.). And it seems to me that the Tur and Shulchan Aruch also agree regarding the answering of "Amen," for "Amen" is no worse than all the songs and praises. Rather, they were speaking regarding interrupting with mundane speech, that they are similar to the blessings of Kiryat Shema, but not regarding the answering of "Amen." And so we practice. But to answer "Baruch Hu u'varuch Shemo" is forbidden, since this is not required by the law at all.

And so too, it is permitted to interrupt in the middle of Pesukei D'Zimrah to recite the blessing of "Asher Yatzar," and so too to answer "Modim DeRabbanan," and so too to answer a blessing necessitated by the moment, such as hearing the sound of thunder and the like—it is permitted to answer in the middle of Pesukei D'Zimrah. Only he should see to it to finish the verse, for this is always possible, of course. And all the more so if he did not have a tallit and tefillin—he may don them in the middle of Pesukei D'Zimrah and recite the blessings over them. And so too, it is permitted to answer "Shema Yisrael" with the congregation in the middle of Pesukei D'Zimrah, and all the more so to be called up to the Torah. And that which the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch treated Pesukei D'Zimrah like the blessings of Kiryat Shema—this is regarding matters of permission.

And what is called "between the sections" in Pesukei D'Zimrah? From "Hodu" until "Amen and praise to Hashem" is called the middle of the section, and after "and praise to Hashem" is called between the sections. And similarly, from "Tnu Oz" until "Baruch Elohim" is like the middle of the section. And similarly, from "El Nekamot" until "Al Ge'im," and from "Nafshenu Chiktah" until "Yichalnu Lach," and from "Yehi Shem" until "Al HaShamayim Kevodo," and afterwards until "Tehillah L'David" – between verse and verse is like between the sections. And from "Tehillah L'David" until "Yishtabach" it is simple, that in the middle of each psalm it is the middle of the section, and at the end of each psalm it is "between the sections." And in the verses of "Baruch Hashem L'Olam Amen V'Amen," these four verses are like one section. And in "Vayevarech David" the matter concludes at "L'Shem Tifartecha," and from there until "Bemayim Azim" is one matter. And from "Vayosha" until "Hashem Yimloch" is one matter. And from "Ki L'Hashem HaMeluchah" each verse is one matter.

It is proper to pause between "elilim" and "v'Hashem shamayim asah" for a moment or slightly more, and likewise between "ki kol," because there is a pesik between them. And the kaf of "kol" is with a dagesh. And likewise between "ha'amim" and "elilim" and between "shamayim" and "asah," so that he does not swallow the mems. And anyone who says "Tehillah L'David" three times—it is guaranteed to him that he is a member of the World to Come. Meaning: that this merit will tip the scale of merits (Beit Yosef). And it is understood that this is specifically one who says it with kavanah. Therefore, he should be careful to have kavanah during it, and at the very least he is obligated to have kavanah during the verse "Poteach et yadekha." And if he did not have kavanah—he must return and say it another time. And it has already been explained that we complete it with the verse "V'anachnu nevarekh...". And we double the verse "Kol hanshamah tehalel...", because it is the end of the Zemirot. And likewise in Shirat HaYam we double "Hashem yimlokh" because it is the end of the song. And he does not need to say the verses of "Ki va sus Paroh" but rather says "Ki l'Hashem hamelukhah..." (the Gra). And there are those who wrote that one should say the verse "Ki va" (Nagid U'Metzaveh in the name of the Ari, of blessed memory). And when he reaches "Ve'atah Hashem Eloheinu modim anachnu lakh" and in "Nishmat" at "v'khol komah lefaneikha tishtachaveh"—he should not bow at all, for one should not bow except in a place that the sages established. And there are those who are accustomed to stand during "Vayevarekh David" and during Shirat HaYam and during "Yishtabach." And there is one who wrote specifically while sitting according to the Kabbalah (Bach in siman 53, see there). And from the perspective of the law there is no stricture, except during Shemoneh Esreh one is obligated to stand, and Kedushah, and Kaddish, and "Barekhu." And according to the Zohar, from "Yotzer Or" until "Tehillot l'El Elyon" is specifically while sitting, and it is called in the Zohar "Tefillah d'Miyushav" as is explained there in Parashat "Terumah" page 132 at the top of the page and at its end, see there.

One should not say the zemirot in a rush, but rather word by word. And if the congregation snatches them, and he wishes to pray with the community—it is better that he skip rather than say them with them in a rush. And regarding this they said: "Better a little with intention than much without intention," and as I wrote in siman 1. And specifically "Mizmor L'Todah" should be said with melody, for all songs are destined to be nullified except for "Mizmor L'Todah." And we do not say "Mizmor L'Todah" on Shabbat, or Yom Tov, or all the days of Pesach, or Erev Pesach, because it contains chametz, and a todah offering is not brought on them. And so too on Erev Yom Kippur there are places where they do not say it, because it is eaten for a day and a night, and on Erev Yom Kippur he will not be able to eat at night and would bring holy things to the place of disqualification. And so too on Tisha B'Av there are places that say it and there are those that do not say it. And the verses of "V'hu Rachum" that are in "Hodu" and in "Yehi Chevod"—there are those who skip them on Shabbat and Yom Tov. And there are those who do not skip, and such is our custom. (See Magen Avraham, subsection 9, who wondered regarding the fact that the mohel divides verses: Is it not so that any verse that Moshe did not divide, we do not divide? And see there what he answered. And in truth, our sages, of blessed memory, in Taanit (27b) said this regarding the reading of the Torah, that this one would finish in the middle of a verse and not read further. And besides this, it would be a great interruption until the second one stands and reads. And what relevance does this have to what everyone says together, this one the beginning of the verse and this one its end? And so too in "Yehalelu" the chazzan begins, and the congregation answers "Hodu al eretz v'shamayim," and there is no interruption here. And in Kedushah when they say "Kadosh"—did they not say beforehand "And this one called to that one and said"? Or that the shliach tzibbur said it, and the congregation answers immediately "Kadosh..."? However, at the end of the first chapter of Berakhot (12b) it says any parsha that was not divided...—and behold many readings on Monday and Thursday finish in the middle of a parsha? And it must be said that since on Shabbat they finish—we have no concern with it. But regarding the name of the permanent establishment for eternity, see there. And examine and you will find it easy.)