[Avodah] Reciting l'Dovid Hashem Ori...

[Saul Mashbaum]

Doing some elementary research, I saw "inside" things that have been
said about reciting l'Dovid Hashem Ori....

I saw two siddurim which relate to the Gra's position. A recently
compiled work, "Siddur Vilna" says tersely, in parentheses, that the
Gra did not say L'Dovid. The well-known 2 volume "Siddur Otzar
HaTefilot" says that the Gra said *not to say it*.

I saw 2 chassidic siddurim. The siddur Minchat Eliezer  (Muncatch) has
 L'Dovid, without comment/reservation. The siddur "Heichal Habracha
(Kamarne), from which the Tzanzer chassid who is the rebbe of the
chassidic shul near me davens *does not have it at all*.

I note that "The World of Prayer" by R. Munk, which usually mentions
even the parts of the t'filla he does not comment on, does not mention
 this custom at all.

It is clear that this custom, although widespread, is by no means
universal, and the implication posted that not saying L'Dovid is
tantamount to a lack of yirat shamayim is most unjustified.

I saw in siddur "Beiuri HaGra (which does *not* purport to be the
nussach of the Gra, but cites comments of the Gra on the psukim in the
siddur ) that "ori v'yishi" refers to nefesh and ruach, and "m'oz
chayyai" refers to n'shama.

Saul Mashbaum