[Avodah] Psukim tacked on to Shir ha-Ma'alot

[Zev Sero]

Achdut18 wrote:
> At the end of Shir ha-Ma'alot, some have the minhag of adding several p'sukim,
> beginning with "t'hillat ha-shem y'daber pi."
> 
> What is the origin of this?
> 
> One rabbinic scholar told me that it was chassidish, going back to
> the last quarter of the 18th century, reflecting chassidic tendencies
> to personalize prayer and create a more initimate connection to G-d.
> 
> Another scholar has suggested that it may have been a desire to tone
> the Zionist theme of Shir ha-Ma'alot.
 

The set of pesukim {Avarcha, Sof davar, Tehilat Hashem, Vaanachnu}
appear in all versions of Siddur HaAriZal, Pri Etz Chayim, and Mishnat
Chasidim.  Therefore they are older than chassidus, and certainly cannot
be a reaction to Zionism.

I don't know the origin of the set  {Tehilat, Vaanachnu, Mi yemalel, Hodu}
which is used in Nusach Ashkenaz, but surely neither of these suggestions
can apply to it, since it's not used by chasidim and it surely predates
Zionism too.


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