[Avodah] Shiras Hayom in Shacharis

[LReich]

In a posting of 21 Jan R' Eli Turkel asked:-
> Anyone know when shirat hayam was added to the morning davening.
> This is more serious as otherwise it is a hefsek between Boruch Sheamar
> and Yistabach which is why sefardim say hodu before boruch sheamar

Here follows a letter of mine published in the London "Jewish Tribune"
some years ago.

Elozor Reich



The Editor
Jewish Tribune

Dear Sir

We are all indebted to Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer for his illuminating
article in your edition of 5th February. He gave an esoteric explanation
for the Shiras Hayom being halachically deemed the least important part
of Pesukay DeZimro. However, there is a simpler historical reason.

This Shirah is only a comparatively late addition to Pesukay DeZimro. It
does not feature in the Siddur of Amram Gaon (to refer to the Geonim as
Rav is incorrect and lessens their honour), which was compiled in the
9th Century C.E. Natronoi Gaon, who lived a little later, states that it
is not our custom to recite Oz Yoshir. From this statement it appears
that such a minhag already existed elsewhere but it was not practised
in Bovel. Several sources quote an ancient manuscript Siddur which
states as follows. "In olden times Yishtabach was recited immediately
after 'Leshem Tifartecho'. When the Gaon R' Moshe of Lucca (in Italy),
the son of R' Kalonymus, arrived in Mayence (Germany) during the reign
of Charles (Charlemagne d. 814), he instructed his contemporaries to
continue Pesukay DeZimro (as we do today) until 'Ushmo Echod'. This is
R'Moshe the author of the Piyut 'Aymas Noiroisecho' (Said on Achron Shel
Pesach), who was a pupil of..... "

There is a problem with the chronology of this last citation, partly due
to the frequent reuse of the same names in the illustrious Kalonymous
family of Italy who flourished over several generations. Some say that
the R' Moshe, who was author of Aymas Noiroisecho, lived later, in
the times of Rabbenu Gershom in the early 11th Century. Going forward
another few Generations, we see the Rambam (Tefilloh 7:13), who passed
away in 1215 C.E., stating that some have a Minhag to say the Shiras
Hayom after Yishtabach, other say Shiras Haazinu, and yet others say
both. The Orchas Chaim, who lived in Provence/Languedoc around 1300 C.E.,
already considered our practice as standard.

 From this and other sources too extensive to quote here the following
picture emerges. In the Gaonic period (6th to 11th Centuries) some people
in Italy had a minhag to say Oz Yoshur every day, either as an adjunct
or insert to Tefillas Shacharis. This minhag is praised in the Zohar
(One may surmise that this custom has its origins in Eretz Yisroel, from
whence most of the old Italian Nusach was derived.) Its insertion before
Yishtabach as an official part of Pesukay Dezimro occurred in Germany (&
France?) around the 11th Century. Crossing the Pyrenees via the conduit
of Provence, it took about another 200 years before it received similar
acceptance in the Iberian Peninsula (Nusach Sefard)and the North African
littoral (Algeria, Morocco & Tunisia).

This late arrival on the Tefiloh scene mandated a lower priority for
the Shira. One sees a later analogous situation, where the addition
of Shir Hamaalos Mimaamakim during Aseres Yemay Teshuvoh is said by
some Communities before Yishtabach, by others after it, and is still
not accepted at all in some Litvishe and other circles. But that is
another article!

Yours sincerely
L Reich