[Avodah] Reciting L'Dovid Hashem Ori, A Secret History

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Aug 31, 2021 at 12:49:05PM +0000, Prof. L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> for an interesting talk about this issue by Dr. Shnayer Leiman to go
> https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/736949

> I think you may be surprised by what he has to say.

This teaser with its "may be surprised" made me think R Leiman promoted
the idea that it originated as a Sabbatean practice. Something we
discussed here in the past and had already established established R/Dr
Leiman defends the minhag against its most popular objection! So, the
only surprise I had was caused by listening after being told to expect
that I may be surprised.

I thank RYL for providing the recording.

1- Debate has reemerged in recent decades about whether Chemdat Yamim
   has a Sabbatian source after all.

   The poem with Nathan of Gaza's name as the acrostic found in early
   editions could have been more recent than the book itself. Something
   he added to the edition he or his followers had published.

   R/Dr SL cites earlier sources and just mentions in passing in

2- Regardless, the custom of saying LeDavid in the season is broader.
   (And R/Dr SL quotes the Mateh Ephraim who shows a source in one
   opinion, among several, in Medrash Tehillim that the pereq is merameiz
   to RH and Yom Kippur. And he reads a quote from the author of the
   Shem Tov Qatan that says [decades before CY] we say LeDavid in this
   season because the 13 sheimos in it parallel the 13 Middos haRachamim.)

   The only aspect attributable to the CY is twice a day at the end
   of davening.

   There was a custom, for example, to say it instead of LeDavid Mizmor
   during hotza'as Seifer Torah.

3- R Leiman mentioned Maaseh Rav, but didn't give the rationale. The
   problem Granikim have with saying LeDavid at the end of davening is
   about saying peraqim of Tehillim in addition to Shir Shel Yom. If
   you say both Shir Shel Yom and Borkhi Nafshi on RC, your practice is
   already to ignore the Gra's concern.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 For those with faith there are no questions.
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   For those who lack faith there are no answers.
Author: Widen Your Tent                        - Rav Yaakov of Radzimin
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF