[Avodah] Of Elul, L'Dovid, and Golems

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Sep 01, 2022 at 10:18:03PM +0000, Prof. L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> https://ohr.edu/this_week/insights_into_halacha/4886
> Of Elul, L'David, and Golems « Insights into Halacha « Ohr Somayach
...
> Before going any further, let me point out that the saying of L'Dovid
> is far from universal. Minhag Frankfurt does not say it, and IIRC Sanzer
> Chassdim and its derivatives do not say it.

The reason why is in the article:
    Although many erroneously concluded that the original source of
    reciting "L'Dovid" throughout the entire month of Elul was the
    controversial 'Chemdas Yamim', first printed in 1731, history
    has since proven that an earlier source has been found. Many now
    attribute this minhag to the noted Kabbalist and famed author of
    "Amtachas Binyomin", Rav Binyomin Beinish Cohen, in his sefer
    "Shem Tov Kattan[7]", first printed in 1706. There he writes that
    one should be scrupulous with reciting "L'Dovid" daily from Rosh
    Chodesh Elul until after Simchas Torah, averring that this has the
    potential to avert and even nullify Heavenly decrees.

    Yet, there is possibly an earlier source. In the sefer "Nezer Hakodesh
    -- Minhagei Beis Ropschitz"[8] a story is told about the Baal Shem
    Tov, where he mentioned a Tzaddik, known as Rav Eliyahu Baal Shem,
    who had saved the Jews of a certain town from eviction by successfully
    promising the childless non-Jewish mayor a son within a year. The
    Baal Shem Tov mentioned that this Tzaddik, who lived in the late
    1600s, was the one who established the custom of reciting "L'Dovid"
    during Elul. However, it is unclear whom exactly he was referring to.

    [7] See, for example Katzeh HaMatteh (Glosses on the Matteh Efraim
    581, 13) and Likutei Eliezer (pg. 4).

    [8] Cited in Likutei Eliezer (pg. 7).

Chemdas Yamim is Sabbatean, likely from Nathan of Gaza himself
(the "Eliyahu" figure who claimed to be a prophet declaring SZ's
mashiach-hood). Believing that is the source of the minhag is a good
reason to reject the minhag.

This is why the custom was rejected by numerous chassidishe rabbeim:
the Chozeh of Lublin, R Chaim of Sanz, R Zvi Hirsch of Zidichov ("Sar
Beis haZohar"), and the Ropshitzer.

Yekkes would naturally reject the minhag either way. Real Qabbalah or
Sabbatean, it is a Qabbalah based minhag. Many Yekkishe qehilos don't
say Berikh Shemeih.

Surprisingly, the Chasam Sofer endorsed the minhag, despite "Chadash
assur min haTorah".

The Chayei Adam records the practice. But the Gra rejected it for an
entirely unique reason - because he doesn't believe in saying 2 tehillim
in the shir-shel-yom slot.

That said, R Yehudah Spitz may be confusing two things.

The connection between Tehillim 27 and teshuvah season is certainly
older. Vayiqra Rabba 21:4 <https://www.sefaria.org/Vayikra_Rabbah.21.4>
says "ori" refers to RH, yish'i is about H' saving us on YK, etc...

And yes, various minhagim arose shortly before Chemdas Yamim to say
LeDavid daily. Including one to say it when putting back the seifer
Torah after leining (instead of Mizmor 24, "LeDavid Mizmor"), one to
say it as part of Tachanun on Mon and Thu, etc...

Our practice, twice daily -- after shir shel yom in Shacharis and once
in the evening after Aleinu -- is specifically from Chemdas Yamim.

So I think the article conflates the general idea of making a minhag,
based on Medrash Rabba, of saying leDavid with our specific minhag. If
you believe Chemdas Yamim is treif, perhaps one should make a point of
just saying leDavid somewhere else in davening.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Problems are not stop signs,
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   they are guidelines.
Author: Widen Your Tent              - Robert H. Schuller
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