[Mesorah] saying T'hilim 30 before "Hodu laH'"

[David E Cohen]

I think that most Sefaradi or "Nusach Sefarad" siddurim, in which the order
is based on that of the Ari, have Tehillim 30 after "Hodu."

 

I am interested, however, in the issue of its placement in Nusach Ashkenaz.
Here's the development of things, as I recall reading about it.  Beli neder,
I will try over the next few days to track down where I read this so that I
can give proper attribution.

 

The original pesukei dezimra, as found in the siddurim of the ge'onim, go
straight from Barukh She'amar to Mizmor Lesodah or Yehi Khevod.  I think it
was the Ashkenazim who first introduced Hodu, and they put it after Barukh
She'amar, based on the logic that R' Michael Poppers was taught growing up.
When the Sefaradim started to include Hodu as well, they felt that it was
more important not to make a hefseik between the berakhos of the canonized
pesukei dezimra, so they put it before Barukh She'amar.

 

Much later, the talmidim of the Ari started adding Tehillim 30 ("Mizmor
Shir").  Since it is for chanukas habayis, they put it right after Hodu,
which was also said at chanukas habayis.  Since they davened "Nusach
ha'Ari," of course, the basis for today's "Ashkenazi nusach Sefarad," that
meant that it was right before Barukh She'amar.

                    

Shortly thereafter, those who still davened the traditional Nusach Ashkenaz
decided to include Mizmor Shir as well.  The most proper place to put it
would have been after Hodu (right before Mizmor Lesodah) , since that would
have preserved the "chanukas habayis" connection, as well as remaining true
to the rule of "no Tehillim before Barukh She'amar" on which the placement
of Hodu in Nusach Ashkenaz was originally based.  Instead, though, they
decided to copy its property of being right before Barukh She'amar, and put
it right before Barukh She'amar in the Nusach Ashkenaz siddur.

 

Disclaimer: I read the article on this a long time ago, so I may be
remembering this incorrectly, and will need to check up on it.

 

--D.C.

                                

 

From: mesorah-bounces at lists.aishdas.org
[mailto:mesorah-bounces at lists.aishdas.org] On Behalf Of
MPoppers at kayescholer.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 10:50 PM
To: Mesorah at Lists.AishDas.org
Subject: [Mesorah] saying T'hilim 30 before "Hodu laH'"

 


Permit me a brief prologue.  Growing up, I was taught that "Baruch sheAmar"
was akin to a "by Your leave" request/introduction to uttering the praises
of "shirei David avd'cha" in the presence of the "Melech m'hullal
batishbachos" (hence no "shirei David" should be said _before_ "Baruch
sheAmar"), but that there was a custom which began with talmidei haARYZaL to
say T'hilim 30 ("Mizmor Shir Chanukas haBayis l'David") before "Baruch
sheAmar."  Later on during those growing-up years, I davened at a
nusach-s'fard shtiebel where, among other changes from the Minhag Frankfurt
I was used to, "Hodu laH'" etc. was said after T'hilim 30 and before "Baruch
sheAmar."  Ad kan prologue. 

Today, I'm looking through SeforimOnline.ORG's list, and I see a PDF
(http://www.teachittome.com/seforim2/seforim/siddur_kol_yakov.pdf) for a
Siddur Kol Ya'akov (see listing 85 on
http://www.seforimonline.org/seforim4.html) which intended to reproduce
nusach haARYZaL.  Great -- a chance to see if T'hilim 30 is indeed listed
before "Baruch sheAmar!"  Well, it is...but it's listed *after* "Hodu laH'"
(see pp.92-94 and esp. see the intro. to "Hodu" on p.92, d'h' Hinei)!!  So
the relatively-recent nusach which nowadays seems pretty widespread among
Ashk'nazim (to say T'hilim 30 before "Hodu," if not also before "Baruch
sheAmar") appears to be "neither here nor there" -- it's not in consonance
w/ the kavanos as brought down b'sheim haARYZaL, but, unless I'm mistaken,
it's not based on anything other than his instructions.  Can someone explain
this issue further?  Thanks. 

All the best from 
Michael Poppers * Elizabeth, NJ, USA 

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