With Yisrael Levitt
בס"ד Holy Language Institute - Hebrew Prayer with Yisrael Levitt
~ P’zukei D’zimrah–פְסּוקֵי דְ זִמְרָ א–Lesson 20 (Verses of Praise)
Pezukei D’Zimra ~פְ סּוקֵי דְ זִמְרָ א THE BASICS—A Brief Overview of Praise before prayer
דרש רבי שמלאי: לעולם יסדר אדם שבחו של הקדוש ברוך הוא ואחר כך יתפלל.מנלן - ממשה דכתיב )דברים ג'( ואתחנן אל ה' בעת ההיא וכתיב ה' אלהים אתה החלת להראות את עבדך את גדלך ואת ידך החזקה אשר מי אל בשמים ובארץ אשר יעשה כמעשיך וכגבורותיך, וכתיב בתריה אעברה נא ואראה את הארץ הטובה וגו.' “R. Simlai taught: ‘One should always first recount the praises of the Holy One, blessed by He, and then pray.’ From where do we know this? From Moses; for it is written, ‘And I besought Ad-nai at that time,’ (Devarim— Deuteronomy 3:23), and it goes on, ‘O L-rd G-d, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven and earth who can do according to Your works and according to Your mighty acts?’ and afterwards is written, ‘Let me go over, I entreat You, and see the good land etc. (v. 25)’” (b. Berachot 32a)
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בס"ד Holy Language Institute - Hebrew Prayer with Yisrael Levitt שָדְ ָך לֹא תִ זְרָ ע, וְכַרְ מְ ָך לֹא תִ זְמֹר....ּובַשָ נָה הַשְבִיעִ ת o “But in the seventh year…you shall neither sow your field, nor tizmor (prune) your vineyard” (Vayikra—Leviticus 25:4)
Connection to the Tzaddik (the Messiah) o “Every branch in Me…that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing…[I] appointed you that you would go and bear fruit…so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” (Yochanan—John 15:2, 5, 16)
Instructions of Prayer o “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” (Letter to the Hebrews 13:15; also see Hosea 6:6)
o “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the L-rd” (Letter to the Ephesians 5:17-8) THE STRUCTURE
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בס"ד Holy Language Institute - Hebrew Prayer with Yisrael Levitt
בֹאּו שְ עָרָ יו, בְ תֹודָ ה--חֲצֵרֹתָ יו בִתְהִ לָ ה “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise” (Tehillim—Psalms 100:4)
Ashkenazi order: Psalm 30 Baruch She’amar Songs of thanksgiving Psalm 100 (omitted on Shabbat, and certain holidays) Yehi Kivod Hallel (Pesukei Dezimra) (Ashrei and psalms 145-150) Baruch Hashem L'Olam Vayeivarech David Ata Hu Hashem L'Vadecha Az Yashir Yishtabach
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בס"ד Holy Language Institute - Hebrew Prayer with Yisrael Levitt P'SUKEI D'ZIMRAH (VERSES OF PRAISE) MIZMOR SHIR – PSALM 30
A psalm—a song for the מִ זְמוֹר שִ יר מִ זְמוֹר שִ יר חֲנֻכַ ת הַבַ יִתלְדָ וִ ד. אֲרֹומִמְ ָך inauguration of the Temple-by David. I will יהוה כִ י דִ לִיתָנִ י, וְ לֹא שמַחְ תָ אֹיְבַ י לִ י. exalt You, AD-NAI, for You have drawn me יהוה אֱֹלהָ י,שִ יּוַעְתִ אֵלֶ יָך וַתִרְ פָאֵנִ י. יהוה up and not let my foes rejoice over me. AD-NAI, my G-d, I cried out to You and You הֶ עֱלִיתָ ן מִ שְ אֹול נַפְשִ י, חִ יִיתַנִ י מִ יָרְדִ י healed me. AD-NAI, You have raised my בֹור. זַמְ רּולַ יהוה חֲסִידָ יו, וְ הֹודּו לְ זֵכֶ ר soul from the lower world, You have קָדְ שו. כִ י רֶ גַע בְ אַ פֹו, חַיִ ים בִרְ צֹונֹו, בָ עֶרֶ ב .preserved me from my descent to the pit יָלִ ין בֶכִ י, וְלַבֹקֶ ר רִ נָה. וַאֲנִ י אָמַרְ תִ י Make music to AD-NAI, His devout ones, and give thanks to His Holy Name. For His בְ שַלְוִ י,בַ ל אֶ מֹוטלְ עֹולָ ם. יהוה בִרְ צֹונְָך anger endures but a moment; life results הֶ עֱמַדְ התָ ילְהַרְרִ עֹז, הִסְתַרְ תָפָ נֶיָך הָ יִיתִ י from His favor. In the evening one lies נִבְהָ ל. אֵלֶ יָך יהוה אֶקְרָ א, וְאֶ ל אֲדֹ נָי !down weeping, but with dawn - a cry of joy אֶתְ חַ נָן. מַ ה בֶצַ ע בְדָ מִ י בְרִדְ תִ י אֶ ל שַחַ ת, I had said in my serenity, 'I will never falter.' הֲיֹודְ ָך ר עָפָ הֲיַגִיד אֲמִ תֶ ָך. שְמַ ע יהוה But, AD-NAI, all is through Your favor - You supported my greatness with might; should וְחָ נֵנִ י, יהוה הֱיֵה עֹזֵר לִ י. ❖ הָפַכְתָ מִסְפְדִ י You but conceal Your face, I would be לְמָ חֹול לִ י, פִתַחְ תָ שקִ י וַתְ אַזְרֵ נִ י שִמְחָ ה. confounded. To You, AD-NAI, I would call לְמַ עַן יְזַמֶרְ ָך כָ בוֹד וְ לֹא יִדֹם, יהוה אֱֹלהַ י and to my L-RD I would appeal. What gain לְ םעֹולָ אֹודֶ ךָ . is there in my death, when I descend to the pit? Will the dust acknowledge You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, AD-NAI, and favor me; AD-NAI, be my Helper! Chazzan - You have changed for me my lament into dancing; You undid my sackcloth and girded me with gladness. So that my soul might make music to You and not be stilled, AD-NAI my G-d, forever will I thank You.
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