Epistemology of Tefila(Class 28) - 10/29/2020 ——Pesukei D’Zimrah - Verses of Singing - Just Sing, Sing a Song - Part 3

Recap

1. Pesukei D’Zimrah - Verses of Singing has the goal to praise HaShem before making Requests in the /Heart of Tfila(RCA Artscroll pg 58 - 82, THE KOREN pg 63 - 85)

2. Baruch She’amar/Blessed is he who spoke - 7 meanings of HaShem’s Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay name:Spoke and the world into Creation

• Speaks to give rewards with generosity and give decrees and fulfills them when he warns of punishment

• Merciful to all His creations on the earth • Gives goodly reward in Olam Ha’bah/The World to Come • HaShem’s existence is infinite and eternal. • HaShem redeems from moral decline and rescues from physical danger.

• We understand the effect the revelation of His attributes makes on man.

3. /Happy(Psalm 145) The Psalm 145 itself is a “Tefila L’David/ Hymn of Praise by King David” calls upon all of mankind to glorify HaShem’s greatness and celebrates his providential care of all His creations

Class Strategy

1. Yishtabach Shimcha/May Your Name be praised - (RCA Artscroll pg 82, THE KOREN pg 85). This tefila as explained before forms the epilogue of the Pesukei D’Zimra/Verses of Singing with a closing bracha(Birnbaum Siddur hashalem page 69). Birnbaum says since the first letters of the 2,3,4,and 5 word forms the Hebrew word

Page 1 of 5 Shlomi/Solomon suggests that King Solomon was the author of Yishtabach Shimcha/May Your Name be praised(Birnbaum Siddur hashalem page 70).

The fifteen synonyms of praise in this prayer starting with Shir/Song to Vehodaot/Thanks correspond to the 15 Tehillim/Psalms known as Shir Hamalot/ Tehillim/Psalm:120 - 134(Birnbaum Siddur Hashalem page 70). This remind us of the 15 steps leading from the lower courtyard of the Beit Mikdash/The Temple to the Upper Courtyard and how on Chol Hamoed Sukkot as the procession brought water to the Temple for the service, the Levite singers and musicians would perform one of each of these Psalms on each of the steps as the procession advanced forward in the ceremony of Simchat Beit HaShoevah(Artscroll Stone Tanach page 1548). Rav Munk(page 115) says that when 15 is used it represents the highest degree attainable in praise for HaShem that is humanly possible to pay homage to HaShem.

He explains that commentator point out we again see 15 words in the concluding brahca “Kel Melech Gadol BeTishbachot...”. As explained before the Talmud 15 was the symbol of Creation from the interpretation of the verse in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 26:4 - Ki Be Yud-Hay HaShem Tzur Olamim/ For in G-d, HaShem is the strength of the worlds which indicates from the acronym with the Yud-Hay/15 in gematria and the name with which G-d created the world shoresh Yud-Tzadik-Reish/Yatzar, the Hay the perfect decimal 10, the perfect world and with the Chet the number 5 half of ten our incomplete and imperfect world was formed. We will see that’s why David created Tehillim/Psalms:146-150 with the Hallu-Yud-Hay we discuss next week(Rav Munk page 117).

The theme of the concluding bracha is when we declare that HaShem is elevated above all, praised for his greatness, Master of miracles, and unlimited power. In summary

2. . Vayevarech David/And David blessed- (RCA Artscroll pg 74 - 76, THE KOREN pg 79). This tefila and the two sections that follow it were added to the Pesukei as the fifteen terms of praise in Yishtabach are derived form these 3 sections of David, Nechemiah, and Moses(RCA Artscroll page 75). Rabbi Sacks(page 79) explains that in this prayer king David gives thanks for being able gather the resources necessary to build

Page 2 of 5 the Temple in Yershualyim and that his son Shlomo/Solomon will undertake the project. Further he explains since the money for the temple was out of voluntary contributions we at this time stand as we plan follow the custom and to voluntarily give Tzedakah/Charity.

3. Shirat Hayam/The Song At The Sea - Az Yashir Moshe U’vnei Yisrael/Then Moshe and the Children of Israel chose to sing- (RCA Artscroll pg 78 - 80, THE KOREN pg 81 - 83). This tefila shows how the most perfect praise of HaShem/G-d grows out of the actual events in history which our ancestors beheld with their own eyes(Rav Munk page113). The miracles of the Exodus from Egypt and most climactically that at the Kriyat Yam Suf/Division of the Sea of Reeds, is the first time in history where HaShem revealed his mastery over nature in front of an astonished crowd of millions of Jews and Egyptians(RCA Artscroll page 78). Rashi explains the verb Yashir/Will Sing simply implies that Bnei Yisrael decided they would sing but in the future refers to Techiat Hameitim/ Reviing the dead when they will again sing the praises of HaShem. Rav Schwab(page 234) points out that in the 20 verses only one mentions the sea and the water but not the division but the returning of the sea to its normal state thereby destroying the Egyptians. Furthermore the communal recitation of this Shirah/Song/Poem is a miracle in itself and by saying it here we raise our own level of praise.

REMINDER: Password Kavanah

Page 3 of 5 Prayers in Pesukei D’Zimra of Weekdays

PAGE NUMBERS Daily (RCA ARTSCROLL)

Baruch She’amar/Blessed is He Who spoke 58 Hodu LaHaShem/Give Thanks to HaShem 60 - 62 Vehu Rachum/he, the Merciful One 62 Hoshiah Et Amecha/Save your people 64 Mizmor Letodah/A Psalm of Thanksgiving 64 Yehi Kavod/May the glory 64 - 66 Ashrei/Praiseworthy(Happy) 66 - 68

Hallelukah Halleli Nafshi/Praise HaShem, O my Soul 71 Hallelukah Ki Tov/Praise HaShem, For it is good 70 - 72 Hallelukah Hallelu Et HaShem/Praise HaShem 72 Hallelukah Shiru LaHaShem/Praise HaShem, Sing to HaShem 72 - 74 Hallelukah Hallelu Kel BeKadsho/Praise HaShem in his Sanctuary 74 Baruch HaShem Laolam/Blessed is HaShem Forever 74 Vayevarech David/And David Blessed 74 - 76 Vekarot Imo habrit/And You established the covenant 76 - 78 Vayosha HaShem/And HaShem saved 78 Az Yashir Moshe U’venei Yisrael/Then Moses and the Children of 78 - 80 Israel sang Yishtabach Shimcha/May Your Name be praised 82

Page 4 of 5 Prayers in Pesukei D’Zimra of Weekdays

PAGE NUMBERS Daily (THE KOREN) Shacharit

Baruch She’amar/Blessed is He Who spoke 63 - 65 Hodu LaHaShem/Give Thanks to HaShem 65 - 69 Vehu Rachum/he, the Merciful One 69 Hoshiah Et Amecha/Save your people 69 Mizmor Letodah/A Psalm of Thanksgiving 71 Yehi Kavod/May the glory 71 Ashrei/Praiseworthy(Happy) 73

Hallelukah Halleli Nafshi/Praise HaShem, O my Soul 75 Hallelukah Ki Tov/Praise HaShem, For it is good 75 Hallelukah Hallelu Et HaShem/Praise HaShem 77 Hallelukah Shiru LaHaShem/Praise HaShem, Sing to HaShem 77 Hallelukah Hallelu Kel BeKadsho/Praise HaShem in his Sanctuary 77 Baruch HaShem Laolam/Blessed is HaShem Forever 79 Vayevarech David/And David Blessed 79 Vekarot Imo habrit/And You established the covenant 79 - 81 Vayosha HaShem/And HaShem saved 81 Az Yashir Moshe U’venei Yisrael/Then Moses and the Children of 81 - 85 Israel sang Yishtabach Shimcha/May Your Name be praised 85

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