The Pesukeh De'zimra section of the morning prayer service begins with the Beracha of Baruch She'amar, and concludes with the Beracha of Yishtabah. The earliest time for reciting these blessings is Alot Ha'shahar – daybreak, when the first rays of light appear on the eastern horizon – which occurs 72 halachic minutes before sunrise. As for the latest time when one may recite these blessings, we find a disagreement among the Poskim. The background to this debate involves the two different "deadlines" for reciting the morning Amida. The proper time for reciting the Amida is until the end of the fourth halachic hour of the day. Thus, for example, if sunrise occurs at 6am and sunset is at 6pm, such that each halachic hour is 60 minutes long, then the proper time for reciting the Amida is until 10am – four hours after sunrise. However, even if one did not recite the Amida by that time, he can and should recite it, until Hasot (halachic midday) – in this case, 12 noon. One who prays the Amida between the fourth hour and Hasot – in this instance, between 10am and noon – is credited with praying Shaharit, but does not receive reward for praying at the proper time. In light of this, Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998) ruled that Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah, which follow the same guidelines as the Amida, must be recited by the end of the fourth hour. In his view, one who woke up late and did not recite Pesukeh De'zimra before the end of the fourth hour can no longer recite the Berachot of Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah. Other Poskim, however, maintained that since the Amida can be recited even past the fourth hour, until Hasot, Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah likewise may be recited until Hasot. These Poskim include the Mishna Berura, Rav Meir Mazuz (1945-2025), and the Yalkut Yosef (which is based on the rulings of Hacham Ovadia Yosef). Hacham David Yosef, in Halacha Berura, suggests a sort of compromise position, distinguishing between one who is delayed due to circumstances beyond his control, such as illness, and one who knowingly delayed Shaharit beyond the fourth hour for no legitimate reason. In the latter case, although the individual is allowed to recite the Amida until Hasot, he must stipulate that it will be considered a voluntary prayer. Such a stipulation cannot be made for Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah, as they cannot be recited voluntarily. Therefore, Hacham David posits, only if one unwilfully delayed Shaharit may he recite Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah after the fourth hour, whereas one who purposefully recites Shaharit after the fourth hour must omit these blessings. As for the final halacha, we follow the famous rule of "Safek Berachot Le'hakel" – that we refrain from reciting a Beracha when there is some uncertainty as to whether it is warranted. Therefore, we abide by Hacham Bension's position, that one who prays Shaharit after the end of the fourth hour does not recite Baruch She'amar or Yishtabah. Summary: The earliest time for reciting Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah – the Berachot before and after Pesukeh De'zimra – is Alot Ha'shahar (daybreak). The final time for reciting these blessings is debated by the Poskim, as some Poskim maintain that they may not be recited past the fourth halachic hour of the day. In deference to this position, one who prays Shaharit after that point does not recite Baruch She'amar or Yishtabah.

In some editions of the Siddur, several words are added to the text of Baruch She'amar on Shabbat. However, these additions are incorrect. The text of Baruch She'amar – which, according to tradition, was revealed to the Ansheh Kenesset Ha'gedola (Men of the Great Assembly) on a piece of paper that fell from the heavens – contains precisely 87 words, and this is the exact text that we should recite. There are some editions of the Siddur in which additions for Shabbat appear before Baruch She'amar. One may recite these additions, though he should ensure to have in mind that they are not said as part of Baruch She'amar, but rather comprise a separate text. The custom is to stand during the recitation of Baruch She'amar. However, since standing is required only by force of custom, and not as a strict Halachic obligation, one who is ill or otherwise frail may sit. Our custom is to hold the front two Sisit of the Tallit in our hand during the recitation of Baruch She'amar. This is based on a Kabbalistic teaching mentioned in the Sha'ar Ha'kavanot (a work based on the teachings of Rav Haim Vital, 1542-1620), according to which there is a deep connection between Baruch She'amar and Sisit. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) adds that one should kiss the Sisit upon concluding Baruch She'amar, as an expression of love and affection for the Misva of Sisit. In the phrase "Ha'mehulal Be'feh Amo," there are some who say "Be'fi" instead of "Be'feh." However, this is incorrect. The proper text is "Be'feh." Significantly, the word "Be'feh" in Gematria equals 87 – the number of words in Baruch She'amar. The correct pronunciation of the final word of Baruch She'amar is "Ba'tishbahot," and not "Ba'tushbahot." One who arrives in the synagogue late, and skips Pesukeh De'zimra in order to recite the Amida together with the congregation, does not recite Baruch She'amar afterward. This Beracha is to be recited only before the Amida. (This applies also to Yishtabah, the concluding Beracha of Pesukeh De'zimra.) The first four words of Baruch She'amar are "Baruch She'amar Ve'haya Ha'olam," the first letters of which (Bet, Shin, Vav, Heh) spell the word "Be'shaveh" – "equal." This has been understood as alluding that reciting Baruch She'amar properly earns us rewards equal to the rewards granted to the angels for serving G-d. Moreover, these four words express praise to Hashem for bringing the world into existence – and so reciting this blessing properly helps us tap into G-d's creative powers. So often, we need Hashem to bring us a salvation, to "create" a solution for us. People frequently approach me asking how they can earn something that they so desperately need. One thing we can do is to recite Baruch She'amar properly, slowly, from the Siddur, and with concentration, thinking about how Hashem created the world from sheer nothingness, and in this merit we will, please G-d, be worthy of Him "creating" the solutions that we all need in our lives.

Feb 27 first It is proper to chant the Baruch She'amar blessing in a melody, rather than just recite it. In our community, this is not done on weekdays, as people generally have little time due to their work responsibilities, but on Shabbat and Yom Tob, we sing Baruch She'amar. The Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939) brings that one who sings Baruch She'amar in a pleasant tune earns great rewards. A verse in Shir Hashirim (5:11) says, "Rosho Ketem Paz" ("His head is fine gold"), which alludes to the fact that one who sings Baruch She'amar, which consists of 87 words – the Gematria of the word "Paz" – is rewarded with a "golden crown." The Or Zarua (Rav Yishak of Vienna, 13 th century) tells the story of a person who passed away and then appeared in a dream to the community's Hazzan, informing him that special rewards were being prepared for him in the afterlife because he always chanted Baruch She'amar in a beautiful melody. The Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806), in Shem Ha'gedolim, tells of a sage named Rav Shimshon ben Eliezer, who lived in the 14 th century, and coauthored a work on the laws of Tefillin which was titled "Baruch She'amar." The reason for this title, the Hida explains, is that Rabbi Shimshon, who was orphaned at a young age and would come to the synagogue alone, always sang Baruch She'amar in an especially beautiful way. Already as a child, he was nicknamed "Baruch She'amar." Naturally, then, this became the name of the book he coauthored. These stories underscore the great importance of chanting Baruch She'amar in a pleasant, stirring melody.

Baruch She'amar – the blessing with which we introduce the Pesukeh De'zimra section of the morning prayer service – begins with a series of phrases that open with the word "Baruch," praising G-d for various qualities. First, we praise Him for pronouncing that the world should come into existence ("Baruch She'amar Ve'haya Ha'olam"). Later, we praise Him for His compassion on the world's inhabitants ("Baruch Merahem Al Ha'beriyot"). There is, however, one phrase in this series which requires some explanation: "Baruch Gozer U'mekayem" – "Blessed is He who decrees and fulfills [the decrees]." It seems that we praise Hashem for carrying out His decrees – even when He issues harsh decrees against someone. We must ask why we give praise to Hashem for this quality. Should we rejoice over G-d's carrying out decrees of punishment? One explanation is that the word "Mekayem" in this phrase refers not to the fulfillment of the decrees, but rather to G-d's sustaining the individual. We give praise to Hashem for the fact that even when He issues a harsh decree against somebody, and brings upon him some sort of hardship or crisis, He is "Mekayem" – He holds the person by the hand, helping him get through this difficult ordeal. Whenever Hashem presents a person with a challenge, He equips him with the strength to overcome the challenge, to past the test that he now faces. We are assured that no matter what we are dealing with, Hashem is "Mekayem" – He is helping us get through it. We thus praise Hashem for mercifully helping people even when they are deserving of hardship, by holding their hand and giving them the strength, fortitude and capabilities they need to persevere.

The Pesukeh De'zimra section of our morning prayer service begins with a special introductory Beracha – Baruch She'amar. Some say that this is the Beracha over the Misva of Pesukeh De'zimra. Therefore, if, for whatever reason, one who neglected to recite Baruch She'amar before Pesukeh De'zimra does not recite it afterward. Interestingly enough, this blessing does not appear anywhere in the Talmud. The Or Zarua (Rav Yishak of Vienna, 13 th century) writes that the Ansheh Kenesset Ha'gedola (Men of the Great Assembly), which existed in the beginning of the Second Commonwealth, instituted the recitation of this Beracha after the text descended from the heavens. A piece of paper bearing the text of Baruch She'amar fell from the skies, and so the Rabbis of the time chose to incorporate it into the daily prayer service. An allusion to this recitation can be found in a verse in Shir Hashirim (5:11): "Rosho Ketem Paz" – "His head is the finest of gold." The word "Paz" in Gematria equals 87 – the number of words in Baruch She'amar, and thus hints to the fact that "Rosho" – the beginning of the prayer service, features "Ketem Paz" – the beautiful, "golden" blessing of Baruch She'amar. Due to the unique importance of Baruch She'amar, it was instituted to be recited while standing, just as the angels stand while praising G-d in the heavens. The Peri Hadash (Rav Hizkiya Da Silva, 1659-1698) raised the question of how we are allowed to recite this blessing, given that it was not mentioned in the Talmud. Seemingly, we do not have the authority to introduce new Berachot which the Gemara does not instruct us to recite. In truth, however, the Tur (Rabbenu Yaakob Ben Asher, 1270-1340) brings a source tracing the origins of this blessing back to the times of Rabbi Yishmael, who lived during the Second Temple era. And the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) notes that this blessing is mentioned in the Zohar, which is attributed to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai, one of the Tannaim. Therefore, it certainly has a legitimate basis, and there is no room to question the legitimacy of reciting it. The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan, 1839-1933) writes that since this Beracha is not mentioned in the Talmud, it may be treated more leniently than other Berachot. Therefore, if somebody hears somebody recite a different Beracha while he recites Baruch She'amar, he may interrupt his recitation of Baruch She'amar to answer "Amen" to that other Beracha. However, Halacha does not follow this opinion. We treat Baruch She'amar no differently than other Berachot, and thus one may not interrupt his recitation of Baruch She'amar to answer "Amen" to another Beracha. Summary: Baruch She'amar is regarded as the introductory blessing to Pesukeh De'zimra, and therefore one who neglected to recite it before Baruch She'amar does not recite it afterward. As with all Berachot, one who hears a different Beracha while reciting Baruch She'amar does not interrupt his recitation to answer "Amen" to that other Beracha. Due to its unique importance, Baruch She'amar is to be recited standing.

The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (118) cites Rabbi Yossi's remark expressing his wish that he would have the same portion in the world to come as those who "complete the Hallel every day." While this at first glance appears to refer to the Hallel text that we recite on the holidays, the Gemara clarifies that this is not the case, for to the contrary, it is improper to recite Hallel every day. Rather, Rabbi Yossi refers here to what we call Pesukeh De'zimra – the final chapters of Tehillim which we recite each day as an introduction to our prayers. Rashi, in his commentary to the Gemara, explains that the Gemara speaks of specifically two chapters – chapter 148 of Tehillim ("Halelu Et Hashem Min Ha'shamayim") and the final chapter of Tehillim, chapter 150 ("Halelu Kel Be'kodsho"). Others, however, explain that the Gemara refers to the final six chapters, starting from chapter 145 (what we call "Ashreh"). It seems likely that Rashi agrees that all six chapters should be recited, but he sought to emphasize the unique importance of chapters 148 and 150. (Chapter 148 is special in that it describes the entire earth – the heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the creatures in the world – giving praise to G-d. One Rabbi said that when we recite this chapter, we serve as the conductor of the symphony, instructing everything in the universe to come together to sing the Almighty's praises.) In light of Rashi's comments, the Poskim write that if a person is unable to recite all of Pesukeh De'zimra, he should at least endeavor to recite chapters 148 and 150, given their unique importance. Indeed, in some editions of the Siddur, these chapters are written in bold or a special font to emphasize their special significance. Several different reasons are given for the reason why we recite Pesukeh De'zimra before we come forward before G-d to pray for our needs. Some explain based on the Gemara's teaching (Berachot 31a) that a person should be in the right mood when praying – specifically, in a mood of "Simha Shel Misva," the joy of a Misva. One should not pray when he is angry, upset, agitated, or frivolous, but rather when he feels content and gratified as a result of a Misva. The Sages therefore instituted that we introduce our prayer with the recitation of chapters of Tehillim to put us in the right mood and the proper frame of mind for Tefila. Another explanation is that it is proper to first give praise to G-d before presenting our requests. We learn this format from Moshe Rabbenu, who, before asking for permission to enter the Land of Israel, praised G-d for the great miracles He performed (Debarim 3:24). Therefore, before we approach G-d to ask for our needs, we first spend some time speaking His praises, just as Moshe did. The Rabbis of Kabbalah taught a different reason for reciting Pesukeh De'zimra. The verb "Z.M.R." can mean "sing," but also "prune," as in the Torah's command "Ve'charmecha Lo Tizmor" (Vayikra 25:4), which forbids pruning during the Shemita year. As our prayers ascend to the heavens, they are exposed to the negative spiritual forces that seek to sabotage our Tefilot. We neutralize these forces through the recitation of the beautiful praises in these chapters of Tehillim, and thus this recitation is called "Pesukeh De'zimra" – the verses that "prune," or eliminate, the harmful spiritual forces that threaten our prayers.

It is customary to add on every Yom Tob a special chapter of Tehillim associated with that Yom Tob. The chapter is recited immediately after the recitation of "Yosheb Be'seter Elyon," which is one of the chapters of Tehillim added before Baruch She'amar on Shabbat and Yom Tob. This custom is mentioned by the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Vayigash, though he notes that the custom among the Kabbalists in Yeshivat Bet-El in Jerusalem was not to add this recitation on Yom Tob. It is reported that many Kabbalists omitted this recitation because the Arizal did not instruct adding a special chapter of Tehillim on Yom Tob. In any event, the accepted custom today is to add this chapter every Yom Tob. There were some communities who recited the chapter in Tehillim (19) "La'menase'ah Mizmor Le'David" before Baruch She'amar on Hol Ha'mo'ed. This was the custom in Yeshivat Bet-El, though the Ben Ish Hai did not follow this practice in Baghdad. The accepted custom is not to add this chapter on Hol Ha'mo'ed. Some Poskim recommend to add this chapter privately on Hol Ha'mo'ed after reciting "La'menase'ah Bi'neginot" before Baruch She'amar, but this is not our community's custom.

One of the chapters of Tehillim that we add before Baruch She'amar on Shabbat morning is the 90 th chapter – "Tefila Le'Moshe," which concludes with the famous verse, "Vi'yhi Noam Hashem Elokenu Alenu U'ma'aseh Yadenu Konena Alenu U'ma'aseh Yadenu Konenehu" – " May the pleasantness of Hashem our God be upon us; may He establish the work of our hands for us — establish the work of our hands." The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Vayigash, discusses the special significance of this verse. He interprets this prayer as a request that G-d should accept our Misva observance despite the fact that we do not perform them with all their deep intentions. We confess that we do not recite our prayers and perform our Misvot in the manner that we ideally should, with full concentration and with a keen understanding of their deep meaning and significance, but we ask that Hashem should nevertheless accept our service. The Rashash (Rav Shalom Sharabi, Yemen-Jerusalem, 1720-1777) explained this verse differently, noting that every Misva we perform brings a special spiritual light, but every misdeed we commit has the effect of extinguishing that light. When we recite this verse, we ask Hashem to restore the light of our Misvot, to forgive us for our wrongdoing so that our good deeds can once again shine with all their brightness. The Ben Ish Hai notes that some have the practice of reciting this verse twice before performing a Misva, and he explains that this is done to satisfy both meanings. It is recited first to ask that Hashem accept our Misva despite our failure to have all the lofty intentions, and a second time as a prayer that our Misva shall shine brightly despite our sins. Rav Meir Mazuz (1945-2025), in Ish Masliah, explains that some recite this verse twice because its recitation itself constitutes an important Misva, such that it must be recited first as a preparation for its recitation. The Ben Ish Hai implies that this verse should be recited a second time not only before performing a Misva, but also when this chapter of Tehillim is being recited, such as on Shabbat morning. Common practice, however, clearly does not follow this opinion. Many of those who recite "Vi'yhi Noam" before performing a Misva do so at the conclusion of the "Le'shem Yihud" declaration made for the purpose of preparing for the Misva act. Among Syrian Jews, the custom in Damascus was to recite the "Le'shem Yihud," whereas the practice in Aleppo was not to recite 'Le'shem Yihud," and to recite only "Vi'yhi Noam."

Two of the chapters of Tehillim that we add to the morning prayer service on Shabbat, before Baruch She'amar, are "Ranenu Sadikim" and "Le'David Be'shanoto" (chapters 33 and 34 of Tehillim). The recitation of these chapters on Shabbat is especially significant, and offers many benefits. One must recite these chapters very carefully, for omitting or misreading even a single word can result in the forfeit of the great benefits that this recitation offers us. Each of these chapters contains 22 verses, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This itself indicates that these chapters are special, as they incorporate all the letters with which the Torah was written. Moreover, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1900) observes that each of these two chapters contains 161 letters, a number associated with the Name of Hashem spelled Alef, Heh, Yod and Heh – the highest of all the Names. The Gematria of the word "Alef" is 111; the Gematria of "Heh" is 15; the Gematria of "Yod" is 20; and the Gematria of the second "Heh" is again 15 – for a total of 161. By properly reciting these chapters, then, we connect to this very exalted Name of G-d. The chapter of "Le'David Be'shanoto" does not only contain 22 verses, but actually follows the sequence of the Hebrew alphabet. After the introductory verse, which tells us the context of the writing of this chapter, David exclaims, "Abarecha Et Hashem Be'chol Et" ("I shall bless G-d at all times") – which begins with the letter Alef. The next verse begins with the second letter, Bet – "B'Hashem Tit'halal Nafshi"; the third begins with Gimal – "Gadelu L'Hashem Iti"; and so on. The jarring exception is the letter Vav, which is skipped, as the chapter proceeds directly from the letter Heh ("Habitu Elav Ve'naharu…") to Zayin ("Zeh Ani Kara…"). Additionally, at the end of this chapter, after the letter Tav ("Temotet Rasha Ra'a…"), the chapter concludes with a verse that begins with the letter Peh ("Podeh Hashem Nefesh Abadav…"). The Kabbalists teach that according to the "At Bash" system, whereby each letter is associated with the corresponding letter at the opposite end of the alphabet (e.g. Alef is connected to Tav, Bet to Shin, Gimal to Resh, etc.), the letters Vav and Peh are interchangeable. Hence, the final verse of this chapter, which begins with Peh, serves as the substitute, so-to-speak, for the "missing" Vav. The Kabbalists explain why this was done based on the context of this chapter, as stated in the introductory verse – "Le'David Be'shanoto Et Ta'amo Lifneh Abimelech, Va'yegareshehu Va'yelach." This refers to the story told in the Book of Shemuel I (chapter 21) where David fled to the Philistine city of Gat to escape from King Shaul. The Philistines were enemies of Beneh Yisrael, and David had killed Golyat, the general of the Philistines, and so David knew that the king of Gat, Achish, would seek to have him killed. David devised a plan whereby he feigned insanity, such that Achish did not view him as a threat. This is what this introductory verse means – that David "changed his conduct" ("Be'shanoto Et Ta'amo") in the presence of the king. Achish is called here Abimelech – which means "my father is king" – as a sign of respect, as Achish spared David's life and let him leave the area unharmed. According to tradition, it was on Shabbat when David was granted permission to leave, and so we read this chapter on Shabbat. Another explanation is that the name "Abimelech" refers to our Father and King – Hashem. In this introductory verse, David is teaching us that just as he changed his image in the presence of Achish, we must change our behavior and our appearance on Shabbat, dressing in our finest clothing and conducting ourselves in an especially refined, elevated and dignified manner. In any event, as this verse is associated with Shabbat, David skipped the letter Vav, which equals six and thus alludes to the six days of the workweek. The missing letter was "replaced" in a sense with the final verse, which, as discussed, begins with the letter Peh. Hashem's Name appears 13 times in this chapter, corresponding to the thirteen attributes of compassion.

On Shabbat morning, before Baruch She'amar, we recite a series of chapters from Tehillim, starting with "La'menase'ah Mizmor Le'David" – the 19 th chapter of Tehillim. Among the unique features of this chapter is a series of three verses (8-10) that all have the identical structure. Each of these verses consists of two halves, each of which contains five letters, and the second letter is the Name "Havaya." The first verse in this series begins with the five words "Torat Hashem Temima Meshibat Nafesh," and concludes with the five words "Edut Hashem Ne'emana Mahkimat Peti." The next two verses follow the same format – consisting of two five-word clauses, where the second word of each clause is "Hashem." The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes that when one recites these verses, he should count every series of five words with his five fingers, starting with his thumb, such that Hashem's Name will always be counted with his index finger. This finger is associated with the divine Name of "Havaya," and so it is extended when this Name is read. Furthermore, the Ben Ish Hai adds, whenever a person finds himself under attack, he should recite these verses in this manner – counting each series of five words with his fingers. And each time he extends his index finger to count Hashem's Name, he should point it at the person who threatens him, and this will protect him from the threat. Interestingly enough, the Ben Ish Hai writes that the six-pointed star known to us as the "Magen David" – "David's Shield" – corresponds to the six instances of Hashem's Name in these verses – twice in each of the three verses. King David's shield was shaped this way because the Name of "Havaya" in these verses protected him from his enemies during battle. The Ben Ish Hai explains on this basis the verse in the Book of Debarim (21:10) which speaks of Hashem giving our enemies into "our hands" ("U'netano Hashem Elokecha Be'yadecha"). The soldiers would use these verses when going out to war, reciting them and counting with their fingers, and in this sense, the enemies were delivered into their "hands," through the soldiers' counting with their fingers. Additionally, the Ben Ish Hai writes, this is why the groom customarily places the ring specifically on the bride's index finger. The Shechina resides among a married couple, and so the bride extends this finger, which is associated with the Name of "Havaya," to show that she and the groom are now connecting with the Shechina as they set out to build their home.