Our daily Pesukeh De'zimra service begins with the blessing of Baruch She'amar, and concludes with the blessing of Yishtabah. Should women recite these Berachot, or should they omit them when reciting Pesukeh De'zimra? Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that the recitation of these Berachot falls under the category of "Misvot She'ha'zman Gerama" – Misvot that are limited to certain times, from which women, as a rule, are exempt. Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah may be recited only from daybreak until a certain time during the day (as discussed in an earlier installment), and, as such, women are exempt from this recitation. And, according to Sephardic practice, a woman may not recite a Beracha from which she is exempt, and thus, in Hacham Ovadia's view, women may not recite Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah. Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998), however, disagreed. He claimed that this rule applies only to "Misvot Aseh" – actual commands. Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah are expressions of praise, and this recitation does not qualify as an actual obligation. Therefore, Hacham Bension maintained, women may recite these blessings. This was the view also of the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939). Normally, when there is a disagreement concerning the permissibility of reciting a Beracha, we apply the principle of "Safek Berachot Le'hakel" – that we refrain from reciting the Beracha in question. Thus, it would seem that Sephardic women should not recite Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah, or should recite them while omitting the phrase "Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha'olam." However, if a Sephardic woman has been accustomed to reciting these Berachot – either because she was educated in an Ashkenazic institution, or because she was taught the view that Sephardic women may recite these Berachot – she may continue this practice, relying on the ruling of Hacham Bension Abba Shaul. Summary: Different opinions exist as to whether Sephardic women may recite Baruch She'amar and Yishtabah. Therefore, a Sephardic woman should not recite these blessings, or should recite them but omit "Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha'olam." However, if a woman had grown accustomed to reciting these blessings, in accordance with the view that women may recite them, she may continue this practice.