Siman 6 Seif 2

Sun, Oct 18, 2020  ‫ תשפ“א‬,‫ל‘ תשרי‬ ‘‫סימן ו‘ סעיף ב‬
Overview Halacha Highlights

Siman 6 Seif 2: Is the reading of Tehillim on par with Torah
Some people delay reciting ‫טילת ידים‬ ‫ על‬until they come to shul study?
and they group it with the other berachos but people from
Mishnah Berurah Siman 6 Seif Katan 8
Spain do not follow this custom. One should certainly not recite ‫אותם שאומרים תהילים טוב יותר שיאמרו קדם התפלה‬
the beracha both at home and in shul. Someone who studies It is better for those who recite Tehillim to do so before davening
Torah or davens beforehand should recite the berachos at
home. However, even in these circumstances there are people The author of Meir Oz ('‫ )ע' בכל זה בספר מאיר עוז סי' ו' אות ג‬relates
who arrange the beracha in shul rather than recite it at home. that Rav Yitchak Zilberstein asked Rav Chaim Kanievski for a
ruling on the following situation. There was a place where a
 There is a tradition to say the pasuk ‫ שמע ישראל‬when one Gemara shiur was held and children wanted to be able to re-
leaves his house for shul but one should have in mind to cite Tehillim in the same location, does their recitation trump
not fulfill the mitzvah of Krias Shema. (M.B. 7) the Gemara shiur? Rav Kanievski answered that even if the
 The custom to wash one’s hands at home and recite children were using the room first the Gemara shiur is more
‫טילת ידים‬ in shul is limited to where one does not interrupt important and thus trumps their reading of Tehillim. Rav Zilber-
between the time that he washes and comes to shul. (M.B. 8) stein explained that Rav Kanievski was following the approach
 Levush writes that it is preferable for those who recite of Nefesh HaChaim who contended that although Dovid
Tehillim to do so before davening. (M.B. 8) HaMelech asked Hashem that Tehillim should be considered
 Authorities agree with the practice of reciting the beracha on par with Torah study there is no indication that his request
immediately after washing. If, however, one feels the urge was granted and thus the Gemara shiur takes priority over the
to relieve himself he should wait to recite the beracha until recitation of Tehillim since Gemara is certainly considered To-
after he relieves himself and then he should recite rah study whereas reading Tehillim may not be considered To-
‫טילת ידים‬ and ‫אשר יצר‬. For more details see M.B. 4:4 with rah study.
related Biur Halacha. (M.B. 9)
 When one rises early to recite Selichos one could justify the The author of Meir Oz proceeds to demonstrate from numer-
practice of reciting Birkas HaTorah after Selichos but ous sources that Tehillim is considered “Divrei Torah.” One
‫טילת ידים‬ should be recited at home before coming to shul. proof is found in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch ('‫ )סי' א' סע' ה‬where he
Alternatively, one could relieve himself after Selichos and writes that one should study Torah or Mishnayos before daven-
then he could recite ‫טילת ידים‬ and ‫ אשר יצר‬before ing and if he cannot he should at least say Tehillim. This indi-
davening. (M.B. 11) cates that the recitation of Tehillim can serve as a replacement
for the study of Mishnayos. Another proof is Mishnah Berurah’s
ruling that the reading of ‫ מזמור לדוד‬fulfills the obligation to
Stories to Share study Torah during a meal. Similarly, Mishnah Berurah relates
that there are those who have the custom to read
‫ שיר המעלות‬before davening Maariv so that they daven
following Torah study. It must be, concludes the Meir Oz that
The Power of Tehillim Nefesh HaChaim’s uncertainty whether Tehillim is considered
"...‫ "אותם שאומרים תהלים‬:'‫ ח‬,'‫מ"ב ו‬ on par with Torah study refers to one who merely reads
The Sichos HaRan, zt”l, explains how we should daven and Tehillim. Someone who reads Tehillim with the intent to study
say Tehillim. “One must apply the words of Tehilim to his own Torah is certainly credited with having studied Torah.
life and what he is going through. Although Tehillim also dis-
cusses what Dovid Hamelech was going through in the physi- heart to take things seriously and change his ways. But it is
cal world, it was composed with ruach hakodesh and primarily very difficult to find this path. Tehillim will help him locate his
discusses every person’s spiritual challenges fighting his yetzer conduit.
hara. Tehilim is composed of such heartfelt cries and petitions, “But at times, this pathway is locked. This may be because
that even the biggest sinner and most wicked person can find of something he has done, or because of some other internal
himself in its holy words. obstacle. Tehillim will open the gate and enable him to truly
“One who wishes to do teshuvah should say Tehillim regu- do teshuvah.”
larly, since davening and petitioning Hashem is the main way The Chazon Ish, zt”l, pointed out another important way
to do teshuvah. This is especially true regarding Tehillim which that Tehillim helps. Whenever he had a question in his learn-
will definitely help one who recites them regularly to return to ing that he could not answer, he would spend time, tearfully
Hashem. Every person has a particular gate through which he reciting Tehillim. Usually, a new pathway was opened for him
merits to do teshuvah. This is the path towards arousing his and he eventually found a satisfying answer.”

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Sun, Oct 18, 2020  ‫ תשפ“א‬,‫ל‘ תשרי‬ ‘‫סימן ו‘ סעיף ב‬

Overview Halacha Highlights

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