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Many have the custom to stand at Vayevarech Dovid. The reason behind this minhag is because many give tzedakah at this point, and it is proper to stand while doing a mitzvah. With this being said, why would I still have to stand on a Shabbos and/or Yom Tov? Why would we still be required to stand on days when we are not even allowed to handle money?

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    That's the reason Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky surmises is behind the Arizal's recommendation to stand, but I wouldn't present it as the reason for the Minhag. There may be additional ones al pi sod, which cover all days. See how the Kaf HaChaim (OC 51:43) presents it sefaria.org/…
    – MDjava
    Oct 18, 2019 at 3:26
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    see related answer above which suggest alternative reasons, which would still be valid on Shabbat and Yom Tov
    – mbloch
    Oct 18, 2019 at 3:37

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While the Arizal does indeed say that A) one should stand for Vayivarech David, and B) that one should give tzedakah standing during Vayivarech David, these customs are not dependent on one another. The Kaf HaChaim (OC 51:43 quotes the Arizal on standing during Vayivarech David as follows:

וכ"כ האר"י ז"ל בשער הכוונות בענין תפלת השחר די"ח ע"ג וז"ל צריך לקום מעומד מן ויברך דיד וכו' עד אתה הוא ה' האלהים אשר בחרת באברם וכו' ועד בכלל להיות כי שם אהיה רמוז בר"ת אתה הוא ה' האלהים וכו' וכל אהיה הוא בכתר ולכן צריך לקום מעומד עד סוף ארבעה תיבות הנז' בלבד עכ"ל.

Similarly did the Arizal write in Sha’ar HaKavanos regarding Tefillas HaShachar: “One must stand from Vayivarech David...until Atah hu Hashem HaElokim asher bacharta beAvram, inclusive. This is because the Name Ehyeh is hinted in the initials of Atah hu Hashem HaElokim, and all [mentions of] Ehyeh are with a crown(?). Therefore one must stand until the end of these four words alone.

Similarly Magen Avraham ad. loc. §9 writes more succinctly:

ויברך דוד. בויברך דוד יעמוד עד שיאמר אתה הוא ה' האלקים ויכוין ר"ת אהי"ה ואח"כ ישב [הכוונות].

In Vayivarech David one should stand until he says “Atah hu Hashem HaElokim,” and he should focus on the initials Ehyeh and then sit.

There is nothing in this which suggests that Shabbos and Yom Tov should be different.

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  • With the first practice cited for sitting right after Atah hu Hashem HaElokim when would one stand up again on weekday vs shabbos/yontiff? Before nidhmas Cal chai, ha-keil, shochein ad, oov-mak-heilos, or right before yishtabach?
    – Dude
    Oct 18, 2019 at 16:23
  • @Dude I’d imagine right before Az Yashir like normal.
    – DonielF
    Oct 18, 2019 at 16:30

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