17

In the context of p'sukei d'zimra, the Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim 51:9 rules that "The Psalm of Thanksgiving [i.e. Psalm 100] should be recited with a melody, for all songs are destined to fall into disuse, except for the Psalm of Thanksgiving."

Does anyone know of any communities -- historical or current -- where this ruling is actually followed and people are careful to sing Psalm 100?

13
  • 2
    If it helps at all, this is based on the Orchos Chayim (I Din Mei'ah B'rachos 26,ובמקומות שאומרים מזמור לתודה כתב הרב נתן שמצוה למשוך אותו בנגינה ולנגן), which is in turn derived from the midrash (Vayikra Rabba 9:7 based on Yirm'yahu 33:11, רבי פנחס ורבי לוי ורבי יוחנן בשם ר' מנחם דגליא לעתיד לבא... כל התפלות בטלות ההודאה אינה בטלה הה"ד (ירמיה לג) קול ששון וקול שמחה קול חתן וקול כלה קול אומרים הודו את השם).
    – Fred
    Commented Jan 16, 2015 at 5:10
  • 2
    I have personally heard Rav Osher Arieli and his son recited Mizmor L'Soda with a special tune. I never heard anyone else do it. Commented Jan 16, 2015 at 7:05
  • twitter.com/mi_yodeya/status/556107862846758912
    – MTL
    Commented Jan 16, 2015 at 16:19
  • I do every day. I'm not sure what you mean by a community where this is followed... this is not a community related halacha. As with everything else you'll find individuals who are aware of and follow more halachos/minhagim then others in the same community.
    – Gavriel
    Commented Jan 17, 2015 at 17:46
  • @Gavriel This certainly seems like the kind of halacha where comunal practice is relevant. If the shaliach tzibur sings the something then the kahal can sing along; if the shatz breezes through every psalm with some nusach at the beginning and end (standard practice for psukei d'zimra in general), it certainly discourages an individual to start singing by themselves in the middle of davening. Commented Jan 20, 2015 at 22:45

4 Answers 4

4

Historically, there were rabbinic authorities who cited the custom of singing this mizmor. Among Polish Jewry, the Matteh Moshe [R. Moshe Mat of Galicia, c. 1591] (see #48) and the Levush [R. Mordecai Yoffe, 1530-1612] (see ch. 51:1;7) indicate such a precedence. This custom was also practiced a generation later in Frankfurt, as indicated by the Yosef Ometz [R. Yosef Yuzpa Han Nordlingen, 1570-1637] (see #277).

It is not common to see this sung nowadays. R. Avraham Yosef (son of R. Ovadia Yosef and chief rabbi of Holon) writes that this is because people are often pressed for time and rush to get to work during the week.

Nevertheless, there have been attempts to sing it again during the week. The most charming attempt, in my opinion, for such a revival comes from the Israeli musician Aaron Razel, who composed and recorded a melody for the mizmor in order to fulfill said halakhah.

As reported in Israeli outlets last year:

בוקר חורפי אחד, הסמטאות מכוסות בערפילי בוקר קסומים, והנה עוצר אותי חסיד ברסלב 'אהרן, אתה עושה מנגינות נכון?, אתה מכיר את ההלכה שצריך לשיר את מזמור לתודה? אתה חייב לכתוב למזור הזה מנגינה כדי שנצא ידי חובה להלכה'. הוא הלך לדרכו, ואני לדרכי ולא שכחתי את אשר ביקש

וכשהגיע הגיע חודש אדר, פשפש אהרן בערימת הפתקאות והתווים ומחליט להגשים לחסיד את חלומו. כעת הוא מגיש את "מזמור לתודה", שיר חדש וקופצני המאפשר לכולנו לקיים את ההלכה ככתבה.

"One winter morning [in Tzfat], when the alleys were covered in a magical morning mist, a Brelov Hasid stops me. He says, 'Aharon, you make melodies, right? You know the halakha that one must sing mizmor l'toda? You have to write a melody for this mizmor so that we can fulfill our halakhic obligation.' He went off his way, and I mine, and I never forgot his request."

When the month of Adar arrived, Aharon searched through his pile of scraps and notes and decided to realize the Hasid's dream. He is now presenting mizmor l'toda, a new and bouncy song that lets us all fulfill the halakha as it is written.

I have heard it sung in Jerusalem, and you can heard the recording here.

0

At my school we always sing it.

1
  • 4
    What school is that? Under whose auspices is it? Are they trying to follow this opinion of the ShA or is it just a nice tune? Adding information like that would greatly improve this answer's value to the community.
    – Double AA
    Commented Aug 16, 2016 at 18:28
0

we shrfardim in diaspora(Hodu) dont sing that psalm but when we have guest(rabbi from eretz israel) i think we sang but i dont have any clue would others sefardim followthe same

-1

A possible melody for pesukei dezimrah could be taken from the Moroccan community who sing Mizmor LeTodah in the Qabbalat Shabbat service. This beautiful rendition starts at 6:54.: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XTZEXeoy38o&list=PL771C34FAEC4428EA

1
  • Commentless downvotes?
    – Lee
    Commented Nov 8, 2021 at 12:19

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .