Questions tagged [tehilim-psalms]
One of the books that make up the "Kesuvim" (or "Writings). Composed mostly by King David, but includes chapters by Adam, Avraham, King Shlomo (Solomon) and others.
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Why don't we say the first verse of Psalm 6 in Tachanun?
When Ashkenazim say Tachanun, they say the text of Psalm 6 without the first verse introduction “To the conductor with melodies on the sheminith, a song of David.”
In the text, we say, “I am weary ...
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Source for saying seven specific psalms in the cemetery
What is the source as cited in the ArtScroll Tehillim for saying chapters 33, 16, 17, 82, 91, 104, and 130 of Tehillim in a bais hachayim (Jewish cemetery)? Why specifically these chapters and why in ...
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What were Chazal referring to when they said there were 7 notes in a musical octave?
Related: What do Chazal mean when they say that when Moshiach comes there will be another note added to the octave making a total of 8 notes?
There is a well known Medrash (anyone help with the ...
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Gentiles praying in Hebrew
Can a gentile pray in hebrew, and recite the Psalms?
I am a Noahide (Chassidic Gentile) who is interested in going through the conversion process to Reform Judaism. Is it okay for me to pray the ...
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Vihi Noam at bedtime Shema on Tishah beAv
Mishneh Torah Tefilah uVirkat Kohanim 7:2 mentions verses of mercy being read before going to bed. Shevuot 15b relates that R' Yehoshua ben Levi used to say (at least the first half of) Psalm 91, and ...
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Psalms after the evening prayer
The other day I was discussing with a friend the daily recital of Psalm 83 after the morning prayer, when this friend told me that it was also said after the evening prayer if it was said early,* and ...
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Among which "people" should we make "his deeds known"?
Beginning of Psalm 105:
.הודוּ לה' קִרְאוּ בִשְׁמו. הודִיעוּ בָעַמִּים עֲלִילותָיו
Give thanks to the Lord, call out in His name; make His deeds known among the peoples.
Which people? Fellow Jews? ...
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Does anyone know the nusach for אפפוני חבלי מות that is sung in the movie Simon Magus?
I haven't seen the whole movie Simon Magus. It depicts 19th-century Poland. I saw a scene where a Pesach Seder is held. They're saying Hallel and I've never heard that melody for Psalm 116. They start ...
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Smichut or Noun and adjective in Lashon remiya (Tehilim 120)
In Tehilim 120:2 and 3 we find lashon remiya (לשון רמייה) where lamed has qamets:
יְֽהוָ֗ה הַצִּ֣ילָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשְּׂפַת־שֶׁ֑קֶר מִלָּשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה׃ מַה־יִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭ךָ וּמַה־יֹּסִ֥יף לָ֗ךְ ...
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Tehilim divided over thirty days - when there are only 29 days
In most Tehilim's there is a division of the tehilim for thirty days. What does one do in a month that has 29 days? Do you say the Tehilim for the 30th day, on the 29th of that month, or on the 1st of ...
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Why introduce the same pasuk differently in Shacharit for Shabbat?
The pasuk (Tehillim 146:10)
יִמְלֹ֤ךְ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לְעוֹלָ֗ם אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ צִ֭יּוֹן לְדֹ֥ר וָדֹ֗ר הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ
Is used at the conclusion of the Kedusha. However, in most iterations, it is introduced ...
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Source for Tehillim as remedies to specific problems
I have this (rather low-quality) "mini-siddur" e-book that I found long time ago. Among other things, it has a page called "Directory of Tehillim", which is a table where each Tehillim is assigned a ...
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Reading Tehillim on Klaf
Anyone know of a source to read Tehillim from Klaf? I have heard it's something more special than reading from a regular sefer.
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Why stand for responsive T'hilim?
For many a distressful situation (that should not come!), people organize a communal recitation of parts of the book of T'hilim (Psalms). In some of these, there is a leader, who recites each verse ...
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Significance of the story of how King Dovid came to write the 15 “Shir HaMaalos”
The story of how King Dovid came to write the 15 “Shir HaMaalos” is recounted in Gemoro Sukkah 53 a, b .
It seems in preparing the “plumbing” for the future Temple, he disturbed an underground seal ...
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The difference between Reisheet and T'chilat
I am trying to understand the difference between the initial words in the following p'sukim:
Mishlei 9:10
תְּחִלַּ֣ת חׇ֭כְמָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים בִּינָֽה
and
Tehillim 111:10
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Can one say Shir Hamaalos without a Minyan?
During the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, many congregations say שיר המעלות after Yishtabach. Is there any problem saying שיר המעלות without a minyan?
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What did Rabbi Yannai understand about 'Mi Ha-ish'?
The Midrash [Leviticus R. 16:2] says:
A peddler used to make the rounds of the towns near Sepphoris, crying out: "Who wishes to buy the potion for a long life?" and drawing large crowds ...
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Should I pray to God based on my own merit?
In the book of Tehillim (Psalms), Chapter 86, King David says the following:
שָֽׁמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁי֮ כִּֽי־חָסִ֪יד אָ֥נִי הוֹשַׁ֣ע עַ֭בְדְּךָ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֑י הַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
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Question about the comma in Psalm 82:1
I've a short question about Psalm 82, verse 1.
The hebrew reads: מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת־אֵל בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט
So how should one read these verse?
1. Is it that G-d will ...
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Where does HaShem stands and in which council?
Psalm 82 teaches that Elohim (אלהים) stands (נצב to position oneself) within the council/congregation (עדת-אל) of El, among/amidst (בקרב) elohiem (אלהים) He judge (ישפט).
Someone told me to look at ...
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Reciting Psalm 145 three times a day without minyan
As it is commonly known, Berakhot 4b praises the person, who says Psalm 145 three times a day. We do it by reciting Ashrei in the morning as a part of Pesukei dezimrah (Orach Chayim 51:7, Mishneh ...
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in what ways are the songs of ascent characterized by epigrammaticism?
According to Wikipedia, the Songs of Ascent are "characterized by brevity, by a key-word, by epanaphora [i.e., repetition], and by their epigrammatic style.... " Epigrams are defined as "brief, ...
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Sefer Tehillim and Megillas Esther
Chazal give the following list of names for books of Tanach (Bava Basra 14b):
סידרן של כתובים רות וספר תהלים ואיוב ומשלי קהלת שיר השירים וקינות דניאל ומגילת אסתר עזרא ודברי הימים
The order of ...
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Is there an obligation to speak God's praises?
Each time we say the Amidah, we include the modim prayer. In it, we list things that we must speak about -- our lives that we place in God's hand, our souls which are entrusted to God, God's miracles ...
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HALLEL Ki Amilam. Patach kamats & tsere
See Tehilim 118, 10:
כָּל-גּוֹיִ֥ם סְבָב֑וּנִי בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם:
The English translation in dTorah is:
All nations surround me; but in the name of the Lord I will cut ...
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Why are the daily tehilim divided as they are?
How were the daily starting and ending points for weekly and monthly readings of all of tehilim chosen? Are they just chosen to make them all approximately the same length, or are there specific ...
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Aneni prayer for pregnancy best practice
What is best practice with regards to saying the Aneni prayer by a husband whose wife is in her 3rd month of pregnancy?
Should the prayer be said only once, or daily?
If daily, then is this only for ...
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Dagesh on Hatslicha nna
I see a machloket sidurim and Tanachim about the Na of Hasem Hatlicha Na in the hallel.
Many sidurim was with dagesh on Hoshianna and not on hatslicha na. I searched an explanation.
The explanation ...
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Psalm 121 - when is it said?
What is typically the association for Psalm 121? Is it associated specifically with the yamim noraim (Days of Awe), or is there another association?
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Why adding the first verse to Ashrei Yoshvei Beitecha
The Mizmor Ashrei Yoshvei Beitecha is mostly based on the 145 chapter in Psalms. The first two verses begin in the 84:5 chapter and the last verse of the 144 chapter. It is understood that apparently ...
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Do any minhagim use Psalm 45 during chuppah?
I know that many Ashkenazi communities of the community use Psalm 128 during the chuppah ceremony. However, there is a Psalm 45 that expresses the joy of marriage no less. I heard that some use it at ...
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Source for Tehillim 67 after Shacharit?
In many Artscroll Siddurim there is a perek of Tehillim after shacharit, Tehillim 67. Is there any source for why this specific Perek is appropriate to say after shacharit?
Thanks!
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Tehillim 60:13 / 108:13 - ‘the help of man is worthless’
Shalom.
The JPS English translation of Tehillim 60:13 and 108:13 reads ‘Grant us your aid against the foe, for the help of man is worthless.’
Does this mean that it is a waste of time to ask one’s ...
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Source for Tehillim 19:9 after tzitzit?
I remember in a siddur I used in Israel, after the Yehi Ratzon right after donning Tzitzit in the morning, it had the words from the second half of Tehillim 19:9, starting with "Mitzvat HaShem...&...
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Connection between Tehillim 22 and Purim?
A few years ago, I started hearing around Purim-time the song "Keli, keli, lamah azavtani" - ק-לי ק-לי, למה עזבתני, which comes from Tehillim 22:2:
אֵלִ֣י אֵ֭לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי רָח֥וֹק ...
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Why break Hallel in the middle of a parsha?
On Pesach night, following Beis Hillel we break up Hallel between חלמיש למעינו מים and לא לנו.
This is in the middle of a parsha, according to the Keter (navigate to Psalms --> From 114_2 to 118_1) ...
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Why are these the examples of HaShem abrogating nature?
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:1) presents several expositions of the following verses (Tehillim 60:9-10):
To Me is Gilead and to Me is Menasheh. Ephraim is the stronghold of My head, and Yehudah ...
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Relating the Psalms to the Torah
A lot of the commentaries I come across for individual psalms are preoccupied by their prophetic qualities etc, but I would like momentarily to concentrate on how they present the relationship with ...
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Connection of Karov to Tefillah
A number of commentaries on the siddur (Rabbeinu Yehuda Ben Yakar, Avudarham, and some others) explain in the 5th blessing of the amida ("וקרבנו מלכנו לעבודתך") that עבודתך refers to Tefillah, and ...
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Tehillim while waiting for medical test results for an unborn baby
The suggestion is made that one recite tehillim #119 "with the letters corresponding to the name and mothers name" of someone awaiting medical test results. What if the sick person is an unborn baby (...
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What is the source for the Baal Shem Tov’s application of Psalm 122 (1) to a marriage?
I seem to remember a Dvar Torah from the Baal Shem Tov that reinterprets the first verse of Psalm 122
I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
into a dialogue between ...
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Explanation of this verse in Psalm 137
אַשְׁרֵ֤י שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓ז וְנִפֵּ֬ץ אֶֽת־עֹ֝לָלַ֗יִךְ אֶל־הַסָּֽלַע׃
A blessing on him who seizes your babies and dashes them against the rocks!
Psalms 137:9
This verse doesn't sit well with me... Is ...
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What Is the translation to this Alshich On Tehilim
אשרי האיש אשר כו' ראיתי אחרי רואי הערות אשר יפול לב אדם עליהם לבל אשא את שמותם הלא בספרתי כי לא דבר רק הוא ממוצאי דעת ואומר כי הנה שתים הנה סוגי האושר יש יאושר בסור
This is what he says at the ...
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How can Psalm 132 reference David and imply that it was written by Solomon?
The gemora in Bava Basra 14b lists 10 people that co-authored Tehillim with David
דוד כתב ספר תהלים ע"י עשרה זקנים ע"י אדם הראשון על ידי מלכי צדק ועל
ידי אברהם וע"י משה ועל ידי הימן וע&...
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Gra’s opinion on tehillim?
I heard that the Gra was against Tehillim being stated in public to the point where he would even say that Kabbalat Shabbat should be performed at home? I have two questions on this, number one is ...
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Why are ALL Tehillim permitted to be read on Shabbat?
I’m curious why it is permitted to read/recite Tehillim “carte blanche” on Shabbat. By that I mean, why are ALL of the Tehillim acceptable? As we know, on Shabbat we are not to pray for our needs, for ...
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What is the meaning of Psalms 118:5?
מִן־הַ֖מֵּצַֽר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָ֜נָ֗נִי בַּמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ
From the straits I called God; God answered me with a vast expanse.
I put הַ֖מֵּצַֽר into a contemporary Hebrew dictionary and it does ...
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Vilna Gaon: Tehillim's prophecy about Eisav and Yishmael
I heard once in a class where the Rabbi taught a teaching from the Vilna Gaon on Tehillim 20:8:
אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ ׀ בְּשֵׁם־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר׃
...
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Why do Rishonim ignore the ta'amei di'krah when giving pshat in a posuk?
Why is it that sometimes one finds that Rishonim who attempt to explain the simple pshat of a posuk in Tehillim (Eben Ezrah, Radak, Me'iri, Seforno), will ignore the ta'amei di'krah (the simanim that ...
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