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Pesukei deZimra - Preparing to Pray

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Pesukei deZimra - Preparing to Pray
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ByRabbi Shuki Zehavi
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תפילות
What does it mean to prepare to pray? How do we prepare? What are the methods of directing the mind?
When do we speak in the service and when do we listen? When do we breath in and when do we breath out? When do we try to do both at the same time?
משנה ברכות ה׳:א׳

(א) אֵין עוֹמְדִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ כֹּבֶד רֹאשׁ. חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ שׁוֹהִים שָׁעָה אַחַת וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּכַוְּנוּ אֶת לִבָּם לַמָּקוֹם. אֲפִלּוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ, לֹא יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ. וַאֲפִלּוּ נָחָשׁ כָּרוּךְ עַל עֲקֵבוֹ, לֹא יַפְסִיק:

Mishnah Berakhot 5:1

(1) One should not stand up to pray [i.e. pray the 'Amidah] unless one is in a serious frame of mind. The early pious ones used to wait an hour and then pray, in order to direct their hearts towards the Omnipresent. [While one is reciting the 'Amidah,] even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him, and even if a snake wraps around his heel, he should not interrupt.

שבת קי״ח ב:ה׳

א"ר יוסי יהא חלקי מגומרי הלל בכל יום איני והאמר מר הקורא הלל בכל יום הרי זה מחרף ומגדף כי קאמרינן בפסוקי דזמרא

Shabbat 118b:5

Rabbi Yosei said: "May my portion be among those who complete hallel every day." Is that so? Didn’t the Master [Rabbi Yosei] say: "One who reads hallel every day is tantamount to one who curses and blasphemes." When we say the first statement of Rabbi Yosei, we are referring to the verses of song [pesukei dezimra], recited during the morning service, not to hallel (Psalms 113–118) recited on special days.

Hallel: Psalms 113-118
Pesukei deZimra: Psalms 145-150
Kabbalat Shabbat: Psalms 95-99, 29
Practices Attested in the Cairo Genizah:
  1. The leader chooses a selection
  2. Psalms 120-150
  3. Collections of verses
Siddur Rav 'Amram Ga-on: Psalms 145-150 and Masekhet Soferim
In Our liturgy:
Opening Blessing (Barukh She-amar)
  • I Chronicles 16:8-36 (David brings Ark into Jerusalem)
  • Collection of verses from Psalms (theme of God's kindness and salvation)
  • Psalm 100
    • [Extra Psalms for Shabbat and Festivals (19, 34, 90, 91, 135, 136, 33, 92, 93)]
  • Collection of verses from Psalms, Proverbs, Exodus, and Chronicles (theme of God's glory)
  • "Completing Hallel"
    • Ashrei/Psalm 145
    • Psalm 146
    • Psalm 147
    • Psalm 148
    • Psalm 149
    • Psalm 150
  • Collection of verses from Psalms (last verse of 89 and 135 and last two verses of 72) (end of books 2 and 3)
  • I Chronicles 29:10-13 (David's dedication of materials for the Temple)
  • Nehemiah 9:6-11 (Rededication of the people to covenant with God after the return from exile)
  • Exodus 14:30-31, 15:1-18 (Song of the Sea)
  • Collection of verses (theme of God's rule)
  • [Nishmat Kol Hai - what it means for every life form and every breath to praise God]
Closing Blessing (Yishtabah)
Questions:
  1. What do you notice about the version of Pesukei deZimra that we have inherited? Is it coherent/incoherent, structured/unstructured? Does it seem to follow any progression?
  2. How does it use psalms and to what effect? How does it use other biblical passages? Collections of verses?
  3. How does this service work (and/or not work) as a structure for preparing us to pray? What does it mean for us to think of Shaharit as "real prayer" and Pesukei deZimra as preparation?
  4. How might music influence the way this service works? How might the structure of this service influence the role of music?