Prayer VI: Korbanot and Pesukei De-zimra תפילה (ו): קרבנות ופסוקי דזמרה

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “This is the law of the sin offering” (Leviticus 6:18), and: “This is the law of the guilt offering” (Leviticus 7:1)? These verses teach that anyone who engages in studying the law of the sin offering is ascribed credit as though he sacrificed a sin offering, and anyone who engages in studying the law of a guilt offering is ascribed credit as though he sacrificed a guilt offering.

God said to him: I have already enacted for them the order of offerings. When they read them before Me, I will ascribe them credit as though they had sacrificed them before Me and I will pardon them for all their transgressions.

They established reading the portion about the korban tamid, as is found in the midrash, “At the time when there is no Temple, what will become of them [the children of Israel]? He [God] said to him [Avraham]: I already provided for them in advance [reading] the order of korbanot. Any time that they occupy themselves with them, I count it for them as though they have sacrificed before Me.”

It is well to say the section of the Akedah and the section of the manna, and the Ten Commandments and the section of the sacrifices, namely the section of the burnt offering and the meal offering and the offering of well being and the sin offering and the guilt offering. Of course it is preferable to say the section of the sacrifices during the day, for they are in place of the offering of the sacrifice, whose time is during the day.

In reciting the portion of the tamid they [women] are equal to men, for tefilla [in which women are obligated] was enacted in place of the tamid.

Rabbi Simlai taught: One should always set forth praise of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and then pray

Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who complete hallel every day. The Gemara is surprised at this: Is that so? Didn’t the Master say: One who reads hallel every day is tantamount to one who curses and blasphemes God. He displays contempt for hallel by not reserving it for days on which miracles occurred. The Gemara answers: When we say this statement of Rabbi Yosei, we are referring to the verses of praise [pesukei dezimra], recited during the morning service, not to hallel (Psalms 113–118) recited on special days.

We do not pray from [a mind frame of] levity and mirth, but rather from [a mind frame of] gravity and the joy of mitzva, as if one were occupied with words of Torah. Therefore, it is customary to recite Pesukei De-zimra and Ashrei prior to prayer.

Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Avina said: Anyone who recites: “A Psalm of David” (Psalms 145) three times every day is assured of a place in the World-to-Come.

(12) The early Sages lauded one who reads every day psalms from the Psalter, beginning with "the Psalm of David" (Psalm 145) and continuing till the end of the book. It is also settled practice to read verses before and after these Psalms. The Sages appointed a blessing to be recited before the psalms, the one beginning, "Blessed be He who spake", and a blessing to be recited after them, beginning, "Praised be Thy name." Then the blessings for the Shema are recited and the Shema is read.

If one comes to synagogue and find the congregation at the end of the P'sukei D'zimra service, he should say "Barukh She'amar" until "M'hulal B'tishbahot" (i.e. the end of the blessing), and afterwards "T'hillah L'david" until "Me-atah v'ad olam halleluyah" (i.e. all of Ashrei). And afterwards "Hal'lu et Hashem min hashamayim" until "Livnei Yisrael am k'rovo hallelulyah" (i.e. Psalm 148). And aftewards "Hallelu el b'kodsho" until "Kol han'shamah t'hallel yah" (Psalm 150). REMA: And if he has more time, he should say "Hodu lashem kiru" (I Chronicles 16:18-36) until "v'hu rahum" (during the anthology of verses from Psalms) and skip to the "v'hu rahum" [immediately] prior to Ashrei because in between [those separate instances of "v'hu rahum"] are simply gathered verses (Hagahot Miyymonei Chapter 7 from Hilkhot T'fillah). And afterwards Yishtabah, and aftwards Yotzer [Or] (i.e. the blessing before Ahavah Rabbah, the paragraph immediately prior to the Sh'ma) and the Sh'ma and its blessings [by which he should] pray with the congregation. And if he doesn't have much time, he should also skip "Hal'lu et Hashem min Hashamayim." REMA: If there is still not enough time, he should only recite Barukh She'amar, T'hillah L'david (i.e. Ashrei), and Yishtabah

Pesukei De-zimra… was enacted primarily for the sake of tefilla. If so, they [women] are obviously obligated….