Tefillah 014

6:
In the Ashkenazi rite, which is the basis of Conservative siddurim, the section of the service called P^esuké d^eZimra begins with the introductory benediction Barukh She'amar. This benediction can be found in Siddur Sim Shalom on page 83 and in Siddur Va'ani Tefillati on Page 36.

7:
The benediction consists of two parts. First comes an introductory paean, with an agglomeration of praises in the style that is so typical of prayers that were composed in the early middle ages. It is a style which is very different from what modern religious creativity would produce, but the piling up of consecutive phrases, one after the other, creates a certain impressive grandeur. Unfortunately, this is lost in the English rendition in Siddur Sim Shalom because the Hebrew format has been replaced in English with a responsive reading which does the opposite of the intention of the original author, which was to create his effect by the continuous repetition of the same word: 'blessed' or 'praised'. Here is a more faithful translation of the introductory element of Barukh She'amar:

Hebrew is the consummate language of religious adoration, so the text is much more impressive in the original than it can be in any English translation.

8:
The second part of Barukh She'amar is the benediction proper. The purpose of this benediction is to serve as the introduction to the worshipper's recitation of a series of psalms, thus it emphasizes "the songs of David", who was held by the sages to be the compiler of the Psalter.

It is quite clear that this benediction is a comparatively late arrival into our liturgy. The early sages, who coined the text of most of our b^erakhot [benedictions], preferred a language that was simple and straightforward. This benediction bears all the signs of late compostion – agglomeration of clause after clause, each of which basically offers a similar thought.

9:
The original text of Barukh She'amar was even more convoluted that it is at present. The Yemenite version still in use today, for example, adds that the Deity is the one

It was the Ashkenaz Pietists [Ĥasidé Ashkenaz] in the 10th and 11th centuries, mainly under the leadership of Rabbi Shemu'el he-Ĥasid and his son Rabbi Yehudah he-Ĥasid, that conceived the idea that the text of our prayers should be carefully edited. Until their time the text of our prayers was reasonably free, provided that the worshipper did not deviate from the general format laid down by the sages. But the Ashkenaz Pietists sought to find a deeper and more mystical meaning to the prayers. They counted the words of each prayer, set them at that immutable number, and imbued that number with mystic significance.

10:
The Ashkenaz Pietists allotted 87 Hebrew words to Barukh She'amar. Since Hebrew letters can also bear a numerical value it was noted that '87' in Hebrew letters forms the word paz, which means 'fine gold'. Building on this, later poskim [decisors] required that Barukh She'amar and the succeeding psalms and passages of praise whould be read slowly and with great concentration "as if counting gold and money". Clearly, nothing could be more apposite to the original in tention of the sages that our worship be prefaced with quiet contemplation than quietly and devotedly reciting these passages of praise. In most modern congregations, unfortunately, the opposite holds true: the benediction and the passages of praise are read as quickly as possible, mechanically, with no thought to their meaning or elevated content. So much for the 'hour of quiet contemplation' that the sages envisaged!

11:
What is the modern congregant to do with P^esuké d^eZimra – one who wishes both to be a part of congregational worship but also to read these passages of praise with 'quiet contemplation'? We shall discuss this in our next shiur.

In Tefillah 010 I mentioned that in Siddur Sim Shalom the daily psalm had been moved from its place at the end of the service, where tradition had located it at the same point – more or less – where the Levites had sung their daily psalm in the Bet Mikdash. I wrote: This being the case, it seems rather strange to introduce these psalms before the service has even begun! The general custom is to recite the appropriate psalm either after the morning service (and before the Reading of the Torah) or at the end of the whole service, including the Additional service, Musaf.

Israel Man offers the following rather sad explanation:

The reason it was put there is that in the average American Conservative congregation when the cantor recites the psalm silently at the end of the service most people can't say it silently fast enough and to tell the truth don't really care saying it at all. As the pet subject in every Ritual Committee is how to shorten the service (Musaf already demoted to Heicher Kedusha or dispensed with entirely) it was probably decided by the editors of Sim Shalom to move these
psalms to before Baruch She'amar when at this point in time there are very few people in shul. Now if you will ask why they did not cut it out altogether? The reason is that by eliminating it they would incur the wrath of those who come to shul to say Kaddish as they will feel that they were "deprived of their kaddish". Strange but true!!!

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Mark Lehrman writes concerning Birkhot ha-Shaĥar:

I have two somewhat mundane questions about reciting Birkhot Ha'Shahar at home, prior to communal morning minyan:

1. Assuming I recite "Asher Yatzar" immediately following morning ablutions, do I again recite it as part of my morning devotions (i.e., in the placement shown in the Siddur), which may take place within the same, say, 1/2 hour?
2. Since I assume I should wear tallit and tefillin for the home-portion of the morning service, do I recite the full berachot when I again put on tallit/tefillin at the minyan?

I respond:

What Mark so happily calls 'morning ablutions' consists first of all of the ritual washing of the hands; its accompanying b^erakhah is, of course, Al n^etilat yadayyim. This washing of the hands should be done as soon as possible after arising. We should also visit the toilet and afterwards recite the b^erakhah Asher Yatzar. (Of course, it is possible to reverse the order, if necessary. In which case the two b^erakhot will be recited, one after the other, after washing the hands upon leaving the toilet. These two b^erakhot should not be recited again in the synagogue because that would constitute a b^erakhah l^evatalah – a b^erakhah recited for no reason.

There is no need to put on tallit and tefillin for the home portion of the morning service: they can be put on upon arriving at the synagogue. (Many poskim – but not all – say that there is no need to recite a b^erakhah when putting on arba kanfot and one should bear in mind the arba kanfot too when reciting the b^erakhah over the tallit.)

I hope this clarifies these issues for you.