Whoever recites the psalm "A praise of David" every day

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar says that one must recite the title psalm three times each day - twice for the food of mortal man, and once to give force to the world above.

Relevance

Here we inherit a portion of the World to Come through the merit gained by the Praise of David made three times daily. Again, we must be mindful of the fact that the World to Come refers to the Light of Binah, which shines in the here and now as we meditate and read through this passage. This Light bestows sustenance, order, and well-being upon us.

Bread David Food Hands Morning Praise Prayer World to Come, The

345. Rabbi Shimon said: Let he who has started continue! (THIS IS THE REACTION OF RABBI SHIMON TO RABBI ELAZAR'S WORDS, SEE ABOVE 237). Rabbi Elazar said, We learned: Whoever recites the psalm "A praise of David" (Tehilim 145) three times daily is sure to inherit the World to Come. And we have already learned the reason, NAMELY THAT IT CONTAINS THE VERSE: "YOU OPEN YOUR HAND, AND SATISFY THE DESIRE OF EVERY LIVING THING" (IBID. 16), THIS BEING A PRAYER OVER FOOD. HE ASKS, IF THE REASON has to do with sustenance and food for all the worlds, THEN HE SHOULD SAY IT TWICE each day, twice being in the morning and the evening, for it is written: "When Hashem shall give you in the evening meat to eat, and in the morning your fill of bread" (Shemot 16:8). Why should he have to recite it three times daily? HE ANSWERS that he says it twice for the food of people, and for the whole world, and once is to give force to that place which hands are open.

345. אר"ש, מַאן דְּפָתַח פִּתְחָא יֵימָּא. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, תָּנֵינָן, כָּל מַאן דְּאָמַר תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד בְּכָל יוֹם תְּלַת זִמְנִין, אִיהוּ בַּר עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וְהָא אִתְּמַר טַעֲמָא. אִי בְּגִין פַּרְנָסָה וּמְזוֹנָא דְּכָל עָלְמִין, תְּרֵין זִמְנִין אִינּוּן בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּצַפְרָא וּבְפַנְיָיא, דִּכְתִּיב בְּתֵת יְיָ' לָכֶם בָּעֶרֶב בָּשָׂר וְגוֹ,' אֲמַאי תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא. אֶלָּא תְּרֵין לִמְזוֹנָא דִּבְנֵי אִינָשֵׁי וּדְכָל עָלְמָא. וְחַד לְמֵיהַב תּוּקְפָּא לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דִּפְתִּיחוּ יְדוֹי.

David Food Hands Praise Strength

346. These two foodstuffs OF MAN differ from each other, FOR THE ONE IS FOR THE RICH AND THE OTHER FOR THE POOR. And all three types of food are mentioned here IN THE PSALM "A PRAISE OF DAVID." "And you give them their food in due season" (Tehilim 145:15) refers to the food of the rich, for He gives "them their food in due season." This is the first of the three. The second is "and satisfy the desire of every living thing." This refers to the food of the poor, for they are satisfied not with much food but with what He satisfied them with. The third is the verse "You open your hand," this being strength to that place, for when He opens His hands, favor and abundance for all emerge.

346. וּתְרֵין מְזוֹנִין אִלֵּין מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ תְּלַת מְזוֹנֵי כְּתִיבֵי הָכָא, וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת אָכְלָם בְעִתּוֹ, דָּא מְזוֹנָא דַּעֲתִירֵי, דְּיָהִיב מֵיכְלָא סַגִּי בְּעִתּוֹ, הָא חַד. תְּרֵין, דִּכְתִּיב וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן, דָּא מְזוֹנָא דְּמִסְכְּנֵי, דְּאִינּוּן שְׂבֵעִין מֵרָצוֹן, וְלָא מִגּוֹ מֵיכְלָא סַגִּי. תְּלַת דִּכְתִּיב פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ, דָּא תּוּקְפָּא לְהַהוּא אֲתָר, וְבִפְתִּיחוּ דְּיָדוֹי, נַפְקָא רָצוֹן וְשַׂבְעָא לְכֹלָּא.

David Food Praise Prayer

347. I have also learned that A MAN HAS TO SAY "A PRAISE OF DAVID" twice a day only for his daily food and sustenance. And these TWO TIMES are mandatory for a person. And if he says it more than twice, this is not in fulfillment of an obligation, but in praise among the songs of praise of King David. What is the reason? It is because it is not fitting that a man should ask for his sustenance until after the prayer, FOR THE PRAYER ITSELF is his Master's sustenance, and the King should eat first, and His servants should eat afterwards.

347. תּוּ הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּלָא אִיהוּ אֶלָּא תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי, בְּגִין מְזוֹנָא וּפַרְנָסָה בְּכָל יוֹמָא. דְּאִלֵּין חִיּוּבָא עַל ב"נ. וְאִי אָמַר יַתִּיר, לָאו בְּגִין חוֹבָה אִיהוּ, אֶלָּא בְּגִין שְׁבָחָא גּוֹ תּוּשְׁבְּחָן דִּזְמִירוֹת דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּפַרְנָסָה לָא חֲזֵי לְמִשְׁאַל אֶלָּא בָּתַר צְלוֹתָא וּפַרְנָסָה דְּמָארֵיהּ. מַלְכָּא יֵיכוּל בְּקַדְמֵיתָא וּלְבָתַר יֵיכְלוּן עַבְדוֹי.