sieg@bocar.UUCP (B A Siegel) (01/22/86)
On a day when Tachnun is not said the custom is to say Shir Hamalot (Psalm 126) before benching. What is the origin of saying this before benching? Why do some also say Thilat Hashem Yidaber.. after this psalm ? Most bencher booklets do not have these extra verses. Do sefardim also say psalm 126? Do sefardim also add Thilat Hashem Yidaber...? --------- On a day when Tachnun is said there is a custom to say Al Niharos Babel (Psalm 137) before benching. The same origin & sefardim questions apply. Whats more I never see people say this before benching even though it says to say it in the siddur! Why..? Barry Siegel
meth@csd2.UUCP (Asher Meth) (01/29/86)
Barry A Siegel writes : ----------------------------------------- >What is the origin of saying this (Shir Hama'alot, Psalm 126) before benching? >On a day when Tachnun is said there is a custom to say Al Niharos Babel >(Psalm 137) before benching. ---------------------------------------- The origin of reciting these passages before the benching (grace after meals), as quoted in the sefer "Otzar Dinnim Uminhagim" (Jewish Laws and Customs, by J. D. Eisenstein) is a Zohar, Parshas Terumah, which says (translation is my own) : When one is satiated & has pleasure from eating, he must remember, remind himself of, and feel sorrow over the holiness of the land of Israel & the palace of the king (G-d) that was destroyed. Therefore, before reciting the benching, we recite the passage that begins "Al Naharos Bavel" (on the waters of Babylonia, the exile - Psalm 137) which talks about remembering Jerusalem. This Psalm includes the famous line (137:5) - If I forget thee, Oh Jerusalem, let me forget my right hand ..... On the Sabbath & on holidays, it is forbidden to dwell on (or express) sorrow, for it dilutes from the "Oneg"/pleasure of the Sabbath. Therefore, we say the passage that begins "Shir Hama-alos beshuv HaShem es shivas tzion..." (Psalm 126). ------- >Do sefardim also say psalm 126? Be it known that not all people say *these* passages at these prescribed times. Some, including some sfaradim (and even others, chassidim, where my father's family comes from), say Psalm 67 "Lamnatzeiach bin-ginos mizmor shir", *all* the time (except on some special occasions). ------- Barry also asked - why don't people say these passages ? After all, they are printed in the siddurim, and it is brought down to say them? Well, there are many things that people should do and they don't, and there are many things that people should not do and they do. If this were the *only* thing that people didn't say when they should, I think that we would be much better off, spiritually. I don't know whether the reciting of these passages is "me-akev" (i.e., if you don't say them, then you have not properly fulfilled the benching); I doubt it. ------- May we all merit to see the rebuilding of Yerushalayim & the coming of the Mashiach, bimheirah beyameinu, speedily, in our times. Asher Meth ....... meth@nyu-csd2.arpa ....... allegra!cmcl2!csd2!meth
abeles@mhuxm.UUCP (J. Abeles (Bellcore, Murray Hill, NJ)) (01/30/86)
The title of the original article is improper English. Whoever wrote it probably was educated in a Yeshiva. In Yiddish, there is a German-originated word "bei", but many Yeshiva-educated people appear not to realize that it is not the same word as the English word "by." I would urge people to make sure they are speaking and writing English properly to avoid further embarrassment.