29 Aug L’DOVID HASHEM ORI

There is a well-known
custom to recite L’Dovid
Hashem Ori, the 27th
chapter of Tehillim, from
the second day of Rosh
Chodesh Elul until after
Sukkos. What is the source
of this custom? Why is
there such a custom? When
should one recite it? If one is in a place
where it is not recited, should he still
say it? These and other issues related to
L’Dovid Hashem Ori will be addressed
below.

Source

The custom of reciting L’Dovid Hashem
Ori is not mentioned in the Shulchan
Aruch or the usual sources of halachah.
However, there are early sources that do
bring down the custom.
The Matei Ephraim brings down that the
custom is to recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori
every day after davening, once in the
morning and once in the evening.
Some maintain that saying L’Dovid
Hashem Ori is a segulah for one to live a
long life, have parnassah for the year, and
merit a positive judgment.
Reason

There are a few different sources for the
reason why we recite L’Dovid Hashem
Ori.[6] The most common reason is that
the chapter of L’Dovid Hashem Ori is a
remez to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur,
and Sukkos. “Ori”— light — alludes to
Rosh Hashanah, since Hashem lightens us
by showing us mercy. “Yishi”— salvation
— refers to Yom Kippur, since we ask
Hashem for salvation on Yom Kippur.
“Yitzpineini”— is talking about Sukkos.
Some question this reason, since it is
based on a Medrash in Vayikra and there
are many other instances where a remez
is brought and we don’t say Tehillim
in davening because of the remez. In
addition, the remez in the Medrash is only
one example of what the above words
stand for.[10] The remez for Sukkos is not
mentioned in the Medrash but is added by
other poskim.
Others say the reason why we say L’Dovid
Hashem Ori is because the name of
Hashem appears 13 times in this chapter.
During the Yamim Noraim period we call
on the 13 middos of Hashem, so we recite
L’Dovid Hashem Ori at this time.
Another reason mentioned is that the
gematria of “ori” and “yishi” is 613, which
equals the number of mitzvos.
In addition, this chapter contains the
word “lulei”— לולא. If the letters are read
backwards they spell “Elul.”
Another reason for saying the chapter is
the following: The Gemaraa in Maseches
Taanis says that when asking Hashem for

something, one should not ask for more
than one thing at a time. If one does so he
is not answered, even for one thing. On
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we ask
Hashem for many things. However, all
the things we ask for have one common
goal: to become close to Hashem. The
chapter says, “Achas sha’alti” — Dovid
Hamelech asked for one thing as well: to
sit in Hashems house. Therefore, during
the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur we say this chapter since we
ask many things from Hashem as well.
From When and Until When?
The custom in most places is to begin
saying L’Dovid Hashem Ori on the second
day of Rosh Chodesh Elul.
The custom is to recite it until and
including Shemini Atzeres, while others
have the custom to recite it until after Yom
Kippur.
Sefardim have the custom to recite this
chapter all year round at the end of
Shacharis.

Shacharis

The custom of those who daven nusach
Sefard is to recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori
after the shir shel yom. Those who daven
nusach Ashkenaz recite it after Aleinu,
although many who daven nusach Sefard
recite it after Aleinu as well, especially
during Elul when the shofar is blown after
Aleinu. A possible reason for this is that
the shofar is the mitzvah of the day on
Rosh Hashanah and L’Dovid Hashem Ori
contains references to Sukkos. Therefore,
the shofar is blown first and then L’Dovid
Hashem Ori is said.
After reciting the shir shel yom, Kaddish
is recited before saying L’Dovid Hashem
Ori (this is the custom of nusach Sefard)
so as not to make it seem like L’Dovid
Hashem Ori is part of the shir shel yom.
Others have the custom to recite Kaddish
after L’Dovid Hashem Ori and not Aleinu
so as not to increase the number of times
Kaddish is said.Based on the reason that
L’Dovid Hashem Ori is said because it
relates to the 13 middos of Hashem, some
have the practice to say it before opening
the aron kodesh since we mention the 13
attributes when the aron is opened on Yom
Tov.
Some have the custom to recite L’Dovid
Hashem Ori after Aleinu, close to when
the shofar is blown.
There is a custom to recite it after chazaras
hashatz before Kaddish (usually recited
after Tachanun).
Minchah / Maariv
The custom of those who daven nusach
Sefard is to recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori
after Minchah, while those who daven
nusach Ashkenaz recite it after Maariv.
In communities where Borchu is repeated

after Aleinu at Maariv, L’Dovid
Hashem Ori should be recited
before that Borchu.
One who has the custom to
recite it by Minchah and forgot
may say it by Maariv.
Days When Mussaf Is Recited
L’Dovid Hashem Ori is recited
on days when Mussaf is recited
after davening Shacharis, before
the Torah is taken out. This is
the custom of those who daven
nusach Sefard, while those who
daven nusach Ashkenaz recite it after
Aleinu.
Those who have the custom to recite the
Shir Hakavod after Mussaf on Shabbos
and recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori after
Aleinu (as is the custom of nusach
Ashkenaz) should do so before saying the
Shir Hakavod.

Rosh Chodesh

On Rosh Chodesh, Borchi Nafshi is
recited and then L’Dovid Hashem Ori,
since Borchi Nafshi is said every Rosh
Chodesh as opposed to L’Dovid Hashem
Ori, which is only said at a specific time
during the year.
The custom in some places is that Borchi
Nafshi is recited without being followed
by Kaddish and then L’Dovid Hashem
Ori is recited. One Kaddish is recited after
both.
Davening Different Nusach
As mentioned above, there are different
times when L’Dovid Hashem Ori is
recited, depending if one davens nusach
Sefard or nusach Ashkenaz. If one is
davening in a shul that has a different
nusach, he may say L’Dovid Hashem Ori
when he usually says it and not according
to the shul’s custom.
A question arises when one usually
davens nusach Ashkenaz and does not
say L’Dovid Hashem Ori at Minchah, but
finds himself at a nusach Sefard minyan
for Minchah and says it then. Now he
finds himself at his usual nusach Ashkenaz
minyan. Does he recite L’Dovid Hashem
Ori then as well?
It would seem that reciting it at Minchah
suffices, but others maintain one should
say it again at Maariv.
Custom Not to Say It
There are some communities (mostly
Chassidim) where the practice is not
to recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori. Some
mention that they don’t say it because
it is not brought down in the writings of
the Arizal. Others say that when the Gra
davened with a tzibur he did not add
mizmorim that are not part of the main
tefillah.
Another reason for not reciting it is based
on the following: there is a sefer called

Chemdas Hayamim where it mentions the
custom to recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori. It
is unknown who the author is, and some
say that perhaps it was written by a “false
prophet.” We therefore do not follow any
customs mentioned in the sefer, and since
L’Dovid Hashem Ori is mentioned there
some refrain from reciting it.
Some question this, since the custom
to recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori was
mentioned in sources that predated sefer
Chemdas Hayamim. In addition, it says in
the Chemdas Hayamim that the author had
a custom to recite L’Dovid Hashem Ori
when Selichos began to beseech Hashem
for mercy. However, there is no mention to
recite it when it is customarily said, at the
end of davening.
Others say that if the above concern is
valid, why so some Chassidim in fact say
L’Dovid Hashem Ori?
There is another reason why some
Chassidim don’t say L’Dovid Hashem
Ori. Many years ago in Poland, the king
asked the Jews to daven for his wife to
have a child or he would expel the Jews.
Someone called the Baal Shem (not the
Baal Shem Tov) told the king that in 12
months the queen would have a baby.
He tried many different things to make
this happen, as he was known to perform
wondrous acts using the name of Hashem
(hence the name Baal Shem), but he was
not successful. Finally, he went to the
Satan. Although he achieved his goal, he
was punished for going to the Satan by
being wiped out of both Olam Hazeh and
Olam Haba. However, since he risked his
life for the Jewish people, it was decreed
that two tefillos he had instituted in
davening would be mentioned. One was
L’Dovid Hashem Ori and the other is
K’gavna (recited on Friday night by those
who daven nusach Sefard).
The famous Baal Shem Tov told this story
to his students. However, he told some to
say L’Dovid Hashem Ori and not K’gavna
and others not to say both. Therefore,
some Chassidim have the custom to recite
L’Dovid Hashem Ori and others do not.
Some have the custom not to say L’Dovid
Hashem Ori on Shabbos, or on Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur.