English translation — פנחס ד

A.

In the Zohar on this week's portion¹

the discourse is brought²

"Whoever says 'Praise to David' three times every day is a son of the World to Come."

And it is explained,

that "two times" one is <b>obligated</b> to say 'Praise to David' - "for sustenance and livelihood every day",

and the third time is "<b>not</b> because of obligation

(due to the aforementioned requests)...

but because of <b>praise</b>".

The father explains in his notes on the Zohar³,

that the recitation of 'Praise to David' "three times" is "like the three prayers" - as it explicitly states in Rashi on the Talmud⁴

("three times - corresponding to three prayers")

- and just as two prayers

(Shacharit and Minchah)

are obligatory and the Evening Prayer is optional⁵,

so too regarding the recitation of 'Praise to David',

that "two times...

<b>obligation</b> upon a person",

and one time "for praise" which is "like the Evening Prayer which is optional".

2.

The Tzemach Tzedek in his notes on Tehillim⁶

brings the aforementioned Rashi,

that the three times "Tehillah LeDavid" are "corresponding to the three prayers,"

and asks: accordingly, one should have said "Tehillah LeDavid" also in the evening prayer — why do we say the three times "Tehillah LeDavid" twice in Shacharit and once at Minchah?

Others answer,

that the evening prayer is not a time for saying Ashrei⁷

(because "there is⁸

no time for prayer

(Tehillah⁹)

at night"; or because "we do not say Kedushah in the evening, and Ashrei is connected to Kedushah"¹⁰),

and therefore we say "Tehillah LeDavid" a second time in Shacharit instead of in the evening.

The Tzemach Tzedek however does not want to accept the excuse,

because from either side: if the entire enactment of the third time Ashrei is "for the sake of the evening prayer,"

there is no place to say this

(in an <b>other</b> prayer -)

in the morning; and - "if there is no Ashrei in the evening, should they say only <b>2</b> times"?

Therefore the Tzemach Tzedek learns,

that the statement of the Gemara "whoever says Ashrei <b>3</b> times etc.",

is only according to the one who says⁵

"the evening prayer is <b>obligatory</b>"

(and the third time one indeed says it in the evening)

; but "we who hold¹¹

the law is like the one who says the evening prayer is optional" - one does not say "Ashrei before the evening prayer"¹².

According to this, it comes out,

that according to the opinion that the Evening Prayer is optional

(and the law is like him)

is sufficient reciting Ashrei <b>two</b> times¹³

(to become a son of the World to Come)¹⁴,

and as he afterwards¹⁵

explains

(in the manner of Chassidus),

that what reciting Ashrei accomplishes in the Morning and Afternoon Prayers,

is accomplished in the Evening Prayer

(according to the opinion that the Evening Prayer is optional)

"<b>by itself</b>",

(three times -)

two times in the morning,

it is

(<b>not</b> to become a son of the World to Come,

but)

only so that he should not skip reciting Ashrei three times¹⁶,

and as will be explained below].

One must understand: how does the explanation of Father,

that the third time of saying Tehillah l'David is "like the opinion that the evening prayer is optional"

(which according to this comes out,

that also according to the one who says the evening prayer is optional one must say Tehillah l'David three times to become a "son of the World to Come"; it is only that the third time is "for praise",

in the manner of the evening prayer being optional)

— with the explanation of the Tzemach Tzedek,

that according to the one who says the evening prayer is optional,

it is sufficient to say two times Tehillah l'David

(in order to become a "son of the World to Come")?

3.

Also one must understand:

According to the explanation of the Tzemach Tzedek,

that "to make known"

(which is - according to the halachah)

that the evening prayer is optional, it is sufficient to say "Tehillah LeDavid" &lt;b&gt;two &lt;/b&gt;times to become a "ben olam haba" - why do we say "Tehillah LeDavid" three times every day,

two times for Shacharis?

And that which the Tzemach Tzedek writes there the reason that "one should not skip the saying of Ashrei three times"

(or in the letters of Kabbalah and Chassidus which he says afterwards&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;

: "they instituted to say in Shacharis two times, in the manner of 'Yaakov who redeemed Avraham'&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

that the Tiferet inclines toward the Chessed")

- this very thing needs explanation: since by saying "Tehillah LeDavid" two times one already becomes a "ben olam haba"

(because in the evening service, of itself, the same is accomplished as through the saying of "Tehillah LeDavid" as above)

- what is still lacking,

that one should need to say it a third time?

4.

And one must say the point of the explanation in this — that there is a difference between Shas and Zohar:

The Tzemach Tzedek speaks

(as he says there)

about the view of <b>the Shas</b> — and according to the revealed aspect of Torah,

according to the one who says the Evening Prayer is optional,

there is no place for saying "Tehilla LeDavid" in the Evening Prayer

(and also not in the Morning Prayer in place of the Evening Prayer)

; but the father comes to explain the view of the Zohar — according to the inner aspect of Torah,

is

(a)

even according to the one who says the Evening Prayer is optional,

there is a place for saying "Tehilla LeDavid"

(only the saying is "for the sake of praise" which is "like and on the matter of ...

optional"¹⁸),

and

(b)

<b>The </b>saying of "Tehilla LeDavid",

even though it is corresponding to the Evening Prayer,

its actual saying is in the Morning Prayer.

we say it in the morning"

(as he then explains the connection of the evening prayer to the morning prayer

(according to Kabbalah)

-"that the Tiferet inclines towards Chesed")

Here he speaks

(not about the main enactment - which is only <b>two</b> times¹³

as this is according to the <b>inner dimension</b> of the matters,

that even according to the opinion that the evening prayer is optional, one says "Praise to David" three times].

5.

One will understand this with the introduction of the explanation in the words of the Tzemach Tzedek,

that "We who hold ..

the Evening Prayer is optional, therefore we do not say Ashrei before the Evening Prayer",

because the effect of saying Tehillah LeDavid "surely will be drawn <b>by itself</b>"¹⁵

- from which it is understood,

that that which we do not say Tehillah LeDavid in the evening according to the opinion that the Evening Prayer is optional,

is

(not because such an enactment is without benefit, because one will anyway miss saying the third time Tehillah LeDavid,

since the Evening Prayer is optional and "due to need they would nullify it"¹⁹,

- but)

but)

because <b>ab initio</b> one need not say it a third time

(for the evening),

since "surely will be drawn <b>by itself</b>" -

It is not understandable: just as we say regarding the Evening Prayer that it is optional because the "unification" of the Evening Prayer is accomplished in an automatic way

(after the worshiper makes the preparations for this unification through the Morning and Afternoon Prayers)²⁰,

and nevertheless they established the Evening Prayer in a manner of optional at least - so it should have been also regarding the saying of Tehillah LeDavid: it should have been

(at least)

a matter of <b>optional</b>

(the Evening Prayer)

as <b>obligatory</b>"²¹

- also the saying of Tehillah LeDavid in the Evening Prayer should nowadays have become established as obligatory]

; also

Why should it not be possible to recite Tehilla LeDavid in the evening prayer?

6.

And one can explain the explanation in this:

Regarding matters which are above the service of man and are brought about in a manner of automatically - after the man makes the necessary preparations and is ready as a fit vessel to receive the effluences from above - there are,

in general,

two types²²

A)

Levels which are entirely above the service of man,

they are generally not relevant to the doing and service of man - in the manner of Kriat Yam Suf,

about which the Most High said "And you shall be silent"²³

: It <b>needs</b> not be any prayer,

because the war from above is from such a place and level²⁴

where the service of man is not relevant

(And on the contrary,

sometimes the service of man <b>confuses</b>²⁵).

b)

Levels in which the service of man is relevant,

but the service is not a matter of obligation,

but only — permission.

Man’s action is not to <b>bring about</b> the drawing down from above — because if the service of man can bring it about,

it would be an obligation — but in order that the drawing down

(which comes by way of a gift)

from above,

should effect its effect

(below)

properly,

in completeness

(which the Tzemach Tzedek brings²⁶)

of the mention of dew,

that “the Sages did not obligate to mention

(because dew is higher than arousal from below — dew is not withheld²⁷)

and if one comes to mention, he may mention”²⁷

— “so that it should be <b>for a blessing</b>”²⁸],

And therefore it is in a manner of reshut,

because since this speaks about a matter that is <b>higher</b> than avodat ha'adam,

it is a matter of "reshut",

it is not applicable that one should be <b>compelled</b>

(kivyakhol)

that the hamshakhah should be

(k'davka),

and consequently it is not a matter that is a chovah upon the person.

And upon this is the matter of tefillat arvit reshut: although the "yichud" is effected in a manner of automatically,

nevertheless there is a place for tefillat arvit

(in a manner of reshut at least),

that the "yichud" should be "livrakhah" and the like.

7.

Based on this one will understand why this applies only regarding the Evening Prayer,

and not regarding the recitation of Tehilla LeDavid:

The matter of the recitation of Tehilla LeDavid is explained by the Tzemach Tzedek²⁹,

that it “arouses” the level from where there is “the beginning of the root of the arousal of yichud

(zeir anpin and nukva)

”.

And consequently it is understood,

that this recitation has no place in the Evening Prayer: that which one prays the Evening Prayer

(in a manner of reshut at any rate)

pertains only to the manner of the action of the yichud etc.

(not in order to effect the yichud),

as above; in contrast to the recitation of Tehilla LeDavid which comes to arouse there where it is “the beginning of the root of the arousal of yichud” — i.e.

i.e.

it must effect the yichud — in this the service of man is not applicable,

as above.

8.

This is, however, from the revealed aspect of Torah,

which reaches into the revealed aspect of the Holy One, blessed be He,³⁰

- externality,

as it were

and consequently there is no possibility of any action on the part of man in effecting the "union",

because union derives from <b>internality</b>

However, from the aspect of the internality of the Torah,

which reaches into the <b>hidden</b> aspect of the Holy One, blessed be He,³⁰,

<b>internality</b>

(the crown),

(the crown).

(the crown)³¹

- there is a matter of "service" also in effecting the union; only the service in <b>these</b> levels is not in a manner of "obligation",

but in the manner of "permission".

Being a place where the service of man does not reach,

and it is not possible that the service of man should <b>effect</b> there - the service is not a matter of "obligation"

(which indicates that the man obligates and compels - effects through his service),

it is only an action which gives the man a connection to the matter that is effected³².

And therefore it is,

from the aspect of the inner dimension of the Torah,

there is the matter of reciting Tehillah l'David also in the evening prayer,

but the recitation is only "for the sake of praise" which is "like and on the order of ...

permission": the function of the recitation is not to create

(and compel)

a drawing down

(of sustenance etc.),

but it is a praise and glorification of the Most High.

And in order to emphasize that the recitation of Tehillah l'David is only a matter of permission

(not like the recitation of Tehillah l'David in Shacharit and Minchah)

they established³³

its recitation

(not in the evening prayer itself,

but)

in the morning prayer,

And this itself—in Pesukei Dezimra³⁴,

which come <b>before </b>the prayer of Shemoneh Esreh of Shacharit³⁵.

One must say,

that the ability to praise the Most High with praises and thanksgivings,

before one prays the prayer of Shemoneh Esreh in Shacharit—one takes from the “unity” of the prayer of Maariv that precedes this.

that “sustenance is not fit to ask except after prayer and the sustenance of the Master”

(which is why one says Tehillah LeDavid after Shemoneh Esreh in Shacharit),

and that which by the prayer of Minchah one says it “before prayer”,

it is because <b>after </b>

(the prayer of)

Minchah is a time of “harsh judgment”³⁶

And seemingly it is not understood: It is true that one cannot request sustenance after Minchah because it is a time of "harsh judgment" — but how can one request it "&lt;b&gt;before &lt;/b&gt;prayer",

before one opens with "the sustenance of the Master"?

And according to the above it can be said,

that this is because,

that one has already prayed the Shacharit prayer,

there remains an impression from the Shacharit prayer,

and with this power one says Ashrei before the Minchah prayer&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;].

And this matter the Tzemach Tzedek hints at briefly,

with the writing "they instituted to say in the morning twice on the account of &lt;b&gt;Yaakov &lt;/b&gt;who redeemed Avraham that the Tiferet inclines towards the Chessed" - which thereby he hints at the connection of the saying of Tehillah LeDavid in the morning to the evening prayer&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;.

Motzaei Shabbat Kodesh Parshat Pinchas 5738)