What Is the Source of Pesukei DeZimra and When Was It Instituted?

Hi Rabbi,

I have actually been studying prayer for some time, but I have not found much discussion about the obligation to say Pesukei DeZimra. As I understand it, the main part of tefillah is praying to Hashem and that is done by saying Shemoneh Esrei. So what is the source for reciting the mizmorei Tehillim of Pesukei DeZimra every day?

Is this obligation mentioned in the Gemara, and when did it become part of the daily tefillah? I would really be interested in learning more about the background of this teffillah that we actually recite every day!!!!

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for your question.

You are right to want to understand the sources and reasons behind this part of tefillah and not to recite it only because it appears in our siddurim. On the contrary, when we learn its sources and understand why Chazal instituted it, it gives us a much greater appreciation for this section of davening.

HaGaon HaRav Amrom Fried shlit"a has written a detailed teshuvah on this topic in Azamrah Lishmecha, issue #330, which I would like to share with you.

Sources for Pesukei DeZimra

The first source in the Gemara regarding Pesukei DeZimra is in Meseches Shabbos, Daf 118b, in the name of Rebbi Yosi, where the Gemara says:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף קיח עמוד ב

אמר רבי יוסי: יהא חלקי מגומרי הלל בכל יום. איני? והאמר מר: הקורא הלל בכל יום - הרי זה מחרף ומגדף! - כי קאמרינן - בפסוקי דזמרא.

Rabbi Yosi said: "May my portion be among those who complete Hallel every day."

Is that so? But did we not learn that one who recites Hallel every day is considered to be blaspheming and insulting Hashem?

The Gemara answers that Rabbi Yosi was referring to Pesukei DeZimra, not to the regular Hallel that is recited on festivals and special occasions.

The second source is from the Gemara in Berachos, Daf 32a, where the Gemara states:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת ברכות דף לב עמוד א

דרש רבי שמלאי: לעולם יסדר אדם שבחו של הקדוש ברוך הוא ואחר כך יתפלל. מנלן - ממשה דכתיב ואתחנן אל ה' בעת ההיא; וכתיב ה' אלהים אתה החלת להראות את עבדך את גדלך ואת ידך החזקה אשר מי אל בשמים ובארץ אשר יעשה כמעשיך וכגבורותיך, וכתיב בתריה אעברה נא ואראה את הארץ הטובה וגו'.

Rabbi Simlai taught:

A person should always begin by praising Hashem first, and only afterwards start to pray.

From where do we learn this?

From Moshe Rabbeinu, as it is written:

"And I pleaded with Hashem at that time."

Before presenting his request, Moshe first praised Hashem, as it is written:

"Hashem, my G-d, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand. For what power is there in heaven or on earth that can perform deeds like Yours and acts of might like Yours?"

Only afterwards does the possuk say:

"Please let me cross over(the Yarden) and see the good land..."

However, there is a dispute amongst the Rishonim regarding what Rav Simlai means when he says shivcho shel Makom. Does he mean the first three brachos of Shemoneh Esrei, which are specifically brachos of praise to Hashem, or does he mean the praise that we say during Pesukei DeZimra? We will return to this machlokes later.

We also find in Meseches Sofrim (17:11) that a person should recite every day the six mizmorim from Tehillah LeDovid until the end of Sefer Tehillim.

So, meanwhile, these are the sources that we find regarding Pesukei DeZimra.

The Status of Pesukei DeZimra

There is a dispute amongst the Rishonim whether the obligation of saying Pesukei DeZimra every morning is m'drabbanan or whether it is a takkanah of the Geonim.

From the way it is described by the Meiri in Berachos 31b, it seems that it is not a chiyuv gamur (absolute obligation). Likewise, from the opinion of the Baal Ha'Itur at the end of Hilchos Tzitzis, it also seems that it is not a chiyuv gamur.

Rabbeinu Yonah, in Meseches Berachos 23a, writes that saying Pesukei DeZimra is from the Takkanos HaGeonim.

Now, we are not able to bring a proof from the Gemaros we mentioned earlier. For example, in the Gemara in Shabbos, where Rebbi Yosi says, "Yehei Chelki im Gomrei Hallel b'Chol Yom," one could say that he was expressing a desire that he should merit to be amongst those who recite Pesukei DeZimra every day, but not that it is an obligation to do so.

The same applies to the Gemara in Berachos that we mentioned earlier. "L'olam Yesader Adam Shivcho Shel HaKadosh Baruch Hu V'Achar Kach Yispallel" could be referring to the brachos of Shemoneh Esrei and not necessarily to Pesukei DeZimra specifically.

Therefore, we do not really have a clear source from the Gemara itself for an obligation to recite Pesukei DeZimra. 

We find that the Orchos Chaim and the Kol Bo (Siman 5), brought by the Beis Yosef in Siman 54, hold that it is a rabbinic obligation to recite Pesukei DeZimra.

However, the Mishkenos Yaakov (Siman 64), brought by the Mishnah Berurah in Siman 54, Sif Katan 6, writes that the institution of Pesukei DeZimra already dates back to the times of the Tannaim.

He proves this from Tosafos in Pesachim 118a, who explains that the Mishnah calls Nishmas Birchas HaShir because it is recited after Pesukei DeZimra. From this we can learn that Pesukei DeZimra was already instituted by the time the Mishnah was being written.

This is the quote from Tosafos:

תוספות מסכת פסחים דף קיח עמוד א

וקורא נשמת כל חי ברכת השיר לפי שבשבתות אומרים אותו אחר פסוקי דזמרה

"And one recites Nishmas Kol Chai as the Blessing of Song (Birchas HaShir), because on Shabbos it is recited after Pesukei DeZimra."

Wishing you much success.

1. Talmud Bavli, Shabbos 118b 
2. Talmud Bavli, Berachos 32a 
3. Meseches Sofrim 17:11 
4. Meiri, Berachos 31b 
5. Baal Ha'Itur, end of Hilchos Tzitzis 
6. Rabbeinu Yonah, Berachos 23a 
7. Orchos Chaim, Hilchos Tefillah 
8. Kol Bo, Siman 5 
9. Beis Yosef, Orach Chaim Siman 54 
10. Mishkenos Yaakov, Siman 64 
11. Mishnah Berurah, Siman 54:6 
12. Tosafos, Pesachim 118a (ד"ה רבי יוחנן) 
13. Azamrah Lishmecha, Issue #330 (HaGaon HaRav Amrom Fried shlit"a)