Handling Urgent Work Matters During Pesukei Dezimrah

 I was in the middle of Pesukei Dezimrah and my supplier arrived at my warehouse to deliver goods. I needed to tell my worker that the delivery had arrived. If I would ignore it, the delivery would be sent back and I would have to pay extra expenses, which would be a monetary loss.
My question is, was I allowed to interrupt Pesukei Dezimrah to call my worker to open the warehouse to accept the delivery?

Thank you for your question.

The answer really depends on what you are able to do, and I’ll explain.

The Shulchan Aruch writes:

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות קריאת שמע סימן סו סעיף א
 שואל בשלום מי שהוא ירא ממנו כגון אביו או רבו, או מי שהוא גדול ממנו בחכמה וכ"ש מלך או אנס.

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Hilchos Krias Shema, Siman 66, Se’if 1
 One may interrupt to greet someone he has awe or fear of, such as his father or his rebbi, or someone greater in wisdom, and certainly a king or a dangerous person.

We see that even during Krias Shema, where interrupting is generally forbidden, one may still interrupt when faced with a dangerous person, meaning a situation where if he doesn’t respond he could suffer harm.

From here, the Biur Halacha writes that the same applies regarding interrupting tefillah to prevent a monetary loss. This is the quote:

ביאור הלכה סימן סו סעיף א
 ראיתי בספר שלמי שמחה שהביא בשם מהרש"ק דאפילו בשביל הפסד ממון מותר להפסיק.

Biur Halacha, Siman 66, Se’if 1
 I saw in the sefer Shalmei Simcha that he quotes in the name of the Maharshek that even for a financial loss it is permitted to interrupt.

However, HaGaon HaRav Amrom Fried shlit”a writes (Azamrah Lishmecha, issue #320) that this depends on the options available.
 If one is able to communicate without speech, such as through a hint (remez), by writing, or by sending a message, that is preferable.

So in your case, if you could send your worker an email or message to let him know the delivery arrived, that would be better than verbally interrupting Pesukei Dezimrah.

It is important to note that this allowance applies only when there is a real monetary loss (hefsed mammon).
If it is a case of lost potential profit (meni’as revach), meaning you won’t lose money but could earn money by interrupting, then it is forbidden to interrupt Pesukei Dezimrah.

Rav Fried shlit”a adds another practical example:
 If a person has been waiting a long time for a doctor, and his turn arrives during Pesukei Dezimrah, and if he misses it he may not be able to reach the doctor again, this, too, is like a monetary loss, and one may interrupt.

We also find that one may interrupt not only for monetary loss but also to prevent someone from transgressing an issur.

For example, if someone asks you a halachic question, and you know that if you don’t answer, he will do an aveirah, you should try telling him by signaling (remez), or writing.
If that won’t work, then you may interrupt even Pesukei Dezimrah to tell him the correct halacha.

This is based on the Ritva in Maseches Yoma 19b:

חידושי הריטב"א מסכת יומא דף יט עמוד ב
 ושמעינן מהכא שאסור לקרוץ ולרמוז אפילו לדבר מצוה, ומיהו לאפרושי מאיסורא דלית ליה תקנתא, מותר לרמוז, ואפילו להפסיק ולומר לו, דלא גרע מן המפסיק לקרוא שלום מפני היראה או מפני הכבוד, דכבוד שמים עדיף.

Ritva, Yoma 19b
 We learn from here that it is forbidden to wink or hint even for a mitzvah (during Keriat Shemah). However, when it comes to preventing someone from an aveirah that has no other solution, it is permitted to hint, and even to interrupt and verbally tell him directly. For this is no worse than interrupting Krias Shema because of fear or honor, and certainly the honor of Hashem takes precedence.

 Wishing you well.

1. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 66:1
2. Biur Halacha, Siman 66, Seif 1
3. Azamrah Lishmecha (Rav Amrom Fried shlit”a), issue #320
4. Ritva, Yoma 19b