Introduction to Pesukei d’Zimra (8) – Sha’arei Orah & Menorat ha-Maor
This essay will present one final approach to pesukei d’zimra. Here is a brief reminder of where we have been – we started with R. Yose (Shabbat 118b) who presented pesukei d’zimra as a kind of Hallel for nature. We then saw several ways in which pesukei d’zimra may serve as preparation for the amida, built mostly around R. Simlai (Berachot 32a). Rav Saadia and the Rambam viewed pesukei d’zimra as more of a continuation of birkot ha-shachar and as a way to build an attitude of gratitude. Last week, we learned the Zohar which taught us that pesukei d’zimra is a fulfillment of divine awe. …