By Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits

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.