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Listen to the audio. (15:10)
In our previous Daily Halachas, we have discussed the topic of Kavanah, and proper pronunciation in our Tefillah. These fundamental principles are applicable in all aspects of our prayer. Today we begin Siman 51: "The laws of prayer from Baruch She-Amar until Yishtabach."
We say Baruch She-Amar prior to Pesukei d'Zimra (Verses of Song), which is then followed by Yishtabach. The Mishna Berurah (as quoted from the Tur Yaakov ben Asher(Spain, 1270 -c.1340()) gives us some insight to Baruch She-Amar. The bracha of Baruch She-Amar was a prayer of praise that was established by the Anshei Kesenet HaGedolah — the last generation of prophets which included such figures as Chagii, Mordechai, Ezra HaSofer, Shimon HaTzadik, and others. These prophets were our spiritual leaders that led us from the First Temple through beginning of the Second Temple. They consisted of 120 rabbinical authorities guided by prophetic insight.
The Anshei Kesenet HaGedolah arranged for us the tefillot as we have them today in our Siddur . The prayer of Baruch She-Amar was given via a note that came down from the heavens. The prayer Baruch She-Amar consists of 87 words. The number 87 is in Hebrew is Peh Zayin, which correspondsto the beginning letters of "Pesukai d'Zimra." One may not add or take away from the 87 words of Baruch She-Amar for this reason.
The Mishna Brura brings down that the 87 words of Baruch She-Amar fell in a note from the Heavens. What does the Misha Berurah mean by "A note fell out of the sky?"
First, a reminder. The Rambam (Maimonides; Spain; 1138 - 1204) states that one who believes every Midrash literally is a fool, but one who does not believe any of the Midrashim is an apekoris (non-believer).
Thus one explanation would be to interpret it on the literal level, because we are dealing with such high prophets such as Ezra HaSofer. Our sages teach us that if the Torah was not given through Moshe Rabunu it would have been given through Ezra HaSofer.
Another explanation I heard from Rabbi Yitchok Berkowitz of Yerushalayim. At the time of the Anshei Kesenet Hagdolah , they held a lottery of words that they would select to formulate the Baruch She-Amar. So one may say that this act of selecting the words from a lottery was guided by Yad Hashem (the hand of G-D), and thus the words of Pesukei d'Zimra "fell from the Heavens" – they were chosen by G-d's hand.
There are different customs whether to sit or stand during the prayer. The custom of the Misnagdim is to stand, even if one is not davening with a minyan (however there are some that dos it). One should hold both his front two tzizit together and his feet together. Afterwards one should kiss the tzizit and then release them.
There are ten phrases in Baruch She-Amar that start with the word "Baruch". This can be paralleled to the ten phrases in which Hashem created the world: just as Hashem created the physical world with his ten utterances,so to we create the spiritual world when we utter the ten utterances of Baruch She-Amar.
The tzizit are held together as a parallel to the creation of the world. In Sefer Bereshit, Hashem separated the heavens and the earth, then the land and the water; when we kiss the tzitzit at the end of the prayer, we show our love and appreciation both for Hashem's Creation and for the mitzvos He has given to us. Then we separate the tzitzit — an act of separation that parallels Creation.
Baruch She-Amar is the opening of the Pesukai d'Zimra. One way to understand the meaning of Pesukei d'Zimra is to understand "lifsok" as "to cut" and "zemirot" as "clippings." Thus our zemirot are viewed as a form of "clipping" – when we pray Pesukei d'Zimra, we are "clipping" through our physical being into our spiritual soul. This gives us the power to enter the rest of our prayers with the proper intentions.
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