Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 52 - Laws Relating to One who Arrives Late at Synagogue [when Congregation is Approaching] Yishtabach

SECTION 52 Laws Relating to One who Arrives Late at the Synagogue [when the Congregation is Approaching] Yishtabach. (1-2)

1 Communal prayer is always considered desirable and is accepted, as [implied by] the verse,1 “The mighty [G‑d] does not spurn.” It is likewise written,2 “He redeemed my soul in peace from the battles against me, because of the many who were with me [in prayer].” Accordingly, if a person comes to the synagogue and finds that the congregation is reaching the end of Pesukei DeZimrah, he should skip Pesukei DeZimrah in order to recite Shemoneh Esreh with the congregation.3

[The rationale is that the recitation of] Pesukei DeZimrah was instituted only so that one’s [later] prayer4 be found desirable and acceptable because he prefaced the prayer [proper] with the praise of the Omnipresent.5 If so, it is preferable that he pray together with the congregation, for then his prayers will certainly be accepted.

How should he skip? If he has time to recite the psalm Tehillah LeDavid,6 the [recitation of] this psalm is sufficient [to warrant] the recitation of the blessing Baruch SheAmar before it and the blessing Yishtabach afterwards. Although [the Sages] ordained that one recite from Tehillah LeDavid until Kol HaNeshamah, nevertheless, since the practice was instituted primarily for this psalm, as explained in sec. 51[:1], reciting it [alone, framed by the above two blessings,] suffices — and one can [then proceed to] recite the Shema and [Shemoneh Esreh] with the congregation.

If one has more time, after Tehillah LeDavid he should recite two psalms of praise: Hallelu Es A-donai Min HaShamayim and Hallelu E-l BeKadsho.7 If he does not have time to recite them both, he should recite only Hallelu E-l BeKadsho. If he has more time, he should recite all the five psalms that open and close with the word Halleluyah. If he has [even] more time, he should also recite the passage8 Vayvarech David until LeShem Tifartecha and skip until Yishtabach. If he has more time, he should recite the passage9 Hodu L’A-donai Kir’u BiShmo until VeHu Rachum and skip until the VeHu Rachum that precedes Ashrei, for there is only a compilation of isolated verses between them.

If [when one arrives] the congregation has already begun [the blessing] Yotzer [Or] and he does not have the time to recite Pesukei DeZimrah even when skipping, he should recite the Shema and its blessings together with the congregation and then recite Shemoneh Esreh with them. Some authorities maintain that afterwards he should recite the entire Pesukei DeZimrah with the blessings that precede it and follow it. Others maintain that one need not do so at all, for [its recitation] was ordained only before Shemoneh Esreh.10 Accordingly, one should not recite the blessing beforehand or afterwards. If, however, one desires to recite these verses without their blessings, he is acting in a desirable manner; indeed, would that one recite [these psalms of praise] throughout the day.11

With regard to the [practical] halachic ruling, one should recite [Pesukei DeZimrah] after [Shemoneh Esreh] out of deference to the first opinion, but he should not recite the blessings Baruch SheAmar and Yishtabach, for when there is doubt concerning the recitation of a blessing, we do not recite it. Nevertheless,12 one should recite all the blessings he is obligated to recite in the morning as stated in sec. 46. One authority maintains that [in such a case] one should not recite the blessing E-lohai Neshamah, because he fulfilled his obligation with the blessing Mechayeh HaMeisim in [Shemoneh Esreh]. As an initial and preferred option it is advisable to defer to this opinion and recite this blessing [namely, E-lohai Neshamah, at its regular place, which is long] before Shemoneh Esreh.

2 If one arrives [at the synagogue] when the congregation has already begun Yishtabach, it is desirable to listen to [its] recitation by the sheliach tzibbur. If one arrives [at the synagogue] close to the Reading of the Shema, but can [yet] begin [the blessing] Yotzer [Or] and reach Shemoneh Esreh and pray together with the congregation, he should do so even if he will not recite the Reading of the Shema together with [them], for the main concern is that he recite Shemoneh Esreh with [them].

All of the above applies after the fact, when one wrongfully arrived late at the synagogue. Initially, one is obligated to be prompt and arrive [there] in a way that will not require him to skip anything in order to recite Shemoneh Esreh together with the congregation.