בְּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן קוֹדֶם מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים אוֹמְרִים עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל, לַמְּנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת, אֲבָרְכָה, זֶה חֵלֶק. בְּיוֹם שֶׁאֵין אוֹמְרִים בּוֹ תַּחֲנוּן: שִׁיר הַמַעֲלוֹת בְּשׁוּב, לִבְנֵי קֹרַח, אֲבָרְכָה, זֶה חֵלֶק. אַחַר מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלַי.

In [preparation for] the Grace after Meals, before washing the fingertips for mayim acharonim, we recite the psalms Al naharos Bavel, Lamenatzeiach bineginos, then [the bracket of verses beginning] Avarchah, and the verse, Zeh chelek.1

On a day when Tachanun is not recited,2 we recite the psalms that begin Shir hamaalos beshuv and Livnei Korach [instead of the two psalms mentioned above], then [the bracket of verses beginning] Avarchah, and the verse, Zeh chelek.

After washing the fingertips with mayim acharonim, we recite the verse Vaydaber eilai.3

A Chassid to Remember

Before the Grace after Meals, the renowned chassid, R. Hillel of Paritch, preferred to avoid reciting the psalm that begins Al naharos Bavel (“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion”). He preferred to recite Shir hamaalos (“When G‑d will return the exiles of Zion..., our mouth will be filled with laughter”), a psalm normally reserved for festive and semi-festive occasions. Nevertheless, even on the second of Cheshvan which, after a few festive weeks, is the first non-festive day when one finally does recite Tachanun, he would still recite Shir Hamaalos. His whimsical logic ran as follows: “Today we have a distinguished guest indeed – Tachanun! Surely such a guest should be honored by the recitation of Shir hamaalos….”

While the conduct of a single righteous individual is not necessarily appropriate for the rest of us, from R. Hillel we can learn not to focus on the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, but to look forward joyfully to its reconstruction.