Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 51

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 51 — English translation

Translation: Sefaria Community Translation. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1We say the prayer Baruch She-amar ("Blessed is the One Who said") prior to Pesukei Dezimra ("the Psalms of Praise") and we say Yishtabach ("May he be Praised") after these.
2. 2If one finished Baruch Shemar prior to the prayer leader he should say Amen after the leader finishes.
3. 3After Yishtabach one may say Amen after his own blessing [see below section 215].
4. 4One must be cautious to refrain from talking from the moment he begins Baruch She'amar until after he concludes the Eighteen Benedictions (The Amidah). Rem"a: And even if it is for the sake of performing a mitzvah one may not talk between Baruch Sheamar and Yishtabach [Beit Yosef quoting the Kol Bo][see below 53 and 54] .
5. 5In between these psalms one may ask [of another's welfare] out of respect [for that person] and may reply greetings to any person. And in the middle of [one of] the psalms he may ask [of another's welfare] out of fear and he may reply out of respect.
6. 6One must pause between [the words] "foreign gods" and "But Hashem made the heavens."
7. 7One should focus one's heart during the verse "You open Your hand..." and if he does not focus then he must return and say the verse again. Rem"a: And we say the verse "And we shall praise the Lord" (Psalms 115:18) after the verse "A praise, of David..." (Psalms 145:1) (ie. at the end of Ashrei) [Tur and the Kol Bo]. And we double-recite the verse "Let every living soul praise the Lord" (Psalms 150:6) because it is the conclusion of "The Psalms of Praise" (Tur), and so too for the verse "The Lord will rule forever and ever" (Exodus 15:18) [Abudraham]. When one comes to "And now, Hashem our God, we thank you" or to the verse "And every upright one shall prostrate himself before You" one should not bow or prostrate there as it is written below in section 113 [Rebbi Yitzchak, at the end of the chapter "Ein Omdin," and Rabbeinu Yerucham Pathway 1]. And it is customary to stand when we say "Baruch She'amar" and "And David Blessed" and "Yishtabach."
8. 8We aught not say these songs hurriedly, but rather at a pleasant pace.
9. 9"A Psalm of Thanksgiving" (Psalms 100) should be said in a melody because in the future all of the songs will be cancelled except for a Psalm of Thanksgiving. Rem"a: And we do not say "A Psalm of Thanksgiving" on Shabbat or holidays [Tur] or on the [intermediary] days of Pesach, because the Thanksgiving offering was not sacrificed on those days on account of Chametz. And it should not be recited on the eve of Passover... and see below section 429. And not the eve of Yom Kippur... and see below section 604. And thus it has become customary in our lands [Customs]

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