Miscellaneous Halochos
Tehillim By Heart
27. Although one may not say Torah Shebichsav by heart, anything that people are accustomed to and fluent in, e.g., Krias Shema, Birkas Kohanim, Parshas Hatamid, and the like, can be said by heart (שו''ע או''ח סי' מ''ט ). Since everyone is fluent in it, Pesukei Dezimrah may also be said by heart (מ''ב סק''ה ).
28. Saying Tehillim. Several heterim are given for saying Tehillim by heart. Some allow it, reasoning that since it is to arouse Hashem’s mercy, it is like a tefillah (חוות יאיר, מ''ב סק''ו). However, it could be this reason only works together with the fact that people were fluent in Tehillim in the days when there were communities that said all of Sefer Tehillim together (חו''י שם ); now that people are not so fluent in most of Sefer Tehillim, this would not be enough to allow it (קיצור שו''ע לחם הפנים סי' א', חיי אדם כלל ח' ס י''א ).
29. Some allow it since the whole issur is only when being motzi people in something; otherwise it is fine (עטרת זקנים, הגר''א ). Others allow it since Tehillim was originally instituted to be said by heart – the Levi’im who sang certainly did not sing from a sefer (שו''ת חת''ס יו''ד סי' ד''ה איברא ). Given no other choice, one may use these reasons.
Yehi Ratzon after Tehillim
30. A few perakim. One can recite the Yehi Ratzon said before Tehillim even if he is just saying a few perakim. Also, upon finishing just a few perakim, one can say the Yehi Ratzon after Tehillim. Instead of saying “בזכות ספר ראשון ” and the like, say “בזכות מזמורי תהילים שקראנו לפניך ובזכות פסוקיהם ותיבותיהם וכו'” (מטה אפרים סי' תקפ''א ס''ח).
31. A full sefer. Upon finishing an entire sefer, e.g., the first sefer, say, “בזכות ספר ראשון שבתהילים שהוא כנגד ספר בראשית ” etc.
32. All of Sefer Tehillim. Upon finishing the entire Sefer Tehillim, say, “בזכות קריאת חמשה ספרים שבתהילים, שהם כנגד חמשה חומשי תורה וכו'.”
33. Didn’t say it in one sitting. If one finished a whole sefer or all of Sefer Tehillim, even if it was spread out over several days, a month, etc., he may still say the corresponding Yehi Ratzon, just like the Yehi Ratzon and Hadran said after finishing a masechta which was not learned in one sitting.
Yud-Gimmel Middos after Saying Tehillim
34. If ten men are saying the Yehi Ratzon after Tehillim on a weekday, they may say the Yud-Gimmel Middos shel Rachamim together. If there are not ten men, each person should say it quietly with the trop, as if he was reading the Torah (מ''ב תקפ''א סק''ד ). If one person is saying the Yehi Ratzon after Tehillim, and there is a tzibbur saying the Yud-Gimmel Middos separately, e.g., at Tachanun or selichos, he may say the Yud-Gimmel Middos with them.
35. Ten women. Women do not say the Yud-Gimmel Middos shel Rachamim by themselves, even when many women and girls say Tehillim together (שו''ת מנח"י ח''ט סי''א, שו''ת משנה הלכות ח''ד סי' ע''ח ).
Saying Tehillim in Aveilus
36. Onein. An onein [someone whose close relative has passed away but not been buried yet], lo aleinu, may not say Tehillim (ערוך השלחן יו''ד סי' שמ''א ס''י ). However, an onein may say Tehillim while protecting the nifter and the like (מו''ר בעל שבט הקהתי שם ).
37. Aveil. During shiva, lo aleinu, one may not say Tehillim for the purpose of learning; as a form of tefillah, pleading, or arousal to teshuvah, however, it is allowed (גשר החיים פכ''א ס''ה, שו''ת שבט הקהתי ח''ב סי' ש''ח ). An aveil who is accustomed to completing all of Sefer Tehillim on Shabbos may continue this practice on the Shabbos of his shiva (היכל הוראה ח''ג סי' קי''ז ).
38. Tisha B’av. Tehillim may not be said on Tisha B’av morning, but it may be said as a plea from the zman of Mincha and on (מ''ב סי' תקנ''ד סק''ז ). Therefore, someone who says a certain amount of Tehillim every day may do so after chatzos. Tehillim may be said for someone ill even on Tisha B’av night and before chatzos of the day (שו''ת דברי מלכיאל ח''ו סי' ט', ארחות רבינו ח''ב עמ' קמ''ב ).
40-Day Tehillim Group
39. There are people who organize groups to say Tehillim for 40 days in order to merit a yeshuah (מקור מ' יום, בזוה''ק תולדות ד' קל''ו ע''ב ). If the yeshuah came during the 40-day period, they must complete their pledge, just like if someone committed to fast because of a hardship, and he is answered after chatzos, he must complete his fast (שו''ע או''ח סי' תקס''ט ס''א ). However, if the yeshuah came after one decided to say the Tehillim but before he actually began, he does not need to start saying Tehillim, like the halochoh when a person was answered before chatzos (שם ).
40. Oneis one day. If a group took on to say Tehillim for 40 days and one of them had an oneis one day that prevented him from saying his portion; or if an individual was unable due to an oneis to say a quota of Tehillim he committed to; he should lechatchilah say the Tehillim right away that night since with regards to learning Torah, the night follows the day (רבינו יונה ברכות י''א ע''ב ו. בדפי הרי''ף, וע''פ מג''א סי' רל''ח סק''ב ), and saying Tehillim is like Torah learning, immersing oneself in the topics of nega’im and ohalos (מדרש תהילים פ''א ח'). If the night already passed, he should at least make it up the next day and say the perakim of Tehillim twice (ע''פ משנת חכמים ריש הל' ת''ת יבין שמועה שם ) or add an extra day at the end.
41. Is the order crucial? If a person took it upon himself to say a certain number of perakim of Tehillim but said them out of order, he is yotzei his chiyuv; as long as he said what he committed to saying, the order is not crucial (מו''ר בעל שבט הקהתי, אורח כהלכה שם אות כ''ג ). Therefore, in a group as well, the Tehillim does not all need to be said in order.
