One who completes the reading of the book of Tehillim every day is praiseworthy, and this does not fall under the rule that “one who reads Hallel every day is a blasphemer and reviler.”
Sources and Explanations
In the Gemara, Shabbat (118b), the Gemara challenged the words of Rabbi Yose, who said, “May my portion be among those who complete Hallel every day”: Is that so? But the Master said, “One who reads Hallel every day is a blasphemer and reviler!” The Gemara answered that Rabbi Yose’s words were said only regarding Pesukei DeZimrah (the verses of praise recited before the morning prayer). Indeed, a great question arises from the words of the Gemara: if it is forbidden to say Hallel every day, how then is it permitted to complete the book of Tehillim every day, since then we also say, included in it, the chapters of Hallel, for Hallel is a selection of chapters of Tehillim?
Now, Rashi there explained the reason for the prohibition, writing as follows: “For the early prophets instituted to say it at set times for praise and thanksgiving, as we say in Arvei Pesachim (daf 117), and this one who reads it constantly, not at its proper time, is merely like one who sings a song and jests.” One must understand why a person who reads Tehillim to praise his Creator is considered like one who sings a song and jests, when his intention is to laud and praise; this is astonishing. A further difficulty: in Masechet Soferim (chapter 17), which discusses saying the chapters of praise, it is written: “One must say, after Yehi Chevod, Hashem Melech and Mizmor Shiru LaHashem, by rabbinic enactment, and after it Hodu LaHashem Kir’u Vishmo and the six psalms of every day. And Rabbi Yose said: May my portion be with those who pray these six psalms every day.” How did Rabbi Yose praise one who does so, when regarding Rabbi Yose’s own words they said that one who reads Hallel every day is considered a blasphemer and reviler? Likewise, the Rambam writes (Hilchot Tefillah 7:12): “The Sages praised one who reads songs from the book of Tehillim every single day, from Tehillah LeDavid until the end of the book.”
Now, the Magen Avraham (beginning of siman 584) already grappled with this, and answered that since one who reads Tehillim says it in the manner of supplication and request, it is not comparable to one who says Hallel, who says it in the manner of song, and therefore it is permitted, for our Rabbis forbade it only in the manner of song. He writes: “This requires some study: those who say Tehillim every day, and Hallel happens to fall for them on the day of Rosh Hashanah, how do they say it? It seems to me that since they do not say it in the manner of song, but only in the manner of supplication and request, it is permitted. For it is a widespread custom to complete all of Tehillim on the night of Yom Kippur, and they also say Hallel; and also, some say Tehillim every single day, with Hallel included, and we say that one who reads Hallel every day is a blasphemer and reviler. Rather, it must be as I explained.” The Pri Megadim (Eshel Avraham, se’if katan 1) proved this from the fact that a mourner is forbidden in words of Torah, yet Tehillim is permitted in the manner of supplication. (See what we wrote regarding the law of a mourner reading Tehillim.)
An additional reason to distinguish appears from the words of the Maharsha on the Gemara. He writes: “Because Hallel was instituted on special days for the miracle, to publicize that Hakadosh Baruch Hu has the power to change the nature of creation, which He changed on these days. Thus, one who says it every day, his saying it for the miracle will not be publicized even on the days fit to publicize the miracles of Hashem, and this is like blaspheming and reviling, as if He does not, Heaven forbid, have the power to change the nature of creation. And the Gemara answers: in Pesukei DeZimrah, as Rashi explained, two psalms of praise etc., which do not come to publicize His miracles, but rather are words of laud and praise that are required every day, as we say: A person should always arrange the praise of the Omnipresent and afterwards pray.” End quote. According to his holy words, it emerges that only when one says pesukim (verses) that recount the miracles of Hashem is there reason to forbid reading them constantly, because then he loses the novelty of the miracle, and thereby the importance of the miracle is diminished. However, one who reads the entire book of Tehillim, with those chapters of Hallel absorbed within it, places no special emphasis on them, and the reader does not feel that he said them as a recounting of the miracle; consequently, it is permitted.
From the sefer “Shaf Veyativ – Laws of Saying Tehillim” by Rabbi Shay Tahan, Chapter 2: The Proper Times for Saying Tehillim, Halacha 4 (p. 17 in the print edition). Translated from the Hebrew original.
