A person is permitted to dedicate Tehillim books to the synagogue by himself, even if others wished to share the expense with him. However, as a measure of piety (midat chassidut), he should include others in the mitzvah, and this will bring nachat ruach (satisfaction) before the Creator.
Sources and Explanations
Sefer Chassidim (siman 503) relates the case of a man who built a synagogue. The congregation wished to share in the funds with him, but he refused, so that the synagogue would be for him and his descendants as a name. His line came to an end, may Hashem save us, for “whoever makes a memorial will have no memorial.” We learn from his words that a person should not perform a mitzvah alone in order to publicize it under his name.
However, in the Responsa of the Rashba (siman 581), he wrote contrary to this and proved that the community cannot prevent one who dedicates and builds from his own funds for the sake of Heaven from mentioning his name on it. It is the way of the Torah to record and publicize those who perform mitzvot. Thus we find that when Reuven saved Yosef, the Torah publicized it about him (Bereishit 37:21): “And Reuven heard and saved him from their hand.” The same is true of Boaz and several other places, as mentioned above. He wrote that if the Torah did so, we must follow the ways of the Torah, which are ways of pleasantness. The Rema (Yoreh De’ah 249:13) likewise rules: “One who dedicates an item to charity is permitted to have his name written on it so that it will be a remembrance for him, and it is proper to do so.”
The Gaon Rabbi Mordechai Benet already addressed this dispute in Responsa Parashat Mordechai (siman 7). He further raised a difficulty with the words of the Magen Avraham, who appears to contradict himself. The Magen Avraham (siman 154, cited in Mishnah Berurah at the end of siman 154, se’if katan 59) cites the words of Sefer Chassidim, yet before that he cites the view of the Rashba (siman 581), who permitted a man living next to the synagogue, who wished to make part of his house into a heichal (ark) for the synagogue by himself, to mark his name on it. Thus we see that there is nothing wrong with doing so alone.
The Parashat Mordechai resolves the contradiction in the Magen Avraham in several ways. 1. One may say that the halacha indeed follows the view of the Rashba, and what Sefer Chassidim wrote is merely a measure of piety. 2. Even if the Rashba and Sefer Chassidim do disagree, one may say that the halacha follows the Rashba, since he is a renowned posek (halachic authority). (This answer of his greatly troubled me. Something cited in the Magen Avraham and the Mishnah Berurah is cited as halacha, and if, according to his words, the words of Sefer Chassidim are not halacha, they should not have cited a rejected view without noting so.) 3. In his final answer, he writes that the Rashba is speaking of a case in which the project could not be carried out by the community. The neighbor wished to dedicate his own house, and the place belonged to him alone and not to the rest of the community. Therefore it is certainly proper for the mitzvah to be called by his name. But in a case where the community can also participate, on the contrary, it is preferable to do so and to mention all the participants.
Now let us consider the matter of buying Tehillim books for the synagogue alone, without including others. According to his first answer, one is permitted by the letter of the law to build alone, but it is a measure of piety to build together with others. Likewise, one is permitted to buy the books alone, but it is a measure of piety to join with those who wish to share this mitzvah with him. It is reasonable to assume that one who buys Tehillim books intends to act for the sake of Heaven, so that the reading from the books will be accepted favorably and bring nachat ruach to his Maker. All his actions stem from piety, since a person is not obligated to buy the books. Therefore it is certainly preferable to include others in this mitzvah.
According to his second answer, since the halacha is decided according to the view of the Rashba, he is permitted to buy the books alone and not include others with him in the mitzvah.
From the sefer “Shaf Veyativ – Laws of Saying Tehillim” by Rabbi Shay Tahan, Chapter 8: The Sanctity of the Sefer Tehillim and Its Honor, Halacha 6 (p. 136 in the print edition). Translated from the Hebrew original.
