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Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1999 19:31:04 -0400 (EDT)
From: Russell Hendel <  rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Subject: Re: She'ilos on Davenning

My thanks to Zachary Muroff who in Vol 1 Number 85 asks if it is
permissable for women who get up late to say Kriath Shma and Shmoneh Esray
and then go back to say the Pesukay Dezimra.

Yes it is desirable. Not only that but if I ever walk into shule at
Yishtabach then I quickly put on my tefillin, say Kriath Shma with the
congregation and then Shmoneh esray. I can say Pesokay Dezimrah later (but
I can't say Baruch Sheamar or Yishtabach). Furthermore if I came into shule
at GAAL YISRAEL the proper procedure is to say Shmoneh Esray with the
Tzibbur (and then say Kriath shmah afterwards)

My reason for acting this way is because the Rambam explicitly says so in
Prayer 10:16, brought down in the Shuchan Aruch. Indeed, the word PRAYER
refers primarily to Shmoneh Esray. Furthermore in Chapter 8 Rambam defines
Communal prayer as starting with SHMA.

In 7:12 Rambam indicates that Pesokay Dezimra is only "a nice minhag (not
Biblical/rabbinic)" that was adopted by all of Israel. Furthermore as is
clear from Chapter 8, the Chazan for Pesokay Dezimra can be a minor while
for Kriath Shma it must be an adult.

Hence, (returning to Zachary's question) since "prayer in its proper time"
and since "shma in its proper time" are rabbinic/Biblical commandments
respectively therefore woman who pray should be more careful about them
then Pesokay Dezimra (For even though the woman is not obligated to say
Shma she gets reward for saying it properly..while Pesookay DeZimra is just
a custom)

Russell Jay Hendel; Phd ASA; RHendel@Juno.Com
Moderator Rashi Is Simple; http://www.shamash.org/rashi/

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