Yishtabbaḥ

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YISHTABBAḤ

YISHTABBAḤ (Heb. יִשְׁתַּבַּח; lit. "Praised"), first word and the name of the blessing which concludes the *Pesukei de-Zimra section of the morning service. Yishtabbaḥ is referred to in the Talmud as "the benediction of song," where it is designated as a conclusion of the Hallel recited during the Passover seder (Pes. 118a; Rashbam ad loc.). The blessing is one of praise for God, declaring that unto Him "song and praise are becoming, hymn and psalm, strength and dominion, victory, greatness and might, renown and glory, holiness and sovereignty, blessings and thanksgivings from henceforth even for ever" (Hertz, Prayer, 107).

Its author is unknown, although some attribute it to a certain Solomon, interpreting שִׁמְךָ לָעַד מַלְכֵּנוּ הָאֵל (Shimkha la'ad Malkenu ha-El) as an acronym of his name. Others explain this notarikon as being in honor of King Solomon (Abudarham ha-Shalom (ed.) Jerusalem (1959), 64). The Zohar places great stress on the proper recitation of this prayer since its 13 individual praises of God activate the 13 attributes of God (Zohar, Ex., 132a). Yishtabbaḥ should be recited while standing (Sh. Ar., oḤ 53:1 and Taz ad loc.), and it is forbidden to interrupt or converse during this portion of the service (ibid., 51:4; cf. 54:3). Following Yishtabbaḥ, half-Kaddish is recited to separate the Pesukei de-Zimra from the Shema and its benedictions which follow.