Regarding the concept of reciting “The Song of the Day” at the end of shachrit , I have a few questions.
Since there is a “theme” for each day, what is the correct procedure for Ashkenazim when the day is overlapped with another special day which has a different “theme”? For example, on Rosh Hodesh, is only Barchi Nafshi read or is the regular weekday songs recited as well? What happens when Rosh Hodesh falls out during Hanukah on Shabbos, which song is recited and why? What is the guiding principle? If only one is said, why does that one take precedence? Are there different customs in the Ashkenazi community and why? Is there a custom even on pesach and succot only to recite the regular song of the weekday? What is the most prevalent custom in Jerusalem is appropriate for an Ashkenazi shul to do?
Answer:
The mainstream custom among Ashkenazi communities in Israel is to follow the instructions of the Vilna Gaon, who wrote that one should recite special songs for special occasions. These songs can be found in most siddurim, and in certain calendars. According to this custom, on Yom Tov, Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah and Purim, only the special song for the day is recited, and not the weekday song. The exception is Shabbos, when the song for Shabbos is always recited.
However, many communities outside Israel, and Sefard communitied in Israel, recite the song for the weekday even on Yom Tov, and some also add it to the Rosh Chodesh recitation.
There is a matter of doubt as to whether the song for the Tamid offering was always the song of the weekday, or whether the song changed for Yom Tov (see Rosh Hashanah 30b; Magen Avraham 132:4; Chasam Sofer, Beitzah 5a; but see Turei Even, RH 30b, and Rama of Fano, no. 25). It is possible that this is the source for the different customs above, the Vilna Gaon maintaining that the song changed for special occasions, and that therefore different songs are recited for special days.
See also Aruch Hashulchan (133:3), who writes that according to the Vilna Gaon, the song we recite is the song that the Levites used to sing during the Mussaf offering (Aruch Hashulchan 133:3). However, the source for the custom of the Gaon is probably Maseches Sofrim (chap. 18, no. 1), which writes that it is worthy to recite pesukim ‘in their right time,’ and doing so is considered as if he builds the Mikdash and sacrifices an offering. This would explain the special recitations even for Channukah and Purim, because this is also considered a verse in its right time.
See also Rav Yaakov Blumental, Or Ve’orah, vol. 4, p. 95.
