Question:
Please see Shemos 15:18. At the end of the aleinu prayer this verse is introduced with the prefix “as it’s written”. Subsequently it introduces Zechariah 14:9 with the prefix “and it says”. Why the different prefixes?
At the end of Kedushah before saying Yimloch (Tehillim 146) we say uvidvrei kodshecha kasuv leimor. Where does that fit in?
Answer:
You are asking an interesting question. I haven’t seen anything on this, but I would suggest that the difference between the two is that the first verse that is quoted we say, “and it is written”, which is a form of proof to what we are saying, as if to say, and this is even written in the scripture. However, when we bring more than one verse, the subsequent verses are only prefaced with “and it says”, but we don’t have to stress the point that it is written because the first verse that we brought is also written. We also find this regarding the prayer said when calling a child his new name at a bris, and also in Av Horachamim which is said before Mussaf on Shabbos.
The reason we say “uvidvrei kodshecha kasuv leimor” is when we are switching a quote between torah, neviim and kesuvim. The first two pesukim in kedusha are from Yeshaya, (Kadosh) and Yechezkel (Boruch), whereas Yimloch is in Tehillim 147, which is in kesuvim.
Best wishes
