Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 50 — שולחן ערוך, אורח חיים נ

Why the chapter Eizehu Mekoman and the Baraita of Rabbi Yishmael are said each morning after the passage of the Tamid.

seif 1 The Mechaber writes that the Chachamim set two passages to be recited after the passage of the Tamid (the daily offering). The first is the chapter Eizehu Mekoman, a Mishnah chapter on the korbanot (offerings). The second is the Baraita of Rabbi Yishmael. Their purpose is that every person should learn Mikra (verses of Tanach), Mishnah and Talmud each day. The Baraita of Rabbi Yishmael stands in place of Talmud, because midrash counts as Talmud. He follows Tosafot in Kiddushin and Avodah Zarah, as the Gra notes. The Aruch HaShulchan gives the source of this daily obligation as the Gemara in Kiddushin. He adds that the Tefillah already contains many verses, and these supply the daily Mikra.

The Mishnah Berurah and the Aruch HaShulchan explain why these two passages were chosen. Eizehu Mekoman was placed after the Tamid because of the verse "ובכל מקום מוקטר ומוגש לשמי" ("and in every place incense is offered and presented to My name"). The Gemara asks whether offerings are really made in every place. It answers that the verse refers to Torah scholars who study the laws of the Temple service every day, wherever they are. Hashem considers them as if they were offering korbanot. The Mishnah Berurah adds a second reason. This chapter contains no disagreement, and it is a clear teaching given to Moshe at Sinai. The Aruch HaShulchan and the Gra also note that all the korbanot are included in it.

The Aruch HaShulchan identifies the Baraita of Rabbi Yishmael as the baraita of the thirteen middot (the thirteen principles by which the Torah is expounded). He calls these the main general principles of the Oral Torah. The Mishnah Berurah, the Aruch HaShulchan and the Gra explain that this baraita opens Torat Kohanim, which stands at the head of the whole section on the korbanot. For that reason it was placed together with the korbanot.

The Magen Avraham limits how far the recital fulfills the daily learning. In the time of the Chachamim, people understood the Aramaic of Targum. Today they do not, so one must learn the meaning of what he says. Otherwise saying the words does not count as learning. He contrasts this with Tefillah. In Tefillah it is better to pray in a language one understands. Even so, one who prays without understanding has still prayed, because Hashem knows his intent. Saying a Mishnah without understanding it, however, is not called learning. The Mishnah Berurah rules the same way. He stresses that unlearned people in particular must understand the explanation, so that they fulfill the daily learning of Mikra, Mishnah and Gemara. The Aruch HaShulchan agrees that one must understand what he learns. The Mishnah Berurah also cites the Shelah. When one says Eizehu Mekoman, Bameh Madlikin or Pitum HaKetoret, he should use the tune used for learning Mishnayot.

The Magen Avraham notes that in some places these passages are not said in a house of mourning. The Mishnah Berurah and the Aruch HaShulchan give the reason for that practice: a mourner is forbidden to learn Torah. The Magen Avraham writes that this practice is not correct. The Mishnah Berurah and the Aruch HaShulchan explain why. Whatever is part of the set order of the day is not forbidden to a mourner as Torah study. The Mishnah Berurah cites siman 554 for this rule. The Aruch HaShulchan adds that once these passages were set into the daily order, they are like the rest of the Tefillah.

The Aruch HaShulchan also sets out how Nusach Ashkenaz and Nusach Sefard differ in the order of the passages after this baraita. One difference is where Baruch She'amar is placed in relation to Hodu and the verses that follow it. The Sefardim hold that Pesukei DeZimra (the verses of praise before Shacharit) properly begin at Tehillah LeDavid. He writes that both orders are valid and that each place follows its own custom. A person should not change his custom because of the disagreement. Doing so would also go against "lo titgodedu" (do not split into separate factions). [ed. Siddurim today may have a different order of these tefillot, even within the same nusach]