Shalosh Seudos - Mizmor L'Dovid

QUESTION: There is a custom to recite the chapter “Mizmor L’Dovid Hashem Ro’i” (Tehillim 23) three times at Shalosh Seudos. What is the reason behind this?

ANSWER: Sefer Bnei Yissaschar (Maamarei Hashabbosos 8:20) writes that the students of the Ari z”l would say this chapter of Tehillim before every meal, even during the week. This chapter has 57 words, the gematria of the word “zan,” meaning “[Hashem] gives sustenance.” The subject of this chapter is that Hashem provides all our needs. The Bnei Yissaschar notes that it also has 227 letters which correspond to the word “beracha” (gematria 227). He writes that Shalosh Seudos is an especially auspicious time to recite this, so as to bring the beracha of sustenance to the upcoming week. He writes that there is a custom to recite this chapter three times, because the word beracha is repeated three times during the seven days of creation (Hashem blessed the fish, Hashem blessed man, and Hashem blessed the Shabbos).

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