Hodu – Singing History

The Hodu prayer (pages 405 – 411 in the Koren Siddur) contains the history of the Jewish people and the promise made to Avraham that his children would ultimately be redeemed from slavery in Egypt. The Bais Yosef (Rabbi Yosef Caro, Sefad, Israel 1488-1575) tells us that Hodu contains ten expressions of thanksgiving corresponding to the ten plagues which were visited upon the Egyptians, and the ten miracles performed for the children of Israel at the Red Sea.

Hodu is one of the prayers that dates all the way back to the times of the Beit Hamikdash, and it is one of the few prayers that the Bible reports was actually said by our ancestors. The first part of Hodu was sung for the first time when the Holy Ark was brought to Jerusalem by King David. Its text appears in the First Book of Chronicles (16:8-36). According to the ancient book Seder Olam (2nd Century CE), the verses from the beginning of Hodu were sung each morning at dawn while the Tamid Sacrifice was offered. Thus it appears that we say Hodu as a commemoration of our national historic practices. For that reason, the Sephardic tradition is to recite Hodu when we recite the order of the Korabanot - before we say Baruch She’amar.

Ashkenazim understand Hodu somewhat differently. Hodu contains many quotations form the book of Tehillim. Like the other chapters of Tehillim that we read every morning, Hodu is an expression of praise to God. It therefore belongs to Psukei Dizimra and should be recited after Baruch She’amar.


At Beth Tfiloh we follow the Ashkenazic tradition, but in our minds we can incorporate the lessons of both the Ashkenazic and the Sephardic traditions. While reciting Hodu we should let the poetic pros elicit feelings of gratitude for the daily miracles that Hashem performs on our behalf. And we should keep in mind our historic connection to Hashem and the land of Israel that dates back thousands of years to the time of the giving of the Torah.

“From The Commentator’s Siddur By Rav Yitzchak Sender."