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Thought for the Day: L'Dovid At Night.... Mincha/Ma'ariv/Both/Neither

From Rosh Chodesh Elul we start saying L'Dovid (Psalm 27) after davening -- once in the morning and once... well, that depends. Nusach S'fard says it after mincha, nusach Ashkenaz after ma'ariv. But suppose you are a nusach Ashkenaz guy who davens mincha at a shul that uses nusach S'fard? Do I say L'Dovid with them, or wait till ma'ariv? How about if I daven with a nusach Ashkenaz minyan for mincha and a nusach S'fard minyan for ma'ariv? Do I need to say it at all? Pre-pandamic, that was an annual occurrence for me, as I would daven downtown at the Loop Synagogue for mincha then at the Aguda (Peterson Park) for ma'ariv. I haven't seen that discussed anywhere -- which is a sad commentary on my lack of b'ki'us rather than a statement about what is available. Fortunately, though, I make up for my ignorance by having a good relationship with R' Fuerst, shlita; at whose shul I typically daven for mincha (post-pandemic advantage) and ma'ariv.

There are two rules at work here. (1) Anything the congregation says out loud, one needs to be said with them in their nusach. (2) L'Dovid should be said twice a day. Let's take the scenarios one at a time for nusach Ashkenaz guy (analogously for a nusach Ashkenaz guy, of course):

  • Mincha and ma'ariv at nusach Ashkenaz shul -- really; you need to ask?
  • Mincha at nusach Ashkenaz shul and ma'ariv at nusach S'fard shul -- need to say it quietly after ma'ariv, because L'Dovid needs to be said twice a day.
  • Mincha at nusach S'fard shul and ma'ariv at nusach S'fard shul --  need to say L'Dovid at mincha because the congregation is saying it. No need to say it again after ma'ariv; even though that is this guy's time to say, he already said it twice... so we are good.
  • Mincha at nusach S'fard shul and ma'ariv at nusach Ashkenaz shul -- need to say L'Dovid at mincha because the congregation is. Also need to say it at Ashkenaz shul because they are saying it. Note: not because it is his time, because he has already said it twice that day. And yes; like korbanos, the night follows the day for this.

What about a woman who davens nusach Ashkenaz but only davens shacharis and mincha? I would have thought, according to rule (2) that she should say L'Dovid after mincha since she won't be davening again that day. I have a personal rule, though: Think first and ask questions later. (But not later than actually doing anything based on that thought, chas v'shalom.) So asked R' Fuerst, and Baruch HaShem -- I was wrong. Since the Ashkenaz minhag is to say L'Dovid at ma'ariv and this frum lady doesn't daven ma'ariv, she never had an obligation in the first place. Rule (2) applies to someone who is already obligated in all three prayer services and therefore has an obligation to say L'Dovid twice.

Hence the title of this TftD:

  • Mincha -- davens nusach S'fard or davens at nusach S'fard shul
  • Ma'ariv -- davens nusach Ashkenaz or davens at nusach Ashkenaz shul
  • Both -- davens at nusach S'fard shul for mincha and nusach Ashkenaz shul for ma'ariv.
  • Neither -- woman who davens nusach Ashkenaz and only davens mincha.
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