Two Questions I was Asked About Tehillim

 

I was asked two question about the Tehillim: 

1. Is the Yehi Ratzon an impediment and if you get to 150 you must say the YhR before beginning again? 

2. If you are saying Tehillim for two people, do you have to say the kapitel twice, once for each person? 

(I guess the same question would apply to two causes.)

So, my response was that saying Tehillim is a form of davening. There is, of course, a minimal component of the zechus of the specific Tehillim said, but it's really the kavannah behind the Tehillim that is primary, and the Tehillim themselves are a tool to focus, engage and arouse that kavannah. It is fundamentally different than doing a Mitzvah for a merit, say, giving Tzedakah for a cause, where if you gave Tzedakah for two causes, it would seem that the merit might be divided for the two causes. This is discussed at length, and argued, in the case of Yissaschar-Zevulun: If you give money for someone to learn Torah, do you split the reward, or is the reward duplicated for the learner and the supporter. 

But that's not the way davening works. In davening, the primary aspect is the Avodah She'Ba'Lev. 

So, it follows that the YhR is never essential. It, too, helps people focus and direct - and develop - their kavannah. But the tefillah of the Tehillim stands on its own. And it also follows that it is fine to say one kapitel for two people. Perhaps some people will have more kavannah is they say the kapitel twice for the two separate people. But you davened for the two people regardless. Indeed, some people may have less kavannah in repeating the kapitel. I would!