Is it permissible according to halacha to read Tehillim at night?

Hello,

1. According to the basic halachic ruling, it is permitted to read Tehillim at night (see Sha'ar HaTziyon, Siman 238, Sk. 1). However, according to Kabbalah, it is preferable to refrain from doing so if one is able instead to study Oral Torah. Nevertheless, if one would otherwise not learn Torah at all, then even according to Kabbalah, one should not avoid reading Tehillim (see Yabia Omer, Part 6, Orach Chaim, Siman 30, Section 2).

2. After halachic midnight, there is no kabbalistic concern regarding reading Tehillim (ibid., Section 6). Additionally, on the nights of Shabbat and Yom Tov, Tehillim may be read throughout the entire night (ibid., Sections 3–5).

3. The concern regarding reading Scripture at night begins from nightfall, but there is no issue during twilight (bein hashmashot). This is stated in Shu"t Mei Yehuda, Orach Chaim, Siman 22, and cited in Yabia Omer, ibid., Section 6.

4. Many Ashkenazi poskim rule that even according to Kabbalah, it is permissible to read Tehillim before midnight when done as a prayer or plea. This is brought in Piskei Teshuvot (Siman 238, Section 3), in Alenu L’Shabeach, Vol. 2, pp. 431–432, and in Chazon Ovadia – Mourning, Vol. 1, p. 19, which permits reading Tehillim for a sick person even before midnight. Furthermore, Orchot Maran, Vol. 2, p. 854, testifies that when there was a sick person in the home of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, and some family members wished to read Tehillim for his recovery before midnight, he allowed it.

Blessings,
Hillel Meiris

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