Introductory text of the Perek Shira - Perek Shira - Chapter 1

Amar rabbi eli'ezer, kol ha'osek beperek shirah ba'olam hazeh zocheh ve'omerah le'olam habba shenne'emar az yashir mosheh – shar lo ne'emar ella yashir la'olam habba.

ve'amar rabbi kol ha'osek beperek shirah ba'olam hazeh ma'id ani alav shehu ben olam habba venitzol miyetzer hara umiddin kasheh umissatan hamashchit umikkal minei mazikin umechevlo shel mashiach umiddinah shel geihinom vezocheh lilmod ulelamed lishmor vela'asot ulekayeim vetalmudo mekayeim beyado uma'arich yamim vezocheh lechayei olam habba.

(yalkut shimoni, sof tehilim) ameru rabboteinu zl al david hamelech h besha'ah shessiyeim sefer tehilim zachah da'atto alav. Amar lifnei hakadosh baruch hu yesh beri'ah shebbarata be'olmcha she'omeret shirot vetishbachot yoter mimeni? be'otah sha'ah nizdamnah lo tzefardea achat ve'amerah lo, david! al tazzuach da'techa aleicha, she'ani omeret shirot vetishbachot yoter mimmeka. Velo od ella kol shirah she'ani omeret memashelet aleiha sheloshet alafim mashal shenne'emar (malachim 1 ch5 v12) vaydabber sheloshet alafim mashal vayhi shiro chamishah va'alef. Velo od ella she'ani oseket bemitzvah gedolah, vezu hi hammitzvah she'ani oseket bah – yesh bisfat hayam min echad she'ein parnasato ki im min hamayim uvesha'ah shehu ra'ev noteleni ve'ocheleni lekayeim mah shene'emar (mishle ch 25 v.21-22) im ra'ev sona'acha ha'achilehu lechem ve'im tzamei hashkehu mayim ki gechalim attah choteh al rosho vaAdo-naï yeshallem lacha al tikrei yeshallem lach ella yashlimehu lach.

Rabbi Eliezer said: Anyone who involves himself with Perek Shirah in this world, merits saying it in the World-to-Come, as it says, “Then Moshe will sing”; it does not say “sang,” but “will sing” in the World-to-Come.

And Rebbi said: Anyone who involves himself with Perek Shirah in this world — I testify that he is destined for the World-to-Come, and he is saved from the evil inclination, and from harsh judgment, and from the destroying Satan, and from all types of enemies, and from the birth pangs of Mashiaḥ, and from the judgment of Gehennom; and he merits to learn and to teach, to observe and to fulfill and to perform [the Torah], and his studies are established in him, and his days are lengthened, and he merits life in the World-to-Come.

The Sages said concerning King David that when he completed the book of Psalms, he became proud. He said before the blessed Holy One, “Is there any creature you have created in your world that says more songs and praises than I?” At that moment a frog happened across his path, and it said to him: “David! Do not become proud, for I recite more songs and praises than you. Furthermore, every song I say contains three thousand parables, as it says, ‘And he spoke three thousand parables, and his songs were one thousand five hundred.' And furthermore, I am busy with a great mitsvah, and this is the mitsvah with which I am busy: there is a certain type of creature by the edge of the sea whose sustenance is entirely from [creatures living in] the water, and when it is hungry, it takes me and eats me, such that I fulfill that which it says, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you shall heap coals of fire on his head, and YHVH shall reward you'; do not read ‘shall reward you’ but instead ‘shall make him complete you.’”