- Halacha
- Birkat Hamazon - Grace after the Meal
1340
Question
What is the origin of adding the paragraph of ’Tehilat Hashem’ at the end of Shir Hama'alot? I have heard many people say that they don’t recite this paragraph because they claim that this custom was started many years ago by the ’Anti-zionist’ movement in an effort to make the original paragraph of ’Shir Hamaalos’ sound more general and less zionistic. Nobody I have asked has been able to confirm or deny this or tell me the actual source of this Minhag. So what is the source of the Minhag to say Tehilat hashem at the end of ’Shir Hama'alot?
Answer
I don't know when exactly this custom began but one thing is for sure, it was an Ashkenazi custom way before any Zionist movement began, beside the fact these verses have nothing in contrast with Zionism, one can be an enthusiastic Zionist and want to say these verses of praise to Hashem.
Some suggest these four Psukim relate to the four Brachot of Birkat Hamazon.

Bircat baalat habayit 2
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Adar I 23, 5771

Birkat Hamazon
Various Rabbis | Adar I 22, 5768

Washing and Benching With Small Amounts
Rabbi Elchanan Lewis | 25 Iyyar 5766

Birkat Hamazon
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Adar 23, 5770

Second Day Yom Tov Israeli Minyan
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 3, 5775

carrying without an eruv and melacha
Rabbi Yoel Lieberman | Adar II 7, 5776

Washing Hair on chag
Rabbi David Sperling | Sivan 8, 5771

Jews and Non-Jews
Rabbi Chaim Tabasky | 6 Cheshvan 5765

Which Prophets did Israel kill?
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Adar 25, 5785

Gentile inferiority due to genetics.
Rabbi Yoel Lieberman | Adar 6, 5785
