Q.Hello Rav,  when the Tur and Shulchan Aruch O.C. 1:4 write that it is preferable to pray a little with Kavana than to pray a lot without Kavana, What parts of davening is he referring to? I had always assumed this applied to the sections of the siddur before “Baruch She’amar” and that you would only skip parts of Pezukei D’zirma (PDZ) (Baruch She’amar to Yishtabach)  if needed to catch up with the minyan to start the Amidah together. 

So I would have thought that if it takes me  7 minutes to say PZD quickly and I only have 7 minutes to keep up with the minyan, it would be proper to say the whole thing quickly and not skip.  My friend argues that its “better to daven less with more kavana” applies to PZD as well, and if time is limited it would be better to pick a few parts of PZD to say with greater kavanah and skip the rest.   

His proof is that the original PZD is much smaller and was added to AND that ashkenazim have more added in between “baruch She’amar” and “Yishtabach” than sepharim and nusach s’farad (especially on Shabbat where all the extra tehillim are added in there!).    What is the actual halacha? Thanks!

A. Sha’arei Teshuva (O.H. 52: 1) rules that one that is used to daven slowly with Kavanah and intention, and even when he arrives at the beginning of davening if he prays together with the Tzibur he will loose his special Kavanah, should see that at least Borchu and Kedusha he should answer when he is between the Mizmorim he is saying.

Obviously, a person who has that posseses such great behavior, should arrive early enough to davening to be able to recite the Amida with the Tzibur.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that indeed if one can’t say the Psukei Dezimra properly he should skip some of them when in need.