25 Nov THE ALL-POWERFUL PRAYER OF MINCHA

What comes to your
mind first when I
mention Yitzchak Avinu,
Yitzchak, our Patriarch?
You’ll probably say,
rightfully so, the Akeidas
Yitzchak, when Yitzchak
allowed himself to be
offered by Avraham, his
father. Your next suggestion would probably
be when Yitzchak gave the blessings to
Yaakov instead of Eisav. But, there is another
gift that Yitzchak bequeathed to the Jewish
People which we enjoy every single day of
our lives and that is the prayer of Mincha.
The Gemora teaches us in Berachos [26b]
that Avraham Avinu instituted the prayer of
Shacharis, Yitzchak instituted the prayer of
Mincha, and Yaakov instituted the prayer of
Maariv. The B’nei Yisaschar, Zt”l, Zy”a, says
that this is the origin for the popular phrase
for prayer, “davenen.” He says that word is
a corruption of the Aramaic word d’avinan,
that which was instituted by our Fathers.
The Gemora in Berachos [6b] tells us that
we should be extremely careful with the
prayer of Mincha for Eliyahu HaNovi was

only answered through the prayer of Mincha.
Furthermore, the Kli Yakar informs us that
the prayer of Mincha is so powerful that its
requests are often answered immediately.
These two facts beg the question: What’s
so special about the prayer of Mincha. To
the contrary, I would think that Shacharis
and Maariv are longer prayers. Shacharis
was instituted by our first Father, Avraham
Avinu, who we are all disciples of. Maariv
was instituted by Yaakov who was the bechir
she’b’Avos, the Choicest of our Patriarchs.

Yet, it is Mincha that is touted as being all-
powerful. Why is this?

The Tur in siman 232 gives a famous answer.
While Shacharis is done before we start our
day and Maariv is held after we’ve wrapped
up the day, Mincha falls smack in the middle
of the day which necessitates our interrupting
whatever we are doing to find a Mincha
minyan. That’s why it packs such a powerful
punch. The Kli Yakar adds another thought.
Nighttime is a time of din, strict justice, while
daytime is a time of rachamim, of mercy and
of compassion. Thus Maariv, which is in the
night, and Shacharis, which is near the night,
have the disadvantage of being around the
time of din. Mincha, which is in the middle

of the day, is based at a time of mercy and is
therefore more effective.
I’d like to suggest something else. When

you want to get the most bang-for-the-
buck, you try to go to someone who is a

specialist in what you need. When it comes
to prayer, Yitzchak is the specialist for,
while Avraham is the Amud HaChesed, the
Pillar of Kindness, and Yaakov is the Amud
HaTorah, the Pillar of Torah, Yitzchak is the
Amud HaAvodah, the Pillar of Divine Service,
which is prayer. Thus, that which was
created by the specialist is more powerful.
Furthermore, in Yerushalmi Berachos [4:1],
Reb Yosi says that tefilas Mincha has the
power of the ketores, the burning of the
incense, for the posuk states, “Tikon tefilasi
ketores l’fonecha maasas kapai minchas orev
– Establish my prayer as incenses before you,
the offering of my palms, the Mincha prayer.”
For, while Shacharis represents the morning

tamid offering and Maariv is the smoking-
up of the sacrificial limb on the outer altar,

Mincha, besides representing the afternoon
tamid is also corresponding to the ketores, the
incense. Now, the incense has a higher level
of kedusha for it was offered on the golden
altar inside the Kodesh, the Holy Chamber of
the Beis HaMikdash, while the tamid and
the sacrificial limb were only offered on the
outer altar of the Temple Courtyard, once
again indicating Mincha’s rarified powers.
There is another question which Tosefos
poses in Pesachim [107]. What is the
meaning of the word Mincha? He says it
can’t refer to the mincha, the meal offering,
which accompanies the afternoon tamid,
for Shacharis also has a meal offering
which accompanies it. The Avudraham
suggests that it comes from the word
menucha, to rest, and since Mincha is at the
time when the sun comes to rest, that’s why
it’s called Mincha. The Orech HaShulchan
asks: If so, wouldn’t it be more appropriate
to call it Menoach? He answers that
since the Rambam holds that biblically
one is only required to daven once daily,
he fulfills his basic requirement with the
prayer of Shacharis. Thus, Mincha, which
also means a gift, is a gift offering beyond
the absolute requirement.
I’d like to suggest something else. When
did Yitzchak institute the prayer of Mincha?
When he went out to meet Eliezer as he
was returning with Yitzchak’s bride Rivka.
At this point it says, “V’yeitzi Yitzchak
lasuach b’sadeh – And Yitzhcak went out to
talk in the field,” and this is the point where
the Gemora says he instituted Mincha.
Why did Yitzchak wait until this particular
juncture of his life to pioneer Mincha?
Many times, I’ve taught many young men
and women that the single most important
decision they will ever make in their lives
is about who they should marry. This
decision colors their entire futures, whether
they will be happy or not, who their

descendants will be throughout the ages, and
even who their partner will be in the Afterlife.
Thus, when Yitzchak was awaiting the arrival
of his future bride, this is the point at which
he invented the prayer of Mincha.
And, indeed, he was the only one of the
Avos who got his wife as a gift. Yaakov
certainly didn’t. He had to work for 14 years
for Rochel and Leah. Avraham, being that
he was barren, took a woman who were are
taught didn’t even have a uterus. But Rivka
came to Yitzchak all gift-wrapped and on
a silver platter. Eliezer had a miraculous
journey to Lavan’s house, the well-water
rose when Rivka came, and miraculously
all that Eliezer suggested happened exactly
as he said it should. Thus, in the merit of
tefilas Mincha, one gets a gift. Furthermore,
to prove the point, an anagram of the word
mincha is nechama, to receive comfort, for
it says, “Vayinachem Yitzchak acharei imo
– And Rivka brought Yitzchak comfort after
the loss of his mother.”
So let’s bear in mind the next time we think
that we’re going to daven Mincha at the kosel,
by the wall of our office or home, that Mincha
is oh so powerful for all the aforementioned
reasons and that through it we can merit,
with the help of Hashem, great gifts of much
comfort-so let’s push ourselves to go out to a
minyan which is oh so much more powerful!
In the multiplicity of mincha’s merits may we
be blessed with long life, good health, and
everthing wonderful!