Mincha (, ; sometimes spelled Minchah, Minhah, Mincho or Minchuh) is the afternoon prayer service in Judaism.
Etymology
The name
Mincha, meaning "gift" or "offering", is derived from the
meal offering that accompanied each sacrifice offered in the Temple (Beit HaMikdash).
[Tosafot Pesachim 107a]
Origin
The Hebrew noun
minḥah () is used 211 times in the
Masoretic Text of the
Hebrew Bible, with the first uses referring to vegetable and animal offerings brought by Cain and Abel to God.
[ Concordance: מִנְחָה] Most other uses refer to a
gift offering, made of grain, which could be offered at any time in the day.
[ Dictionary: מִנְחָה] However, occasionally the Bible uses "mincha" to specifically refer to the afternoon Temple sacrifice.
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Rabbis in the Talmud debate whether the daily prayers have their origin in the behavior of the biblical Patriarchs, or in the Temple sacrifices.[ Berachot 26b] According to the first opinion, the Mincha prayer was originated by Isaac, who "went out to converse in the field",
Time frame for recitation
Mincha is different from
Shacharit and
Maariv in that it is recited in the middle of the secular day. Unlike Shacharit, which is recited upon arising, and Maariv, which can be recited before going to sleep, Mincha is the afternoon prayer, and as a result of this, many Mincha groups have formed in workplaces and other places where many Jews are present during the day.
[Living Jewish: values, practices and traditions By Berel Wein, page 87]
Mincha may be recited beginning half an hour (either regular or ) after halacha noontime. This earliest time is referred to as mincha gedola ("large mincha"). According to the Shulchan Aruch, it is preferably recited after mincha ketana ("small mincha", 2.5 halachic hours before sunset or nightfall),[Shulchan Aruch OC 233:1] but common practice is to recite it anytime after mincha gedola and not to be careful to recite it specifically after mincha ketana.
The name "large mincha" may come from the fact that more of the day remains than in "small mincha".[ Perisha, Orach Chaim 232]
Ideally, one should complete Mincha before sunset ( shkiah), although many authorities permit reciting Mincha until nightfall. The Mishnah Berurah states that is preferable to recite mincha without a minyan before shkiah than to recite it with a minyan after shkia.[Mishnah Brurah, Orach Chaim 233:14]
Prayers
Mincha on a weekday exclusive includes prayers found at
Shacharit.
Prayers of Mincha include the following:
-
Ashrei
-
Uva Letzion (on Shabbat and Jewish holidays only, in Italian Nusach also on fast days)
-
Torah reading (on Shabbat and public fast days only)
-
Amidah (in some communities, it includes slight variations from Shacharis) Like in Shacharit, it is generally recited silently and then repeated by the Chazzan.
-
Avinu Malkeinu (on Ten Days of Repentance only, and in some communities also on public fast days; omitted on occasions when Tachanun is omitted)
-
Tachanun (omitted on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and certain other festive days)
-
Tzidkatcha (on Shabbat only; omitted on days when Tachanun would be omitted if it were a weekday)
-
In the Sephardic rite (and in some Chasidic communities), a Psalm is recited here: generally, Psalm 67 on weekdays, Psalm 93 on Friday and Psalm 112 on the sabbath.
-
Aleinu - In some Ashkenazic communities, this is omitted if followed immediately by Maariv. In the Italian Nusach and Baladi rite, this is never recited at Mincha; in the modern Italian Nusach (although this is a relatively late addition), Psalm of the day or Psalm 67 is recited instead.
Most and Italian Jews start the Mincha prayers with Psalm 84 and (), and usually continue with the Pittum hakketoret. The opening section is concluded with . Most non-Chasidic Ashkenizim begin with Ashrei, although many individuals recite the Korban HaTamid beforehand (a very few Nusach Ashkenaz communities have adopted the practice to recite Korban HaTamid () publicly).
On Yom Kippur, Ashkenazim postpone Ashrei and Uva Letzion until the Ne'ila service.
See also
