Today’s daf TB Berachot
26 contains the source of many practical halachot concerning the time parameters
for prayer. Before one can figure out when is the last time one may say the
Amidah for Shacharit (the morning), Mincha (afternoon), and Ma’ariv (evening), one
has to understand the concept of Jewish time. Contrary to popular belief Jewish
time doesn’t mean starting 15 or more minutes later than the publicized hour.
Jewish hours are flexible hours. We divide the daylight hours into 12 equal
parts and the nighttime hours into 12 equal parts. Consequently, one daylight hour
during the summer time is longer than 60 minutes and one nighttime hour is less
than 60 minutes. The converse is true during the winter. Today, January 29,
2020, according to the calculation of the Vilna Gaon a daylight hour is 49
minutes long.
MISHNA: This
mishna determines the times beyond which the different prayers may not be
recited. According to the Rabbis, the morning prayer may be recited until
noon. Rabbi Yehuda says: It may be recited only until four hours after
sunrise. According to the Rabbis, the afternoon prayer may be recited until
the evening. Rabbi Yehuda says: It may be recited only until the
midpoint of the afternoon [pelag haminḥa], i.e., the midpoint of the
period that begins with the sacrifice of the daily afternoon offering and ends
at nightfall, which is the end of the afternoon. The evening prayer may
be recited throughout the night and is not fixed to a specific hour.
According to the Rabbis, the additional prayer may be recited all
day. Rabbi Yehuda says: It may be recited only until seven hours
after sunrise. (Sefaria.com translation)
The Gemara cites two different opinions why we have three
daily services.
The dispute between the Rabbis and Rabbi Yehuda with regard
to the times beyond which the different prayers may not be recited is rooted in
a profound disagreement, also manifest in a later amoraic dispute. It was
stated: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: The practice of praying
three times daily is ancient, albeit not in its present form; prayers were
instituted by the Patriarchs. However, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said
that the prayers were instituted based on the daily offerings sacrificed
in the Holy Temple, and the prayers parallel the offerings, in terms of both
time and characteristics.
The Gemara comments: It was taught in a baraita
in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina,
and it was taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion
of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. The Gemara elaborates: It was taught
in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei,
son of Rabbi Ḥanina: Abraham instituted the morning prayer, as it is stated
when Abraham came to look out over Sodom the day after he had prayed on its
behalf: “And Abraham rose early in the morning to the place where he had
stood before the Lord” (Genesis
19:27), and from the context as well as the language utilized in the
verse, the verb standing means nothing other than prayer, as this
language is used to describe Pinehas’ prayer after the plague, as it is
stated: “And Pinehas stood up and prayed and the plague ended” (Psalms 106:30). Clearly,
Abraham was accustomed to stand in prayer in the morning. Isaac instituted
the afternoon prayer, as it is stated: “And Isaac went out to converse [lasuaḥ]
in the field toward evening” (Genesis 24:63), and conversation means nothing
other than prayer, as it is stated: “A prayer of the afflicted when he is faint
and pours out his complaint [siḥo] before the Lord” (Psalms 102:1). Obviously,
Isaac was the first to pray as evening approached, at the time of the afternoon
prayer. Jacob instituted the evening prayer, as it is stated: “And he
encountered [vayifga] the place and he slept there for the sun had
set” (Genesis 28:11). The
word encounter means nothing other than prayer, as it is stated
when God spoke to Jeremiah: “And you, do not pray on behalf of this nation
and do not raise on their behalf song and prayer, and do not encounter [tifga]
Me for I do not hear you” (Jeremiah
7:16). Jacob prayed during the evening, after the sun had set.
And it was taught in a baraita in
accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi that the laws
of prayer are based on the laws of the daily offerings: Why did the
Rabbis say that the morning prayer may be recited until noon?
Because, although the daily morning offering is typically brought
early in the morning, it may be sacrificed until noon. And Rabbi Yehuda
says: My opinion, that the morning prayer may be recited until four
hours into the day, is because the daily morning offering is sacrificed
until four hours. And why did the Rabbis say that the afternoon
prayer may be recited until the evening? Because the daily afternoon
offering is sacrificed until the evening. Rabbi Yehuda says that the
afternoon prayer may be recited only until the midpoint of the afternoon
because, according to his opinion, the daily afternoon offering is
sacrificed until the midpoint of the afternoon. And why did they say that the
evening prayer is not fixed? Because the burning of the limbs and fats
of the offerings that were not consumed by the fire on the altar until
the evening. They remained on the altar and were offered continuously
throughout the entire night. And why did the Rabbis say that the
additional prayer may be recited all day? Because the additional
offering is brought throughout the entire day. However, Rabbi
Yehuda says that the additional prayer may be recited until the
seventh hour of the day, because the additional offering is sacrificed
until the seventh hour. (Sefaria.com translation)
The Gemara also teaches the timeframe for the afternoon
services: Mincha Gedola, 6 ½ hours into the day, is the earliest one may begin
to recite the afternoon service. Plag Hamincha, 1 ¼ hour before night, is the
last time one may begin to davin the afternoon service.
To find the times for daily prayer I use the free Jewish calendar
app CalJ on my android smart phone.
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