Last week hundreds of thousands of Jews around the world took the valiant step of keeping Shabbos for the very first time. Let us hope that this was just the first of many Shabbasos they will spend with Hashem! But let us not be left behind – we also need to find ways to strengthen our Shabbos observance. Now that the Shabbos afternoons are getting shorter we have an excellent opportunity to do so.
Many of us finish the seudah, jump into bed for a short nap and, before we know it, it’s time for Mincha. We stumble into shul, yawning as we take a siddur off the shelf, and hear the chazzan say: “Va’ani tefilasi, licha Hashem eis ratzon, Elokim b’rov chasdecha, aneini b’emes yishecha – As for me, may my prayer be to You, Hashem, at a time that is favorable; O Hashem, in the abundance of Your kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation” (Tehillim 69:13). Why do we say this pasuk specifically during Mincha of Shabbos?
Furthermore, the great mussar teachers tell us that if we observe an issue relating to avodas Hashem not being given the respect it deserves, it is a sign that it is an extremely holy matter. The fact that we have such difficulty coming on time to Mincha – and even more so in concentrating on thewords – tells us that this must be a very special tefillah The Yetzer Horah knows this and does all he can to make sure we do not utilize this opportunity to achieve greatness. But why is this so?
After The Meal
The Tur (Orach Hachaim 292:1) explains that we say this pasuk during Mincha because the pasuk that precedes it states: “Those who sit by the gate talk about Me and those who drink beer sing [disgracefully] about Me.” Dovid Hamelech says to Hashem: “This nation is unlike all the other nations. All the nations of the world go wild after they feast and drink. But we – even though we drink – say ‘Va’ani tefilasi licha Hashem.’” Itis our feast that helps us turn to Hashem in prayer.
Let us explain.
When the nations feast, they do so in order to give pleasure to their animalistic side – the body. Once they have done so, they go wild, for the animal has been let loose. During the week, we may try to have the proper intentions during meals, i.e., eating in order to serve Hashem, however, our involvement in parnassah and mundane matters makes it difficult. But when we eat on Shabbos it is a totally different type of meal. We are able to focus on raising our spiritual level. Thus, we are able to eat primarily because it is a mitzvah to enjoy Shabbos and celebrate Hashem’s wonderful creation. The result of such a meal is to turn to Hashem, the source of all this kindness, and to come close to Him in prayer. This type of tefillah is very special in Hashem’s eyes.
However, there is a much deeper reason why Mincha of Shabbos is such a special tefillah. The Zohar tells us (Parshas Yisro 88b) that all week long the time of Mincha is a time of din, of strong judgment. “However, on Shabbos when the time of the tefillah of Mincha arrives, the ‘Ravah d’Ravin,’ the Will of all Wills, can be found, and Hashem reveals His true Will. The judgment is now suppressed, and there is good will and happiness everywhere.” The Ben Ish Chai writes that one must be extremely careful when davening Mincha on Shabbos, as it is a holy time when much can be accomplished in Heaven. Even though this is a Kabalistic subject, perhaps we can gain at least a simple understanding of what Ravah D’Ravin means and why it is such a special time.
This Too is for Good
Rav Shimshon Pinkus (Shabbos Malkasa, pg. 171) explains the Zohar as follows: The entire universe exists the way it does because it is the Will of Hashem that each thing should exist in that way. In other words, the world is really just a collection of various Wills of Hashem. Here is a Will for happiness, there sadness. Here light, there darkness. Here holiness, there impurity. But there is a source for of all these Wills and that source is Hashem’s desire to bestow good. That Will is the reason Hashem created this world, and that is the underlying Will of all the Wills, even those that appear to be bad.
This is the meaning of the Gemara in Berachos (60b) where it says that everything that happens in the world is for good, even though it doesn’t always appear that way. In the darkness of this world we cannot understand His ways, but in the World to Come, everything will be clear and we will know that what seemed bad was really good. In truth, we can see this in our lives when we recognize how much good He does for us.
Though this is something we must always strive to see, on Shabbos afternoon it is easier. Previously (February 7), we explained that each part of Shabbos corresponds to one of three special Shabbosim, and Shabbos afternoon corresponds to the Shabbos of the World to Come. Thus, the light of the next world shines strongly during this time and goodwill and happiness are everywhere. Which is the reason we say “Va’ani tefilasi” during Mincha on Shabbos, for this is the time that the Zohar tells us that the good will of Hashem is revealed.
The Sefer Charedim (chapter 71) writes that during the tefillah of Mincha on Shabbos, all the tefillos of Klal Yisroel are accepted! This can be understood with the words of the Tur (Orach Chaim 232) that one should put extra effort when davening Mincha as Eliyahu HaNavi was answered specifically during the time of Mincha. Praying the most accepted tefillah during the most favorable time of the week is a sure recipe for success!
The seforim tell us that Mincha is when Hashem bestows upon the entire week all the blessings of Shabbos. This is why the Yetzer Horah tries so hard to mess up our davening – he knows we have much to gain. If we say the pasuk of va’ani tefilasi with fervor and joy, it will help us daven the shemoneh esreh of Mincha with much more concentration, as we realize that these precious moments are a time of much goodwill. Let us make sure not to let a single Mincha slip through our fingers this winter!
