What is the Mincha (Afternoon) Prayer?

Tefillat Mincha (תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה — the Afternoon Prayer) is one of the three daily prayers of Jewish tradition, recited in the afternoon hours. It was instituted by the patriarch Isaac, as derived from the verse "וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב" — "And Isaac went out to suach (converse/meditate) in the field toward evening" (Genesis 24:63), where sicha (שִׂיחָה) is understood as a reference to prayer.

Key Takeaways

Mincha was instituted by Isaac (Yitzchak Avinu), the second of the three Patriarchs, each of whom established one of the three daily prayers.
Its name derives from the mincha (meal offering) brought in the Temple each afternoon, connecting personal prayer to the Temple service.
It is recited in the afternoon, from mincha gedola (half an hour after midday) through sunset, with the preferred time being mincha ketana (approximately 2.5 halachic hours before nightfall).
Mincha holds special spiritual significance — the Talmud notes it is a time of Divine favor (et ratzon), making it particularly powerful.
A declaration of intent (leshem yichud) is recited before Mincha in the Sephardic/Edot HaMizrach tradition, unifying the prayer with its cosmic root.

Origin and Patriarchal Institution

The Talmud [Berakhot 26b] teaches that each of the three Patriarchs instituted one of the three daily prayers:

Abraham instituted Shacharit (morning prayer) — derived from Genesis 19:27: "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר" — "And Abraham rose early in the morning."
Isaac instituted Mincha (afternoon prayer) — derived from Genesis 24:63: "וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה" — "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field."
Jacob instituted Maariv (evening prayer) — derived from Genesis 28:11: "וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם" — "And he encountered the place."

The Kedushat Levi (R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev) on Parashat Chayei Sara explains this explicitly, noting: "אברהם תיקן תפילת שחרית... ויצחק תיקן תפילת מנחה... ויעקב תיקן תפילת ערבית" — "Abraham instituted the morning prayer... Isaac instituted Mincha... Jacob instituted the evening prayer." [Kedushat Levi, Genesis, Chayei Sara 27]

The word שִׂיחָה (sicha — conversation/meditation) in Isaac's verse is interpreted as prayer, as supported by Psalm 102:1: "תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי ה' יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ" — "A prayer of the afflicted... and before God he pours out his sicho (speech/prayer)."

The Name "Mincha" — Why This Word?

The Kedushat Levi raises a beautiful question: the names Shacharit (from shachar, dawn) and Maariv (from erev, evening) both describe the time of day — but why is the afternoon prayer called Mincha, which means a "gift offering"?

He answers that Mincha refers to the afternoon tamid offering brought in the Temple each day. Just as that sacrifice was a gift (mincha) to God at the midpoint of the day, so too this prayer is an offering of the heart in the afternoon hours.

This connection between prayer and Temple sacrifice is foundational: the Talmud [Berakhot 26b] presents a dual tradition — the prayers either correspond to the Patriarchs or to the daily Temple offerings (korbanot tamid).

Times of Mincha

Halacha distinguishes between two windows for Mincha:

Mincha Gedola (מִנְחָה גְּדוֹלָה — "the large Mincha"): Begins half an hour after chatzot (halachic midday). This is the earliest permitted time.
Mincha Ketana (מִנְחָה קְטַנָּה — "the small Mincha"): Begins 2.5 shaot zmaniyot (halachic hours) before nightfall. This is the preferred time (l'chatchila), as it corresponds more closely to when the Temple offering was brought [Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 233].

Mincha must be completed before nightfall (tzet hakochavim), though in pressing circumstances it may be recited until sunset.

Special Spiritual Significance

The Talmud [Berakhot 6b] states that one should be especially careful with Tefillat Mincha, as the prophet Elijah was answered at that time (I Kings 18). This reflects the idea that the afternoon is an et ratzon — a time of Divine favor.

Psalm 69:14 expresses this beautifully: "וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה' עֵת רָצוֹן" — "But as for me, my prayer is to You, O God, at a time of favor." [Psalms 69:14]

Additionally, the Mateh Efrayim [581:57] notes that on Erev Rosh Hashanah, the community should enter for Mincha while the day is still long, praying with great kavana (intention), since it is the last Mincha of the outgoing year — a particularly weighty moment spiritually.

The Leshem Yichud (Declaration of Intent)

In the Sephardic/Edot HaMizrach tradition, Mincha is preceded by a leshem yichud declaration [Siddur Edot HaMizrach, Weekday Mincha, Offerings]:

"הִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ בָּאִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה, שֶׁתִּקֵּן יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם" "Behold, we come to pray the Mincha prayer, which was instituted by our father Isaac, peace be upon him, with all the commandments included within it, to repair its root in the supernal place, to bring satisfaction to our Creator and to fulfill the will of our Maker."

This declaration frames Mincha not merely as a personal obligation, but as a cosmic act — unifying the Divine Name and elevating all the mitzvot embedded within the prayer.

Structure of Mincha

A standard weekday Mincha consists of:

Ashrei (Psalm 145) — recited before the Amida
Chatzi Kaddish — half-Kaddish
Amida (the Shemoneh Esreh, Eighteen Blessings) — the core prayer, recited silently, then repeated by the chazzan (prayer leader) when a minyan is present
Tachanun (

What is the Mincha (afternoon) prayer?