Engaging in Activity Before Prayer

There are certain activities that can cause one to lose track of time. The rabbis of the Talmud were concerned that if one engages in these activities before prayer, one may miss the prayer of that particular time. This concern is especially true of Mincha which is recited during the afternoon, the busiest time of the day for most people. In this week's issue, we will discuss certain rabbinic enactments that were instituted to ensure that prayers are not missed due to involvement in other activities.

Activities Before Mincha

The Mishna, Shabbat 9b, lists five activities which should not performed before reciting Mincha: one should not begin a haircut, one should not enter a bathhouse, one should not begin tanning leather, one should not begin a meal, and one should not begin proceedings of a beit din (rabbinical court).

The Mishna states that these prohibitions begin at samuch L'Mincha, approximately one-half hour before the time for Mincha. However, the term "Mincha" can refer to two different times. Mincha Gedolah begins one-half hour after midday. Mincha Ketana begins two and one-half hours before sunset. [The times are calculated in halachic hours. See last week's issue. There is a dispute whether the half-hour of Mincha Gedolah is calculated in halachic hours or real hours. This dispute is beyond the scope of this article.]

The Gemara, ad loc., presents three possibilities to interpret the Mishna. First, the Mishna refers to Mincha Ketana. Second, the Mishna refers to Mincha Gedolah but only prohibits activities that can take the whole afternoon, such as a large meal or a specialty haircut. A small meal or a regular haircut is permissible before one recites Mincha. Third, the Mishna refers to Mincha Gedolah and even prohibits a small meal or a regular haircut.

Rif, Shabbat 4a, rules that one should follow the third interpretation of the Gemara that one may not engage in regular activities when Mincha Gedolah is approaching until one recites Mincha. Tosafot, Shabbat 9b, s.v. B'Tisporet, rule that the second interpretation is the accepted interpretation and therefore, the Mishna prohibits large meals and specialty haircuts when Mincha Gedolah is approaching.

In giving examples of large meals, Tosafot list wedding and circumcision feasts. Kol Bo no. 11, adds that large is not defined by the length of the meal but by the number of people eating at the meal. He does not give a specific number that defines a meal as large. He also questions whether a meal of a large family constitutes a large meal.

Within the opinion that the Mishna refers to a large meal as Mincha Gedolah is approaching, one can still question whether a regular meal is permissible as Mincha Ketana is approaching. Tosafot, op. cit., rule that one may not eat any meal once Mincha Ketana is approaching. Rabbeinu Asher, Berachot 4:11, disagrees and maintains that one may eat a regular meal because there is no concern that someone will miss Mincha in such a situation.

R. Zerachiah HaLevi, Ba'al HaMaor, Shabbat 3b, presents a lenient interpretation of the Mishna that is not found in the Gemara. He claims that the entire Gemara is based on the opinion of R. Yehoshua ben Levi who assumes that there is a definite prohibition to eat once Mincha Ketana arrives. R. Zerachiah HaLevi claims that since the Gemara, Berachot 28b, rejects the opinion of R. Yehoshua ben Levi, it is possible that the Mishna's prohibition is limited to large meals and specialty haircuts as Mincha Ketana approaches.

Sefer HaAgudah, Shabbat no. 6, notes that many people are lenient to eat a large meal after the approach of Mincha Ketana. Although this doesn't seem to be appropriate according to any of the aforementioned opinions, he suggests that they rely on the fact that the shamash (the synagogue's caretaker) summons the congregants to Mincha. This will ensure that people will stop their meals to recite Mincha.

Codification of the Discussion

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 232:2, codifies the opinion of Rif that even a regular meal or a regular haircut is prohibited as Mincha Gedolah approaches. Rama, ad loc., rules in accordance with the opinion of Tosafot that the Mishna refers to a large meal as Mincha Gedolah approaches. Regarding eating a regular meal as Mincha Ketana approaches, Rama rules that one may be lenient based on three factors. First, Rabbeinu Asher's opinion that one may eat a regular meal at Mincha Ketana. Second, R. Zerachiah HaLevi's opinion that only large meals are prohibited at Mincha Ketana. Third, Sefer Agudah's leniency to rely on the summoning of the shamash.

Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 232:15-16, notes that not all communities have a shamash that calls the congregants to Mincha. He wonders if there is another justification to eat a regular meal during Mincha Ketana. One of his suggestions is that one may rely on the fact that if one attends a regular service, he will not forget. This idea is presented by Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 89:6, in a different context.

Mishna Berurah, Sha'ar HaTziun 235:22, implies that there is another solution in communities where there is no shamash summoning the congregants to Mincha. One can simply appoint someone else (who is not involved in one of the prohibited activities) to remind him to recite Mincha. R. Shlomo Z. Auerbach (cited in Halichot Shlomo 2:12) rules that setting an alarm clock is the equivalent of appointing someone else. However, he does not allow one to rely on the alarm clock for someone who wants to sleep because it is common for people to turn off the alarm clock and fall back asleep.

Do These Prohibitions Apply to Other Prayers?

While Mincha is the busiest time of the day, one can still question whether these prohibitions apply to the other prayers. However, there are two complicating factors in relating this discussion to the other prayers. First, Shacharit is the first prayer one encounters upon arising in the morning. As such, the laws relating to what activities one may perform before Shacharit are much more stringent than the restrictions prior to Mincha. Second, one generally fulfills the mitzvah of reciting K'riat Sh'ma at Shacharit and Ma'ariv. Recitation of K'riat Sh'ma is a biblical mitzvah and is subject to its own set of prohibitions regarding what activities may be performed before the fulfillment of the mitzvah.

The prayer most comparable to Mincha in this regard is Mussaf. The Gemara, Berachot 28b, presents the opinion of Rav Huna that one may not eat anything before reciting Mussaf. However, the Gemara concludes that we don't accept the ruling of Rav Huna. Nevertheless, Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah, Berachot 19a, s.v. V'Leit, compare eating before Mussaf to eating before Mincha. Therefore, the Gemara's allowance to eat before Mussaf only applies to a snack. One may not eat a meal before reciting Mussaf.

The ruling of Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah is codified by Shulchan Aruch 286:3. R. Yoel Sirkes, Bach, Orach Chaim no. 286, notes that the prohibition against eating before Mussaf should not be more stringent than the prohibition against eating before Mincha. Therefore, one can rely on the opinion of Rabbeinu Asher that a regular meal may be eaten before Mincha. Magen Avraham 286:1 and subsequently Mishna Berurah 286:9, rule that one may rely on R. Sirkes' opinion if one feels too weak to recite Mussaf otherwise. Mishna Berurah adds that in such a situation one must recite Kiddush (on Shabbat or Yom Tov) before eating the meal.