What is mincha service english and hebrew?

The Mincha service (מִנְחָה, literally "gift" or "offering") is the Jewish afternoon prayer service, one of the three daily prayer services (Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv). It corresponds to the daily afternoon tamid (continual) offering brought in the Temple, and is recited between halachic midday and nightfall. The service is relatively brief, consisting primarily of Ashrei, the Amidah (Shemoneh Esrei), and Aleinu.

Key Takeaways

Mincha is the afternoon prayer service, recited between midday and nightfall each day.
Its name (מִנְחָה) means "gift/offering," rooted in the Temple's afternoon sacrifice.
The Talmud treats Mincha seriously — one must not begin activities that might cause one to miss it [Shabbat 9b].
The core of Mincha is the silent Amidah (standing prayer of 18/19 blessings).
On Shabbat and fast days, a Torah reading is added to the Mincha service.

Name and Origin

The Word מִנְחָה (Mincha)

The word מִנְחָה appears throughout the Torah to mean a grain offering or gift to God [Numbers 28:26]:

"וּבְיוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים בְּהַקְרִיבְכֶם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה לַיהֹוָה" "On the day of first fruits, when you bring a new grain offering (mincha) to Hashem..."

The afternoon prayer takes its name from the afternoon tamid sacrifice offered in the Temple, which was accompanied by a mincha grain offering.

Biblical Roots

The Talmud traces the three daily prayers to the three Patriarchs:

Shacharit (morning) — Avraham
Mincha (afternoon) — Yitzchak, who went out to meditate in the field toward evening [Genesis 24:63]
Maariv (evening) — Yaakov

[Berakhot 26b]

When Is Mincha Recited?

Mincha has two time windows:

| Name | Hebrew | Time | Notes | |------|--------|------|-------| | Mincha Gedolah | מִנְחָה גְּדוֹלָה | From 30 min after halachic noon | Earliest permissible time | | Mincha Ketanah | מִנְחָה קְטַנָּה | From 2.5 halachic hours before sunset | Preferred time (l'chatchila) |

The deadline (Mincha l'zmanah) is sunset, though some opinions allow until nightfall.

The Talmud's Warning About Mincha

The Mishnah in [Shabbat 9b] famously warns:

"לֹא יֵשֵׁב אָדָם לִפְנֵי הַסַּפָּר סָמוּךְ לַמִּנְחָה עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל" "A person should not sit before a barber near the time of Mincha until he has prayed."

The Mishnah continues: one may not enter a bathhouse, tannery, eat a meal, or begin a court case — all lest they become preoccupied and miss Mincha.

The Talmud [Berakhot 6b] famously states that Eliyahu HaNavi praised Mincha highly: "Be careful with Tefillat Mincha" — because it was at the time of the afternoon offering that Eliyahu's prayer was answered on Mount Carmel [1 Kings 18:36-38].

Structure of the Mincha Service

1. אַשְׁרֵי — Ashrei (Psalm 145)

The service opens with Ashrei ("Happy are those who dwell in Your house"), which praises God's greatness and kingship.

2. חֲצִי קַדִּישׁ — Chatzi Kaddish (Half Kaddish)

A brief doxology recited by the prayer leader, sanctifying God's name.

יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא "May His great name be exalted and sanctified..."

3. עֲמִידָה — Amidah / Shemoneh Esrei

The central prayer — recited silently while standing, facing Jerusalem.

On weekdays: 19 blessings covering praise, petition, and thanksgiving. On Shabbat/Yom Tov: a shortened 7-blessing version.

Deuteronomy 11:13 — the second paragraph of Shema — captures the spirit of the Amidah:

"וּלְעׇבְד֔וֹ בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם" "To serve Him with all your heart and all your soul"

The Sages interpret "service of the heart" (avodah shebalev) as prayer [Ta'anit 2a].

4. חֲזָרַת הַשַּׁץ — Repetition of the Amidah

The prayer leader repeats the Amidah aloud when a minyan (quorum of 10) is present. The congregation responds Amen and Kedushah is recited.

5. תַּחֲנוּן — Tachanun (Supplication)

On weekdays (except special days), a personal supplication is added, drawing on the spirit of Psalm 69:14:

"וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ יְהֹוָה עֵת רָצוֹן" "As for me, my prayer is to You, Hashem, at an auspicious time"

6. קַדִּישׁ שָׁלֵם — Kaddish Shalem (Full Kaddish)

Recited by the prayer leader after the Amidah repetition.

7. עָלֵינוּ — Aleinu

The closing prayer, declaring God's sovereignty over all the world.

8. קַדִּישׁ יָתוֹם — Kaddish Yatom (Mourner's Kaddish)

Recited by mourners in the congregation.

Special Additions

Shabbat Mincha

A Torah reading is added (the beginning of next week's parasha, three aliyot)
The Amidah includes the middle blessing: "אַתָּה אֶחָד" (Attah Echad — "You are One")
Birkat Hamazon after Shabbat meals adds: "הַרָחֲמָן הוּא יַנְחִילֵנוּ יוֹם שֶׁכֻּלוֹ שַׁבָּת" — "May the Merciful One grant us a day that is entirely Shabbat" [Birkat Hamazon, Hatov Vehametiv]

Fast Day Mincha

A Torah reading (Vayechal, Exodus 32-34) is added
Haftarah from Isaiah 55 is chanted
Aneinu (special fast day prayer) is inserted in the