Tehillim 72 and the Ari's Mincha
Tehillim 72 and the Ari's Mincha
יִֽירָא֥וּךָ עִם־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְלִפְנֵ֥י יָ֝רֵ֗חַ דּ֣וֹר דּוֹרִֽים
- “Yira'ukha im shemesh ve-lifnei yare'ach dor dorim” - (May they fear You as long as the sun endures).
Rabbeinu Ari HaKadosh, zt”l, was very careful to recite the Mincha prayer immediately before sunset, in accordance with the Sages’ interpretation of the verse in Tehillim 72:5.
It is known that he had a special minyan for this purpose, whose members waited for the proper time and occupied themselves with nothing else.
Stories of Tzadikim – the Resting Place of Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai
Once, the Admor of Sanz — Rabbi Yekutiel Yehuda Halberstam — traveled with his Hasidim to the resting place of the Tanna Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai.
They recited Tehillim and then prayed Mincha, as it was already beginning to grow dark.
After Mincha, the Rebbe’s mood changed — something was troubling him. When the students asked what had happened, the Rebbe explained: “Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai says in ‘Masechet Berakhot’ (Perek 4, Mishnah 1) that one must pray before Plag ha-Mincha — one hour or one hour and fifteen minutes before nightfall (there was a machloket regarding this).
Although we do not follow his opinion, it would be chutzpah to pray Mincha at his gravesite after the time he established. We must return tomorrow and rectify everything.”
The next day, they returned to the grave of Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai. This time they arrived earlier in the afternoon and prayed Mincha before Plag ha-Mincha, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai. After they finished praying Mincha, the Rebbe again felt the burden lift from him.
He had rectified what he considered an affront to the great Tanna, Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai.
(based on Sefer “Maggid” by Rabbi Pesach Krohn, and on “The Torah Code of Law by Weekly Torah Portion” Ben Ish Chai)
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Tags: The Hidden Meaning of Tehillim, the Arizal, Mincha, Tehillim 72, Tehillim 72 and the Arizal's Mincha, Mincha of the Arizal
