)
The Sages instituted three daily prayer services: the morning prayer, Shaĥarit; the afternoon prayer, Minĥa; and the evening prayer, Ma’ariv (also referred to as Arvit). These correspond to the three patriarchs. In addition to the special prayers the patriarchs recited in times of trouble or when they needed extra help, we have a tradition that each one also prayed regularly at a certain time of day. Abraham, whose faith illuminated the world like the sun, prayed in the morning. Isaac, who continued on Abraham’s path and helped perpetuate the light of faith, prayed in the afternoon. Jacob, who struggled with difficulties and complications that darkened his life, but which left him stronger, prayed at night. This expressed his faith that the eternal heavenly light would shine out of all the darkness.
The prayer services also correspond to the daily offerings brought in the Temple (19:9 above). For prayers and sacrifices are both expressions of the soul’s connection to God. In fact, the times of the prayer services are patterned on the times of the offerings, meaning the time when they were slaughtered and their blood sprinkled on the altar. Therefore, Shaĥarit may be recited from the morning’s first light until four hours past sunrise. Minĥa may be recited from half an hour after midday until the sun sets. Ma’ariv, which corresponds to the completion of the sacrifices with the burning of limbs on the altar, may be recited from the appearance of the stars until midnight (and if necessary, all through the night). The times here are seasonal hours, not sixty-minute hours. If we divide daylight hours into twelve, each twelfth is a seasonal hour. In the summer, when days are longer, the seasonal hours are longer. In the winter, when days are shorter, the seasonal hours are shorter too. The exact prayer times can be found in standard Jewish calendars.
In the Temple, an additional sacrifice was offered on Shabbat, holidays, and Rosh Ĥodesh. Correspondingly, on those days we have the additional prayer service, Musaf.
