Shabbos Bulletin Parshas Mikeitz (Chanukah) 5777

Tefilla Halacha

It’s time for that special Friday Minchah again—besides the lechatchilah minhag to daven it before hadlakas ner Chanukah. Because Friday is ALSO Rosh Chodesh, but Shabbos is not.

Therefore: If one forgets to say ya’aleh v’yavo at Minchah Friday Rosh Chodesh (maybe due to being too focused on al hanissim), and doesn’t remember to repeat shemoneh essrei (and of course one says al hanissim in that repetition as well) before it is already too late (i.e, after sheki’ah), then since Shabbos is NOT Rosh Chodesh (though it is still Chanukah!), it is a major shayloh if one can daven ma’ariv twice. Such a case (where you will not be saying “yaaleh veyavo” at the make-up tefillah) is a general shayloh even if it occurs during weekdays, and the aytzah given there is to daven the “repeat” Tefilla as a nedava – but this cannot be done on Shabbos!

And so:

Mishnah B’rurah says: Only one shemoneh essrei by Ma’ariv. No aytzah, sorry. You missed a tefillah. Ask Rav Malinowitz how to do teshuvah.

Aruch HaShulchan is noteh: Two amidahs by Ma’ariv. The Halacha lema’aseh is to treat the Minchah simply as a missed Tefillah, and it doesn’t matter that you will not be saying ya’aleh v’yavo at the makeup Tefillah.

Rav Malinowitz says: DON’T FORGET YA’ALEH V’YAVO AT MINCHA!! (and if you do, remember that you forgot before sheki’ah – or before you are mekabel Shabbos – and daven Minchah again.)

And never ever forget al hanissim—thanks and gratitude for the nitzachon and ness of Chanukah. For the eternity of our connection to Torah and Mitzvohs. And through that, to HaShem.