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Topic: Davening, making up a forgotten Amidah

Josh Zana wrote:

I am a 9th grade student at Yeshiva University of L.A. High School. We were learning Shulchan Aruch 108 and had the following question: If someone forgot to daven Shachrit [pray the morning services] and was not able to make it up at Mincha [afternoon service], is it advisable to daven as a nedava [voluntary prayer of the '18 blessings' of the 'shmone esrei'] during Maariv [evening services]? One reason to do this is so that you make up your davening; a reason against is that since we don't have such good Kavanah [concentration], it's like we're giving a bad present to Hashem. My Rabbi asked me to ask you this.

Thank you,


Josh Zana, North Hollywood CA

Dear Josh,

I asked Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, shlita, and he said that in such a situation you may pray a 'nedava' provided you are 'mechadesh' -- meaning that you introduce some fresh idea into the prayer. However, Rabbi Scheinberg's advice is to wait till the next morning, ask the person leading the service to 'have you in mind', and listen carefully during the repetition of the 'shmone esrei' with intention to make up the missed prayer.

Sources:

  • See Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 108:5

 
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