Shmoneh Esrei is the pinnacle of davening. It’s the opportunity to stand before Hashem and make your requests.
In the morning by Shacharis we wake up early. We don’t do anything before davening such as work or eat in order to keep our minds and body;s pure. We put on our Tefilin surrounding ourselves in kedusha. Then we take a long journey where we traverse the four worlds in our quest to get an audience before Hashem. Brachos and korbonos help us escape the physical world. Pesukei D’zimra helps us navigate our way through the malachim. Birchas Shema and Shema gives us admission past the through the inner guards until finally we are granted a personal with Hashem for Shmoneh Esrei. This all sounds plausible.
What is harder to understand is Mincha. We spend our time absorbed at work. We eat lunch. Then we “grab” or “chap” a “quick” mincha. Not only that but all we say is “Ashrei” and then boom! There we are standing face to face with the King of All Kings before we even have a chance to take our latest order/client out of our mind. If that’s not enough the gemara in Brachos 6b says that Tefilas Mincha is your best chance to be granted what you ask for. All that without the entire preparation.
Gives you something to think about this mincha doesn’t it???
