Chapter 21 : Laws of Compensation When a Prayer is Omitted

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§1

We have already explained (in Ch. 18), that if (one delayed) purposely (and) the time for prayer passed one cannot (for this) compensate. However, if it happened by mistake, or by forces beyond one's control, one did not pray, or one made an error in one's prayers, on something which would require one to repeat and pray the Shemoneh Esreh again (but it's too late), one may compensate, ¹ after completing the (Shemoneh Esreh) prayers of the service following that. One needs to pray the prayer which is appropriate for this time, and then the prayer for which one is compensating. For example, if one did not pray the morning service when the time for the afternoon service arrives, one should first pray, the (Shemoneh Esreh) prayers of the afternoon service and say Tachanun. Immediately afterwards, one says "Happy (are they)" and (then) prays another Shemoneh Esreh, to compensate for the morning service. If one did not pray the afternoon service, one should first pray the evening service, wait only the amount of time it takes to walk four cubits, and not say "Happy (are they)", but, immediately pray (another) Shemoneh Esreh prayers to compensate for the afternoon service. If one did not pray the evening service, then, after the (Shemoneh Esreh) prayers of the morning service, one says Tachanun, then "Happy (are they)", and (then) prays (again) the Shemoneh Esreh prayers, to compensate for the evening service. Afterwards, one says ² "For the Chief Musician" and (then) "And there shall come to Zion...". It is forbidden (like before the morning service) for one to eat until after praying also this (Shemoneh Esreh) prayers, which compensates for the evening service.

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1. With a second Shemoneh Esreh.
2. Psalm 49

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§2

If one did not pray (the Shemoneh Esreh in time), though one had the opportunity to pray, because one thought that one would still have time after one completed the activity with which one was involved; and meanwhile the time (for one's prayer) passed; and similarly, one who was preoccupied with financial affairs so that one would not suffer a loss, and for this reason lost (the opportunity) to pray on time. Even though it is forbidden (in these cases) to pass over the time for prayer because of financial loss, in any event (for cases) of forces beyond one's control, one may (for prayers one failed to say) compensate. Similarly, if one was (so) drunk that one was not in a fit state to pray, this is also considered as one prevented by forces beyond his control. This applies even though one began to drink when it was forbidden to do so, after the time for prayer had already arrived.

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§3

There is no compensation for a prayer ¹ except in the service that follows. However, if one delays any longer, it is impossible to compensate. For example, if one failed to pray both the morning and afternoon services, one can compensate for the afternoon service in the evening service which follows. However, one can not compensate for the morning service, since two prayer times passed, (during which) one did not pray neither at the correct time, nor (after) the afternoon prayer time. ²

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1. That was not said in its proper time.
2. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav 108:9 and the Mishna Berurah 108,19 explain that except on Shabbat and festivals, it is proper to pray an additional Shemoneh Esreh as compensation. However, one should add a new request, in addition to the normal text of the Shemoneh Esreh in that prayer. One should make the following stipulation: If it is possible to compensate for a missed prayer after one service has passed, this Shemoneh Esreh should be considered as intended for that purpose. If that is not possible, this Shemoneh Esreh should be considered as a prayer offered as a gift.

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§4

On a day with Mussaf service, if one did not pray the morning service, one can (still) compensate for it after the afternoon service. (Since the time for the Mussaf service extends until night, if necessary, like the afternoon service so it is not (regarded as though there has) passed the time for two services.) After the Mussaf service, (however), one is not able to compensate for the morning service. ¹ (Since it mentions the sacrifices ² of Mussaf, it is not an appropriate substitute for the morning service.) Nevertheless, if the time for the morning service has not passed, one may pray the morning service, even though one has aleady prayed the Mussaf service.

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1. By praying the Mussaf again.
2. Offered after the daily morning service.

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§5

There is no compensation for a Shemoneh Esreh which was missed except during the time of the following prayer service, but not during a time which is not a time of prayer. For example, if one waited a long time after praying the service which one was obligated at that time, one cannot add another prayer, to compensate for for the prayer that was missed; ¹ because (the Sages) did not decree compensation for a prayer one missed except at the time one is occupied with a currently obligatory prayer service; then since one is involved in praying, one may also compensate for what was missed. ²

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1. For example, a person failed to pray the morning service, and later prayed the afternoon service in its proper time. After he waited an hour, he wanted to compensate for the morning service which he omitted. This is not allowed even though the sun has not set and, thus the time for the afternoon service has not passed.
2. The Mishna Berurah 108:15 allows one to compensate for the omitted prayer in such circumstances.

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§6

The compensating Shemoneh Esreh which one prays, must be prayed as one would pray then the obligatory prayers. For example, if one did not pray the afternoon service on (Friday afternoon) before Shabbat one prays two evening Shemoneh Esreh of Shabbat. Even though the second one is to compensate for a weekday service, in any event, because it is now the Shabbat, one prays the Shabbat prayers. If one prayed the weekday (Shemoneh Esreh), one must pray again. ¹ Similarly, on the day before Rosh Chodesh, if one did not pray the afternoon service, one prays two evening Shemoneh Esreh, and says in both of them "Let ascend and come". Similarly, if one did not pray the evening service on Rosh Chodesh one prays two Shemoneh Esreh in the morning service. If one forgot "Let ascend and come" even in the second one, one repeats the Shemoneh Esreh again. (Even though this is compensation for the evening, and (this omission) would not require one to repeat, in any case, at present it is day (and one must repeat).) ² On the Shabbat, if one did not pray the afternoon prayers, one prays (during) the evening service, also two (Shemoneh Esreh) of the weekday. Nevertheless, there is a difference with "You have favored us". ³ In the first (Shemoneh Esreh), one says "You have favored us", but in the second one does not say. The reason for this (difference) is that "You have favored us" is considered like Havdalah, and one does not make Havdalah twice in one's prayers. The converse is also true. If one forgot the Saturday night evening service, (on Sunday) two morning services are said. One says in the Shemoneh Esreh that compensates (for the evening), "You have favored us" because from the principle of these laws, one needs to make Havdalah in this prayer. ⁴

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1. This decision follows the Shulchan Aruch HaRav 108:14. However, the Mishna Berurah 108:25 considers one free from any further obligations.
2. In this instance, as well, the Mishna Berurah allows for leniency and does not require the require the repetition of the Shemoneh Esreh.
3. Which takes out Shabbat.
4. In contrast to the Shulchan Aruch HaRav 294:2, the Mishna Berurah 108:33 does not require one to mention "You have favored us" in one's prayers if one has already said Havdalah. Rav Chaim Soloveitchik explains that even though the second prayer is compensation for the evening service, one should say "You have favored us" in the first Shemoneh Esreh, since the obligation is to say this prayer in the first Shemoneh Esreh one prays after the end of the Shabbat.

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§7

One erred in the Rosh Chodesh afternoon service and didn't say "Let ascend and come", when the following day is not Rosh Chodesh, and then even if one prays two evening Shemoneh Esreh, one will gain (by this) nothing. Since (in this service) one can no longer say "Let ascend and come", and without "Let ascend and come", since one has already prayed and so one should not pray the (second) compensatory (prayer) at all. ¹

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1. The Mishna Berurah (108:18) suggests praying a second Shemoneh Esreh as described before.

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§8

The Mussaf service, because it's time is the entire day, so, since the evening service follows it. ¹ Nevertheless, (the law is that) there is no compensation (for the Mussaf service) at night, because the Mussaf prayers were instituted, ² "(prayer of) our lips take the place of bulls." Since, if its time had passed, its sacrifice (in the temple) was no longer acceptable. ³

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1. You might think that the afternoon service is the compensation for Mussaf if omitted, but since the Mussaf prayers can (in principle) be prayed at any time up to the evening, the evening service is its compensation.
2. Instead of the Mussaf offerings, as written in Hos. 14:3.
3. So the same applies to the Mussaf prayers which replaced the actual sacrifices of temple times.

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§9

A person who was required to pray the morning Shemoneh Esreh twice or the afternoon services twice, (as compensation), if he is also the chazan, he fulfills his obligation when he repeats the Shemoneh Esreh out loud.

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§10

One who was not sure if one had prayed (the Shemoneh Esreh) or not, in our times, (as (additional) prayers are not prayed as "gifts") one does not repeat one's prayers. ¹

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1. This is the rule, but the Shulchan Aruch HaRav 107:1 and the Mishna Berurah 107:2 do not accept this decision.