Mincha on Fast of Esther

Mincha

• There is both a Torah and Haftorah reading as part of the Mincha service.
• As mentioned, only one who is fasting should be called for an aliyah.
• During the silent Amidah, one who is fasting should add the Aneinu prayer to the Shema Koleinu blessing.
• If one forgot to say Aneinu in Shema Koleinu, one should say it before or after the final Yihiyu Leratzon at the end the Amidah.
• The Chazan should say the mini priestly blessing during the repetition of the Amidah as is done on the Mincha of a fast day.
• Tachnun and Avinu Malkeinu aren’t recited at Mincha.

The main reward of a fast day is the Tzedaka that it is customary to give to the poor. Some have a custom to give the poor the amount of money they would have spent on eating that day (the approximate value of two meals).

One should pray Ma’ariv and hear the Megilah before breaking his fast.

• One who is sick or weak from the fast may drink and have snack food (but not grain food more than the size of an egg) after nightfall before hearing the Megillah.