There is a debate in the gemara in Brochos as to whether the davening of Maariv is a chovah, an obligation, or a reshus, a voluntary tefillah, (unlike Shacharis and Mincha which are obligatory). We ultimately pasken that as it pertains to practical Halachah, it is a reshus, a voluntary tefillah, but nevertheless, the Jewish people have committed themselves to treat it as if it is obligatory.
In this gemara, no distinction is made between Maariv on different days of the year – every Maariv is considered to be the same as it relates to this discussion. The Zohar Hakadosh (Tikunei Zohar 20), however, writes that Maariv is only considered a reshus during the 6 days of the week, but Maariv on Friday night, the Maariv of Shabbos, is an obligation just like Shacharis and Mincha.
Why would the davening of Maariv on Shabbos be different from the rest of the week? In general, why would Maariv ever be different than Shacharis and Mincha? What makes Maariv stand out as the ‘optional’ prayer?
Rav Tzadok (Tzidkas Hatzadik 7) explains that Maariv is a voluntary tefillah because davening to Hashem requires a certain presence of mind and an atmosphere of recognizing the Ribono Shel Olam’s presence. That is the environment within which one is able, and is obligated, to daven. Davening is the experience of standing before the King, and one must be in an environment that is conducive to that. Daytime represents a time of illumination and clarity – of an experience that is conducive to being aware of G-d’s presence. Therefore it is a timeframe in which we can have a requirement to daven. Rav Tzadok continues that nighttime represents doubt, uncertainty, and G-d’s concealment. Although one can muster up the spiritual strength to call out to Hashem despite all the spiritual darkness, that is not a time when we can obligate a Jew to daven, and therefore, each night, Maariv is considered voluntary.
‘Based on this we can understand the view of the Zohar that this only applies to the six days of the week, but not on Shabbos. Shabbos is a day when we connect ourselves to the truth that Hashem created the entire world. This is a profound idea because it means that Hashem created the absolute entirety of the world. His energy is invested equally in all things and all experiences. The same G-d that created daytime, lightness, and clarity also created nighttime, darkness, and confusion. Once we remind ourselves of this truth of Shabbos, everything is created by Hashem, all experiences are pulsating with His Will, and ultimately His Presence. Then the question of whether we experience that clarity or not becomes inconsequential and irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that everything is part of His universe, and as far as He’s concerned, there is no difference between up and down, between highs and lows. The question is always the same – what do I have to do right now? What’s the avodah, what’s the mitzvah that’s in front of me to do?
Through this perspective of Shabbos, the period of night becomes just as conducive to davening as the daytime. On Shabbos we remind ourselves that both day and night were created equally by Hashem! That’s why the Zohar reveals this secret to us: that on Shabbos we are obligated to daven at night just like during the day.
Hashem should bless us that we should always be able to experience Him. Ultimately that experience has to be rooted in an acute awareness that Hashem is big enough to contain all experiences in all situations and all environments. Everything comes from Hashem and everything leads back to Hashem!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 12.
