Halakha: A person of Israel who did not pray the morning prayer, the additional prayer, or the afternoon prayer, as many times he was too occupied to pray, because he was relieving himself, or he was walking on the way and forgot to pray – until what hour is it permitted for him to pray and fulfill his obligation? How must he act? So taught the Sages: The morning prayer is until noon. the afternoon prayer is until the evening. the evening prayer has no fixed time, but the additional prayer is all day.
Rabbi Elazar said: If one forgot and did not pray the additional prayer, and comes to pray the afternoon prayer, he prays the afternoon prayer and then the additional prayer. Why? It is because everything is recited at its time. The evening prayer has no fixed time, until dawn.
Why?1Why is it important to know until when one can pray? It is as it is written: “I love those who love me, and those who seek me will find me” (Proverbs 8:17). And anyone who prays and focuses his heart in prayer, it is a positive indicator that his prayer was accepted, as it is stated: “Lord, You hear the desire of the humble” (Psalms 10:17). Great is prayer before the Holy One blessed be He.
Rabbi Elazar said: Is your wish to know the power of prayer? If it does not accomplish all of it, it accomplishes half of it. Cain stood against his brother Abel and killed him. An edict was issued: “Restless and itinerant you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:12).
Immediately, he stood and confessed before the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “My iniquity is too great to bear” (Genesis 4:13). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You bear the entire world, but you cannot bear me? You wrote: “Bearing iniquity and overlooking transgression” (Micah 7:18) – pardon my iniquity, which is great.’ Immediately, he found mercy before the Holy One blessed be He, and the “itinerant” half of the edict was withheld from him, as so it is written: “He resided in the land of Nod” (Genesis 4:16).
From here you learn that prayer is great before the Holy One blessed be He. Likewise Hezekiah, when the prophet said to him: “Instruct your household, as you are dying” (Isaiah 38:1). Immediately, “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall [and he prayed to the Lord]” (Isaiah 38:2). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “I have heard your prayer… behold, I am adding fifteen years to your days” (Isaiah 38:5), as it is written: “He grants the wishes of those who fear Him, and He hears their cry and saves them” (Psalms 145:19).