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When we daven mincha, we say the psalm we call "Ashrei" first. This seems to come from The shulchan aruch, O"C 93:2. This section requires that the amida be "samuch" to the psalm.

We say kaddish after the psalm. Why isn't this a hefsek? I was reading some of the related questions regarding kaddish in maariv. Amidst all the questions and answers was this which says that the kaddish is not a hefsek because its content echoes the geulah requirement.

[other resources: Answering "Brich hu" to the kaddish before shemone esrei at maariv and https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/36259/1362 which posits that the kaddish allowed because maariv is optional]

If the smichut is not geulah based in mincha, how can we say kaddish there without its being a hefsek?

The Mishnah Brurah writes in 108:2 (13) that one davening a make-up amida should insert ashrei before the second one to ensure the proper smichut, but earlier, the mechaber wrote in 105 that the break between 2 prayers should be very short in order to maintain the right mindset. In the end of (13) it seems that the M"B says that 105 is a bediavad case and 108 is lechatchilah.

What is the general rule about smichut in mincha and how does kaddish fit in?

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rosends
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    It's not a real smichus, that's why we get to stick in extra stuff like ki shem Hashem ekra etc. But +1 and hope you get a good answer. – user6591 Jan 17 '16 at 02:05
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    @user6591 I would like that but then I wonder why the mechaber equates them in 93:2. I would the also wonder how much of a hefsek is allowed is smichut isn't essential. – rosends Jan 17 '16 at 02:16
  • Yeah, it's definitely something that can get a good answer. I think the idea I mentioned from the Magen Avraham is built upon a bit in the igros moshe. I'll see if I can find you that maareh makom. – user6591 Jan 17 '16 at 02:20
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    I had sent this maareh makom to someone else recently, I'm not sure if he directly addresses your issue but you may find something. See igros moshe orach chaim 5 page 82 first paragraph that starts on that page in the name of Magen Avraham begining of siman 111. – user6591 Jan 17 '16 at 02:25

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I think the answer is in your words, and that your assumption that "the smichut is not geulah based in mincha" is not accurate.

It is true that the main and important smichut is in the morning prayers, but as the Shulchan Aruch says (92, 2):

לא יעמוד להתפלל אלא באימה והכנעה לא מתוך שחוק וקלות ראש ודברים בטלים ולא מתוך כעס אלא מתוך שמחה כגון דברי תנחומין של תורה סמוך לגאולת מצרים או סמוך לתהלה לדוד שכתוב בו רצון יראיו יעשה שומר ה' את כל אוהביו:

The main idea is to start the amida prayer out of joy such as geulat Mitsraim and ashrei (they are brought as examples for joy before the morning and mid-day prayers).

In the morning tefillah, specifically, there's a "stronger" halacha of joining the story of the Exodus to the amida prayer, so even kadish isn't allowed. But since kadish does eventually speak of geulah and future days of mashiach, it does not constitute a real hefsek, therefore for the rest of the prayers (mincha, mussaf, maariv, etc.) it's OK.

Edit: Finally found a source that speaks about this issue specifically, and brings a few opinions about it (if there's an issue of smichut in mincha or not).

Cauthon
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  • the source seems to be saying that there is no smichut of geula and tefillah in mincha, not that there isn't any smichut in mincha. 92:2 gives examples of essential smichut, stating geula and ashrei as equivalent. The idea that kaddish continues the concept of geula is what allows its being said in maariv because that's the prayer which emplys the smichut of geula. Musaf has NO smichut so kaddish is allowed. But mincha HAS a smichut, just not geula. – rosends Jan 17 '16 at 13:03
  • There's the idea of smichut of geulah specifically, and the idea of that the Shulchan Aruch states as starting the prayer out of joy. Those are two separate ideas and halachot. There are several poskim who try to understand when do we have to insert geulah before prayers (maybe only in the morning, maybe always, etc.), and that is what the last source I brought speaks of. However, there's the "standard" smichut of simple joy, which is always true, but kadish cannot be said to be a hefsek of joy. – Cauthon Jan 17 '16 at 13:07
  • The text doesn't indicate a geulah of simple joy, but of דברי תנחומין של תורה . Is that your claim about kaddish? – rosends Jan 17 '16 at 13:44
  • The Shulchan Aruch quoted is about joy: "מתוך שמחה". Then come the examples, "כגון דברי תנחומין של תורה", etc. But the subject is joy, and the rest are examples. This is not the same as the halacha of smichat geulah litfila. – Cauthon Jan 17 '16 at 13:47
  • if kaddish were not a hefsek of the joy, then there would never need to be the answer that kaddish is no hefsek because it continues the concept of geula (http://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/61274/1362) and if geula is simply one of the examples of joy and kaddish is also joy, then there should be no problem of saying kaddish in shacharit. – rosends Jan 17 '16 at 14:02
  • There is a difference between the joy concept and the geulah concept. The geulah concept is in Shulchan Aruch 66, 8-10. The questions about kaddish are relevant there. However, the Shulchan Aruch also writes general comments about tefilah, honoring it and starting it in the right "mood". This has to do with the joy, and this is a less formal halacha, and here he gives the examples of geulah and divrei torah, but kaddish does not interfere. – Cauthon Jan 17 '16 at 14:09
  • How does one determine that 92:2 is a "less formal halacha" and that the 2 examples there are not equivalent? – rosends Jan 17 '16 at 14:15
  • You're right, that wasn't a correct choice of words. One halacha (93) is about praying out of joy, and it just makes sense (to me) that smichut here isn't the strict smichut of geulah litfilah, since the joy will not be affected by the kaddish. The other halacha (66) about smichat geulah litfilah does speak strictly of no pauses, and that's why the Shulchan Aruch himself immediately emphasizes this (don't pause even for kaddish, kedushah, amen, etc.). – Cauthon Jan 17 '16 at 14:23
  • There is a conroversy as to whether semichut ge'ulah letefilla is needed for Ma'ariv, BTW. – DanF Jan 18 '16 at 00:12