VaAni Sefilosi and Tzidkoscho Tzedek

Why is VaAni Sefilosi recited at Shabbos Mincho?

Is the recital of Tzidkoscho Tzedek a form of Tachanun for Shabbos?

Rallis

With regard to Va'ani S'filasi -

The Rokeach (commentary to the Siddur, סי' ק"ב) explains:
Others eat, drink, and get drunk, and speak about immoral topics like Achashveirosh, and anger Hashem and rebel against Him. However, Klal Yisroel, "Hashem has assigned growth to the nation through whom He achieves honour". Though they eat and drink, they praise Him for their bounty. Therefore, by Mincha, when we have already eaten and drank, we say "Va'ani S'filasi". We pray before Him that now, as in the morning, should be for Him a time of goodwill. Hashem, with His great kindness and awesome mercy, should answer me with the truth of His salvation.
He also mentions that in T'hilim (69:13, 14) this verse is preceded by the "They that hold seats in the gate, and the songs of the drunkards, deliberate against me." But we react differently to bodily sustenance, in that we pray to Hashem as a result.

He also mentions that this verse contains 12 words, corresponding to the 12 daylight hours and the 12 evening hours that Hashem answers us when we pray. It also corresponds to the paraphrased verses (D'vorim 4:7, "And which is a great nation? That which has G-d close to it, as is Hashem, our Hashem, as often as we call unto Him."


MPerlman

Re Tzidkoscho Tzedek -

Rallis asked:

Is the recital of Tzidkoscho Tzedek a form of Tachanun for Shabbos?

I do not know. But read what Rav Hirsch wrote as an introduction to his commentary to it:

"By the time the Shabbos Mincha service is done, the day is on the decline, the Shabbos is drawing to a close and thoughts of our life's task, of the striving and creating, the struggling and suffering of the coming week gradually seep back into our consciousness. On those Shabbasos that do not bear a festive character in addition to the holiness of the ordinary Shabbos, no attempt is made to repress these workday thoughts. But these brief verses from the Psalms offer us some truths which we should take to heart and which should serve to give the proper direction to our thinking as we approach the beginning of a new week."

MPerlman

"By the time the Shabbos Mincha service is done, the day is on the decline, the Shabbos is drawing to a close and thoughts of our life's task, of the striving and creating, the struggling and suffering of the coming week gradually seep back into our consciousness. On those Shabbasos that do not bear a festive character in addition to the holiness of the ordinary Shabbos, no attempt is made to repress these workday thoughts. But these brief verses from the Psalms offer us some truths which we should take to heart and which should serve to give the proper direction to our thinking as we approach the beginning of a new week."

According to this logic, if one davened Mincho early should one recite Tzidkoscho Tzedek (a 1/2 hour after Chatzous), since Shabbos is not "on the decline"? or is it a lou plug?

Rallis

It would seem to me that the explanation does not govern any change in the Nusach. Therefore, even when the explanation does not completely apply, one must say Tzidkoscho Tzedek. Secondly, I believe it has been written on this Forum that davening Mincha early is not the optimum time for Mincha. Hence, surely a non-optimal praying should not change the Minhag.

MPerlman