Sefat Emet, Genesis, Vayishlach 13:5

בפסוק ויאמר יעקב אלקי אבי. ולא נכתב בלשון תפלה. שלא הוצרך לשנות עצמו. כי הי’ תמיד מוכן בבחי’ עבודה שבלב זו תפלה. וז”ש שתיקן תפלת ערבית כי שחרית ומנחה הם זמנים מיוחדים לתפלה ותפלת ערב אין לה קבע. לכן אין כ”א יכול לה רק רשות מי שהוא בן חורין כיעקב אבינו. שבכל עת צרה דכתיב ויירא מאד. אעפ”כ ויאמר יעקב. וכל ההתנגדות והחשכות לא גרם אצלו ריחוק מבחי’ התפלה וזהו תפלת ערבית:

In the verse, “And Jacob said: God of my father.” It is not written in the language of prayer, for he did not need to change himself, since he was always prepared in the aspect of service of the heart, which is prayer. And this is what is meant when it is said that he established the evening prayer, for Shacharit and Minchah have fixed times for prayer, while the evening prayer has no set time. Therefore, no one can truly pray it except as a voluntary act, one who is free, like our father Jacob. For even in a time of distress, as it is written, “And he was very afraid,” nevertheless, “And Jacob said.” All opposition and darkness did not cause distance in him from the aspect of prayer, and this is the essence of the evening prayer.

The Sefat Emet explains that Jacob’s words are not framed as a formal prayer because Jacob lived in a constant state of inner readiness for prayer. This continual openness allowed him to establish the evening prayer, which lacks a fixed time and thus requires spiritual freedom. Even in fear and trouble, Jacob remained connected, showing that true evening prayer is the capacity to pray despite darkness or resistance.

Summary: Jacob’s constant inner readiness for prayer enabled him to pray even amid darkness and fear, revealing the nature of the evening prayer as a voluntary, spiritually free expression.