When Is the Earliest and Latest Time to Pray?: Difference between revisions

#According to Rabbi Yehuda, the latest time for ''mincha'' is ten- and three-quarter hours. From then on begins the time for ''maariv''. According to Rabbanan, the cutoff point is sunset.<ref>The Mishna ([[Brachot]] 26a) writes that according to Rabbi Yehuda one must pray [[Mincha]] prior to ten and three quarter hours while according to Rabbanan [[Mincha]] may be said until nighttime. Tosfot Brachot 27a s.v. Ta Shma writes that according to Rabbi Yehuda the earliest time to say [[Mariv]] is ten and three quarter hours while according to Rabbanan the earliest time is nighttime. [This is also evident in the Gemara there (27a-b) and the upcoming Rishonim. The Maharsha (27a s.v. Tah Shma) asks why Tosfot needed to prove something which was so obvious from the Gemara.] </ref> The halacha allows one to follow either opinion, however, one must be consistent and always follow Rabbi Yehuda or always follow Rabbanan. <ref>The Gemara (27a) writes that since there is no explicit ruling as to whom the halacha follows, one who follows Rabbi Yehuda has done properly and one who follows Rabbanan is correct too. The Rabbenu Yonah ([[Brachot]] 18b s.v. DeAved) writes that whichever opinion one follows one must be consistent and always follow the same opinion. This is also opinion of the Rosh ([[Brachot]] 4:3) quoting a Gaon. Additionally, the Kesef Mishna ([[Tefillah]] 3:4) says that this is implicit in the Rambam and furthermore that it is the simple explanation of the words of the Gemara. Tur and Shulchan Aruch 233:1 codify the opinion of Rabbenu Yonah. </ref>

#The common minhag all over the world is to pray mincha until sunset. Accordingly, one may only begin to pray maariv after sunset. In extenuating circumstances, one can pray maariv before sunset if that day he prayed mincha before plag hamincha. The reason that works is because even though usually he follows the Rabbanan today he followed Rabbi Yehuda.<ref>The Rabbenu Yonah (18b s.v. DeAved) writes that one should always follow Rabbanan (which was the minhag of his time and place) but nonetheless, after the fact if one prayed [[Arvit]] after Plag [[Mincha]] one has fulfilled one’s obligation. This is quoted in Bet Yosef 233:1 and codified in Shulchan Aruch O.C. 233:1. The Shulchan Aruch 233:1 rules that in extenuating circumstances one may pray [[Arvit]] before nighttime even though one always follows Rabbanan. Mishna Brurah 233:11 writes that this is only permissible if that day itself one already prayed [[Mincha]] prior to ten and three quarter hours.</ref>

#If the only minyan for maariv available is davening before sunset after plag hamincha one should daven with them<ref>The Biur Halacha 235:1 cites the Gra who held that it is better to daven privately on time rather than daven with the congregation early. However, in Shaar Hatziyun 235:16 he quotes the Derech Hachayim that if one prayed mincha before plag and the only option is to daven after plag maariv with a minyan or after tzeit without a minyan, it is better to daven with a minyan after plag. If he didn't daven minyan until after mincha, it is better to daven oneself maariv than to daven in a minyan before sunset and contradict oneself within one day.</ref> and repeat Shema after Tzet Hakochavim. Some would say to skip birchot kriyat shema and repeat them after tzet hakochavim with shema.<ref>Rabbenu Yonah Brachot 1b writes that if the congregation is davening before the time for Shema one should daven with them even though one won't fulfill one's obligation of Shema and will have to repeat it later. He then quotes Rav Hai Goan who says that one should only say Shema with them without kavana to fulfill one's obligation but skip Brachot Kriyat Shema. The Shulchan Aruch OC 235:1 rules like the Rabbenu Yonah but the Mishna Brurah 235:12 mentions the practice of the Rav Hai Goan. Rav Moshe Feinstein in Igrot Moshe OC 2:60 agrees that one can follow either opinion whether to daven everything or just Shema without kavana and Shemona Esrei and then say Shema with Kriyat Shema with Brachot afterwards. He writes that one shouldn't follow the Gra unless one always does according to his opinion.</ref>

# Many say that Sephardim should follow a Plag that is calculated by 1.25 hours before Tzet Hakochavim of the Geonim, 13.5 minutes after Shekiya, and not the Plag of the Gra, 1.25 hours before sunset.<ref>Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat v. 1 p. 168 263 fnt. 62; 235:1; 267:12) and Ben Ish Chai Vayahakel n. 8. In all of those places the calculation of Plag is made from Tzet according to the Geonim. Thereby, the Sephardi Plag Mincha is generally between 10 and 20 minutes after the Gra plag. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat 1-3, 5771 edition, pp. 143-146) writes that a person can pray arvit as early as plag mincha. However, he defines plag hamincha as 1.25 hours before tzet hakochavim of the geonim. The hours are calculated from olot to tzet of the geonim. He addresses that for kriyat shema in extenuating circumstances it is acceptable to rely upon the Gra zmanim, but not for the brachot of avrit because of safek brachot lhakel. Also, one can't light Shabbat candles before 1.25 hours before tzet of geonim. He rebuts an attack that we must follow the Gra zmanim since we light candles before plag of Rabbenu Tam. He answers that we follow the plag of the Ben Ish Chaim which is 1.25 hours before tzet of the geonim but not the Gra's plag. on p. 144 he writes that it is a bracha levatala to pray avrit after plag of the Gra.

*See also [https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=55391 Rav Yitzchak Yosef (Motzei Shabbat Bo 5778 min 25)] who said that it is a bracha levatala to daven Arvit after Plag of the Gra according to Rabbenu Tam and we are strict for Rabbenu Tam.  

* [https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=60107 Rav Yitzchak Yosef (Motzei Shabbat Emor 5778 min 28)] said that since the minhag is that we follow the geonim for zmanim, the minhag is to pray mincha before Plag of the geonim and arvit after Plag of the geonim, even though according to Rabbenu Tam it is a bracha levatala since it is day.</ref> Thereby, the Sephardi Plag Mincha is generally between 10 and 20 minutes after the Gra plag. See the [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.calj.android CalJ App] for calculation of this zman. However, others say that even Sephardim can calculate plag hamincha according to the Gra.<ref>Kaf Hachaim 233:7, Halacha Brurah v. 14 teshuva 7. Halacha Brurah writes that there's no safek brachot to light candles after plag of the gra or daven arvit after that plag since that is the minhag and there's no safek brachot where there is a minhag. He rejects the position of Ben Ish Chai that we calculate from Olot to Tzet of Geonim because that is definitely not the view of the Geonim. Rather the Geonim would calculate their zmanim in accordance with Gra.</ref>