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

#The general ''minhag'' is to ''daven mincha'' until sunset. Accordingly, one may only begin to ''daven arvit'' after that time.<ref>Rabbenu Yona Bracot 18a s.v. tefillas, Mordechai Brachot IV:90 quoting Rav Hai Goan, and others write that nightfall refers to ''shkiya.'' Rambam Hilchot Tefillah 3:4 writes this as well. See Hazemanim B'Halacha - Rav Benish Chap. 34:6 and footnotes 16-19.  

Rama O.C. 233:1 writes that according to the Rabbanan one may ''daven mincha'' until ''tzet hakochavim''. Shulchan Aruch O.C. 233:1 writes that the ''minhag'' is to ''daven mincha'' until ''shkiya'' and one may not ''daven arvit'' before ''shkiya''.  

Orchot Rabbeinu III pg. 225 quotes the Chazon Ish as saying that if one knows that he won't finish ''shemoneh esrei'' before ''shkiya'' then he should not start ''davening''; rather he should ''daven'' ''maariv shemoneh esrei'' twice as ''tashlumin.''   

</ref> In extenuating circumstances, one may ''daven arvit'' before sunset if on that day he ''davened mincha'' before ''plag hamincha''. Although he usually follows the Rabbanan, it is considered as if on that day 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 ''arvit'' ''davens'' 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 ''mincha'' until after ''plag'', it is better to ''daven maariv'' oneself than to daven in a minyan before sunset and contradict oneself within one day.</ref> and repeat ''shema'' after ''tzet hakochavim''. Some say to skip ''birchot kriyat shema'' and recite 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 he won't fulfill his 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 birchot 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>