Time for Mincha

From Halachipedia

Earliest time for Mincha

  1. Some Rishonim hold that the primary time for mincha is Mincha Gedola (6 ½ hours into the day), whereas, the accepted opinion is that the primary time for mincha is Mincha Ketana (9 ½ hours into the day). [1] However, if one wants to eat or travel later (within a hour, or there’s no minyan available after Mincha Ketana, it’s preferable to pray from Mincha Ketana. [2]

Latest time for Mincha

  1. The two major opinions to the lastest times for mincha are as follows: one opinion is that mincha can only be said until Plag Mincha (10 ¾ hours into the day) and maariv can be said from Plag Mincha. The other opinion is that mincha can be said until night* (Shekiyah) and maariv can be said after night (Tzet HaCochavim). The halacha follows both opinions, meaning that one theoretically could follow either opinion. [3] * “night” is a dispute and certainly preferably one must daven mincha before Shekiyah. [4]
  2. However, one must be careful that one should always (every single day) follow the same opinion. However, in a tzibbur where there’s an excessive effort to get everyone back to shul for maariv (and people can’t wait in shul), then it’s permissible for a tzibbur to say maariv right after maariv. [5]
  3. The original minhag of Ashkenazim is like the first opinion and the minhag of Sephardim like the second opinion. However, nowadays the general minhag (of Ashkenazim and Sephardim) is like the second opinion. [6]

Praying Arvit early

  1. If one only has the ability to pray Arvit with a minyan before Tzet HaCochavim one should pray with them (and not pray later oneself) as long as one makes sure to repeat Shema later after Tzet HaCochavim. When saying Shema with the minyan one shouldn’t have in mind to fulfill one’s obligation of Shema. [7]

References

  1. Bet Yosef 233:1 quotes a seeming dispute Tur and Rosh holds that Mincha Gedola is the primary time, whereas the Rambam holds that the primary time is Mincha Ketana (the reason of the Rambam is that the tefilla of mincha is comparable to the korban which was brought at the end of the day). Shulchan Aruch 233:1 holds like the Rambam. Mishna Brurah 233:1 also holds like Shulchan Aruch. See the BeYitchak Yikra 233:1 (notes of Rav Nevinsal on Mishna Brurah) who adds that the Rambam holds that the only preferable time is after Mincha Ketana before Plag Mincha (10 ¾ hours) and it’d be preferable to say mincha individually at Mincha Gedola than with a minyan at Mincha Ketana after Plag Mincha. Nonetheless, he agrees that the minhag is not like this.
  2. Mishna Brurah 233:1
  3. S”A 233:1
  4. Mishna Brurah 233:14
  5. S”A 233:1, Mishna Brurah 233:6, 11
  6. S”A 233:1 says the minhag is like רבנן and Rama 233:1 says the minhag is like Rabbi Yehuda. Nowadays, Piskei Teshuvot 233:4 writes that the Ashkenazic minhag is like רבנן.
    • The Rif (Brachot 1b) rules that the time to say Kriyat Shema at night is from Tzet HaCochavim like the simple Mishna and Gemara Brachot 2a. The Rambam (Kriyat Shema 1:9) concurs.
    • Rashi (Brachot 2a D”H Ad Sof) also holds that one doesn’t fulfill Shema until Tzet HaCochavim but defends the practice to say Shema in Shul with the Brachot explaining that the Shema is Shul is only to precede Shemona Esreh with words of Torah and the primary time one fulfills Shema is before going to sleep.
    • Rabbenu Tam (quoted by Tosfot Brachot 2a D”H Meeymatai) argues that really we hold like Rabbenu Yehuda in the Mishna (Brachot 26a) who says that one may say Arvit from Plag Mincha so too we hold that one may say Shema from Plag Mincha. The Ri (also quoted in the above Tosfot) agrees that the primary Shema is the one said in Shul, however, he explains that it’s because we hold like the other opinions quoted in the Gemara 2a-b who say that the time for Shema is earlier than Tzet HaCochavim.
    • The Rosh (Brachot 1:1) rejects the Rabbenu Tam’s comparison between the time for Arvit and Shema and rather says that with difficulty one could defend the minhag like the Ri but nonetheless preferably one should say Shema only after Tzet HaCochavim.
    • The Rosh (Brachot 1:1) quotes the Rav Hai Goan who says that if one is in a situation where one could either pray with a minyan before Tzet HaCochavim or pray by oneself later one should pray with the minyan early but not say Shema with the Brachot until later. Rav Hai Goan also suggests that one could pray with the congregation as a voluntary prayer and then pray again oneself with Shema and Shemona Esreh. This is also quoted by the Rabbenu Yonah (Brachot 1b D”H VeRabbenu Hai), Rashba (Brachot 2a D”H VeNishal), and Tur 235:1.
    • Rabbenu Yonah gives an alternative for someone in that situation; say Brachot of Shema, Shema with intent not to fulfill one’s obligation but rather just as words of Torah, and then Shemona Esreh with the minyan and after Tzet HaCochavim one should say repeat Shema.
    • The Bet Yosef 235:1 concludes that one should make sure to repeat Shema after Tzet HaCochavim but one may follow the above suggestions (of Rav Hai and Rabbenu Yonah). The S”A 235:1 writes like the Rabbenu Yonah that if one is praying with a congregation earlier than Tzet HaCochavim one should say Shema with the Brachot and Shemona Esreh and then repeat Shema at Tzet HaCochavim.
    • The Mishna Brurah 235:9 writes like the Rabbenu Yonah that when saying Shema early one shouldn’t have intent to fulfill one’s obligation until Tzet HaCochavim. The Mishna Brurah 235:11 writes that it’s a dispute whether one must has to repeat the third paragraph of Shema.