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

# One can only say [[Korbanot]] during the day, meaning after [[Olot HaShachar]] which is 72 minutes (in [[Shaot Zmaniot]]) before [[HaNetz]]. <Ref>S”A 1:6. </ref>

# In cases of need, such as a worker who needs to daven early, one can say [[Korbanot]] from 96 minutes (in [[Shaot Zmaniot]]) before [[HaNetz]]. <Ref> Halacha Brurah 1:16 (based on Sh”t Yacheve Daat 2:8) writes that in cases of need (for example a worker who needs to daven early) it is possible to say [[Korbanot]] 96 minutes before [[HaNetz]]. </ref>

# The earliest time to say Baruch SheAmar is [[Olot HaShachar]] which is 72 minutes (in [[Shaot Zmaniot]]) before [[HaNetz]]. <Ref> Halacha Brurah 1:16 </ref>

# The earliest time that one can put on [[Tallit]] is [[MeSheYakir]], which is one hour (in [[Shaot Zmaniot]]) before [[HaNetz]]. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch 18:3 rules that the time to make the bracha on [[Tallit]] is from [[MeSheYakir]]. There is a dispute among the achronim about when exactly [[MeSheYakir]] is. Because of [[Safek Brachot LeHakel]], Halacha Brurah 18:6 one may not make the bracha earlier than a fifth of an hour (in [[Shaot Zmaniot]]) after [[Olot HaShachar]]. </ref>

==Times for Shacharit==

===Earliest Time===

# If a person can either daven at Netz without a minyan or later with a minyan, according to Ashkenazim one may daven at Netz if one regularly davens at Netz.<ref>Biur Halacha 58 s.v. umitzvah</ref> According to Sephardim one should daven with a minyan later unless one will pray with kavana.<ref>Yalkut Yosef 89:19</ref>

===Netz===

# Ideally one should pray after Netz. If one did pray anytime after [[Olot HaShachar]] (dawn, about 72 minutes before sunrise) one has fulfilled one’s obligation.<ref> The Rosh ([[Brachot]] 4:1) writes that even though ideally one should pray at [[HaNetz]] (sunrise) if one prayed after [[Olot HaShachar]] one would have fulfilled one’s obligation. This is also the opinion of many Rishonim including Tosfot 30a (s.v. Avuha), Rambam ([[Tefillah]] 3:7, Sh”t Rambam 27), Rabbenu Yerucham (according to Bet Yosef 89:1) and the Tur 89:1. This is codified in Shulchan Aruch 89:1. </ref>

* Shulchan Aruch 89:8 rules that in cases of extenuating circumstances such as where one has to travel early one may pray [[Shacharit]] [[Shmoneh Esrei]] immediately after [[Olot HaShachar]] and then say Shema while traveling if one is able to have kavana (proper intent) while traveling. This is also mentioned in Mishna Brurah 89:1. </ref>

## Therefore, a person who needs to pray early in the morning in order to get to work should pray with a [[minyan]] that starts praying after Mesheyakir before Netz.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 58:3</ref>  

# If the choice is to pray with an early [[minyan]] that davens before Netz after Msheyakir or to pray later by oneself, such as in one's office, one should rather pray earlier with a [[minyan]].<Ref>[http://www.ou.org/webcast_kosher Rabbi Yisrael Belsky] (OU Kosher Webcast, min 19:30-28:30), Igrot Moshe 4:6 s.v. im ken, Peri Yitzchak 1:2, Sh"t Yaskil Avdi 5:10, Sh"t Minchat Yitzchak 9:10. Chazon Ish (Ishei Yisrael 13:note 21) ruled likewise. [http://www.ou.org/webcast_kosher Rabbi Yisrael Belsky] (OU Kosher Webcast, min 19:30-28:30) said that if one feels that it is just too dark and one cannot understand what the people are relying on to put on [[Tefillin]] so early one should say up to  Baruch SheAmar before traveling and then pray at one’s office.</ref> Some disagree and say that you should pray on your own rather than daven before netz. <ref> Sh”t Sheilot Shmuel OC 12, Rav Elyashiv (quoted in Avnei Yashfei [[Tefillah]] page 167), Yalkut Yosef ([[Tefilla]] pages 137-139, 89:14). </ref>  

# If a person who is not in a rush to pray before sunrise is needed for a [[minyan]] that is praying before sunrise there is a dispute whether he is allowed to join or not. <ref> Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv quoted in Tefilla Kehilchita page 78 and in Avnei Yashfe (Tefilla page 169 89:14) says that although he can answer for their [[minyan]] he cannot pray with them. This is true even if he is the sixth one who would be praying (a [[minyan]] requires ten but a minimum of six praying at the time) and his refusal to pray would prevent there being a [[minyan]]. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Halichot Shlomo 1:5-13 (and Avnei Yishfe p. 169) though ruled that if the refusal to join will prevent the [[minyan]] he may pray with them as long as it is not on a consistent basis. </ref>

===Latest Time for Mincha===

====After Sunset====  

# Some poskim hold that one can start Mincha before sunset even if one knows that one will not finish until after sunset.<ref>Yabia Omer OC 7:34</ref>

# Therefore, the regular minhag of 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 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 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. 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. 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>

*See also [https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=81670 Rav Yitzchak Yosef (Motzei Shabbat Pesach 5779 min 37)] who said that the schedules which print plag mincha 1.25 hours before shekiya (Gra) are causing Sephardim to say brachot levatalot when they daven arvit right after plag. Rather they need to daven after plag which is 1.25 hours before tzet. Tzet is only 20 minutes (13.5 zmaniyot minutes) so our plag is less than 20 minutes after their plag but starting arvit before then is a bracha levatala for Sephardim. They should print the plag according to Sephardim.  

===Early Maariv on Friday Night===

===Ideal Time for Arvit (Tzet)===

# Ideally, one should pray [[Arvit]] after [[Tzet HaKochavim]] and not immediately after sunset.<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 70:2</ref> However, the minhag of many places is to daven Arvit immediately after sunset.<ref>Mishna Brurah 235:12 writes that fortunate is the person who can daven with a congregation after Tzet Hakochavim which is the correct time.</ref>