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

# 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), 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=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===