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Saying Ma'ariv at Plag HaMincha
You may say ma'ariv on Friday afternoon (erev Shabbat) as early as plag ha'mincha (1 1/4 halachic hours before sunset), as long as you say mincha before saying ma'ariv. So, if it is now plag ha'mincha, you may say mincha and then follow it as soon as you wish with ma'ariv.
NoteOn erev Shabbat, you do not need to say mincha before plag ha'mincha in order to say ma'ariv before sunset. This is unlike on weekdays, when you must say mincha before plag in order to say ma'ariv before sunset.
Saying Ma'ariv at Plag HaMincha
You may say ma'ariv before the start of a Jewish festival as early as plag ha'mincha (1 1/4 halachic hours before sunset), even if you did not say mincha before plag (unlike on weekdays when you must say mincha before plag in order to say ma'ariv before sunset).
Individual Prayer Times
Plag HaMincha: 1 1/4 halachic hours before sunset until sunset.
Mincha Gedola: 1/2 hour after halachic midday until 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset.
Mincha Ketana: 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset until sunset.
Tzeit HaKochavim: 36 to 72 minutes after sunset, depending on the opinion, purpose, and geographical location.
Note Plag ha'mincha is usually calculated from sunrise to sunset. If necessary, an alternative calculation may be used from dawn to dark, which results in plag ha'mincha's being somewhat later.
Mincha Gedola: 1/2 hour after halachic midday until 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset.
Mincha Ketana: 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset until sunset.
Tzeit HaKochavim: 36 to 72 minutes after sunset, depending on the opinion, purpose, and geographical location.
When To Say Ma'ariv
Ma'ariv may be said from sunset (or even from plag ha'mincha if mincha was said early enough).
Note If you say ma'ariv before dark, you must repeat the three paragraphs of the shema once it is actually halachic night.
Reason Shema must be said after dark.
Reason Shema must be said after dark.
Shabbat: Candles: Earliest Time To Light
You may not light Shabbat (or Jewish festival) candles before plag ha'mincha. The candles must burn until at least dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) and someone must be there to see the light from the candles after dark.
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan.
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan.
Jewish Festivals: Candles: Earliest Time To Light
You may not light Jewish festival (or Shabbat) candles before plag ha'mincha. The candles must burn until at least dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) and someone must be there to see the light from the candles after dark.
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You may light a candle without a blessing, just so you can have a flame for after the festival has begun. You go to synagogue and after ma'ariv you return home and light the candles from the flame which was burning from before sunset. If you will not have a flame burning from before sunset, you must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan. Women should skip mincha and light candles either 18 minutes before sunset or have a flame burning from before sunset and light candles from that flame once the festival has begun (but she may not light from a new flame or a match).
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You may light a candle without a blessing, just so you can have a flame for after the festival has begun. You go to synagogue and after ma'ariv you return home and light the candles from the flame which was burning from before sunset. If you will not have a flame burning from before sunset, you must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan. Women should skip mincha and light candles either 18 minutes before sunset or have a flame burning from before sunset and light candles from that flame once the festival has begun (but she may not light from a new flame or a match).
Saying Mincha after Lighting Shabbat Candles
A woman or girl who has already lit Shabbat candles may not say mincha for Friday afternoon, even if she lit (after plag ha'mincha but) long before sunset time, unless she intended not to begin Shabbat when she was lighting the candles (and intending to begin later should only be done in urgent situations, not routinely).
Shabbat: Ideal Time for Ma'ariv
The ideal time for ma'ariv on Friday night is whenever will make everyone (or most people!) happy. It can be any time from plag ha'mincha (1 1/4 halachic hours before sunset), until 72 minutes before sunrise, but should properly be said before midnight.
Distracting Work on Friday Afternoon
You may not do any work or get involved in any project that might distract you from preparing for Shabbat, beginning at twice the duration of plag ha'mincha. So allow 2 1/2 halachic hours (sha'ot zmaniyot) before sunset to prepare for Shabbat.
Saying Mincha after Lighting Jewish Festival Candles
A woman who has already lit Jewish festival candles may not say mincha for the afternoon before a Jewish festival, even if she lit (after plag ha'mincha) long before sunset time, unless she intended not to begin the Jewish festival when she was lighting the candles (and intending to begin later should only be done in urgent situations, not routinely.)
Refraining from Distracting Work
You may not do any work or get involved in any project that might distract you from preparing for a Jewish festival, beginning from twice the duration of plag ha'mincha. So allow 2 1/2 halachic hours (sha'ot zmaniyot) before sunset to prepare for the Jewish festival.
Jewish Festivals: Earliest Mincha
The earliest permissible time to say mincha before a Jewish festival is one-half hour after halachic midday, as with all mincha prayers including before Shabbat.
Note You may begin the second day of any Jewish festival as early as plag ha'mincha. You should ideally say mincha before plag and then say ma'ariv after plag; but if you are praying with a minyan, you may say mincha anytime after plag and then say ma'ariv immediately afterward, just as on Shabbat.
Note However, there is nothing gained by saying mincha early before a Jewish festival:
Note However, there is nothing gained by saying mincha early before a Jewish festival:
- We don't want to start Rosh Hashana (Yom HaDin) early and no one wants to start Yom Kippur early.
- You may not start either seder until after dark on Passover.
- You could eat in a sukka before dark on either of the first two days of Sukkot, but you would not fulfill the requirement of eating in a sukka since it was not dark.
- Likewise, the first day of Shavuot does not begin until after dark.
- Since you may not say the blessing on eating in a sukka on Shmini Atzeret (which you would have to do if you eat before dark), there is nothing gained by saying mincha and ma'ariv early on that day, either.
Timing of Ma'ariv on Seder Night(s)
- Ma'ariv on the first night of Passover may begin at sunset. But since the seder may not be started until after dark, the custom is to begin ma'ariv a little before dark.
- The second seder may also not be started until after dark. Ma'ariv on the second night of Passover may be said from plag ha'mincha, 1 1/4 hours before sunset.
- Ma'ariv on the seventh and eighth days of Passover may be started as early as plag ha'mincha, 1 1/4 hours before sunset.