As discussed previously, there is a requirement of adding on to the Shabbos and Yom Tov. Can a person still daven Mincha even after he was mekabel Shabbos? This is a question which applies to both women who accept Shabbos at the time of the candle lighting and to men who wish to accept Shabbos before shkia, as they are required.
The Shulchan Aruch (O”C 263:10) quotes the Bahag, who rules that the lighting of the candles is considered a kabalas shabbos and one can no longer do melacha after candle lighting. The Shulchan Aruch continues that other Rishonim disagree and do not consider lighting a kabalas shabbos, and one can continue to do melacha even after candle lighting. The Rama writes that the minhag is for the women who light the candles to accept Shabbos at that time.
The Eliyahu Raba (263:17) points out that, being that they are accepting Shabbos with their lighting, they should be sure to daven mincha before candle lighting. The Mishna Berura (263:43) adds that if she did not daven Mincha and already lit, since she was mekabel shabbos, she can no longer daven Mincha and would have to daven Maariv twice.
The Rivivos Ephraim discusses this question, and adds that this can be a problem, since women don’t always have time to daven before candle lighting. What about if she makes a t’nai, a stipulation that she still wants to daven? This concept is based on the Rama, who writes that since there is a difference of opinions if the lighting is considered a kabbalas Shabbos, if need be, a woman can stipulate that she does not wish to accept Shabbos.
However, this is not so simple. The Magen Avraham asserts that this stipulation is only allowed in a situation of necessity. Is the fact that she wishes to daven Mincha qualify as a bona fide need? Although the Mishna Berura does not seem to allow it, there are many poskim who do allow her to make a t’nai and then daven, including the Kaf Hachaim (263:35), Minchos Shlomo (2:35:8), Be’er Moshe (1:15), and the Divrei Yatziv (1:121). The Divrei Yatziv adds that this is only if she is indeed vigilant to daven Mincha every day, making it a bona fide necessity.
The Be’er Moshe and Divrei Yatziv take this a step further and add that if she does daven Mincha every day, then it is self understood that she is still planning on davening Mincha and it is as if she made the stipulation.
The sefer Eishel Avraham adds that this t’nai can be specifically for davening Mincha and not for doing melacha. This is because a t’nai for davening Mincha is much simpler than a t’nai to allow doing melacha. He explains that davening a weekday tefilla is not a contraction to Shabbos, per se. We find this concept in regards to one who mistakenly started davening the weekday shmoneh esrei on Shabbos. The Shulchan Aruch rules that one finishes that brocha that he started and only then returns to the Shabbos davening. The reason for this is, as the poskim explain, that the weekday davening is, in essence, appropriate on Shabbos as well, so it is not considered a brocha that is in inappropriate on Shabbos.
In conclusion
Women who accept Shabbos at the time of the candle lighting should definitely daven Mincha before. If they did not, many poskim allow her to daven Mincha after she lit candles, if she makes a t’nai. Some allow her if she always davens, and we can assume that she was still planning to daven, which is the halachic equivalent of her actually making the t’nai.
What about a man who davens Mincha on Friday evening right before Shkiah, or even after sunset? Is that a contradiction to turning Friday afternoon into Shabbos?
To be continued…