[Avodah] Mincha

[Marty Bluke]

R' Galsaba asked
<What it the Halacha about davening Mincha after Plag Mincha, and then
Arvit before Tzeit <Kochavim specially on Fridays during daylight
saving time?

This called Tartei d'sasrei and is generally frowned upon by the
poskim. The Mishna Berura paskens that on erev shabbos you can be
mekil if it is difficult.

However, there is another lesser know issue with doing this.

There is a din that you are not allowed to start a meal 1/2 hour
before the time of krias shema which is tzeis hakochavim. tzeis
hakochavim is approximately a 1/2 hour after sunset (according to the
Gra), so you cannot start a meal after sunset. During the week most
people are mekil about this halacha and rely upon the fact that they
daven maariv with a set minyan every night (e.g. 8 or 9PM), however
Friday night this doesn't apply as you already davened maariv early.
Let's look at a concrete example.

Sunset is 7:55. Kabalas Shabbos and Maariv is at 7:00PM (the usual
time in NY and after plag). Davening takes 45 minutes, you stand
around and shmooze for 5 minutes after davening and it takes 5-10
minutes to walk home. By the time you get home it is 8:00 and you
aren't allowed to make kiddush and start the meal because it is within
a half of hour of the zman of krias shma. In other words you haven't
gained anything because al pi din, you have to wait until you say
krias shema (e.g. tzeis) until you can eat. The usual heter of minyan
kavua doesn't apply because you already davened maariv.

With regards to being mekabel shabbos, eating and then davening maariv
later, RHS mentioned in the name of the Rav (who I believe said it in
the name of the Gra) the following problem with that. He explained
that the 3 meals on Shabbos are each supposed to come after the
corresponding tefila. The meal at night after maariv, the morning meal
after shacharis and the third meal after mincha. I don't remember the
exact reason why the meals are connected to the tefillas.