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<font size=3>I just had a phone conversation with a friend of mine. He
says that R. Ovadia Yosef talks about davening early on Erev Shavuous and
also sites many sources, including Ashkenazic ones, that permit it. He
also says that Rabbi Dr. Dovid Tzvi Hoffman was asked about this during
WW I when daylight savings time was first introduced in Germany. R.
Hoffman replied that since it is the custom to count sefira before Tzeis
(my friend says that this was the practice in many places in Europe) then
there is no need to wait to daven Maariv and make Kiddush after Tzeis on
Erev Shavuous.<br><br>
He is supposed to get me the actual sources. I do not have the
seforim he referred to. (He said that R. Ovadia Yosef is particularly
valuable because "He knows everything and cites everything.")
<br><br>
He also pointed out that Baer in his siddur makes absolutely no mention
of waiting to daven Maariv on Erev Shavuous until after Tzeis. He says
his not mentioning this means that this was the practice in Europe in
most places. <br><br>
He then made another point which I think is very telling. <br><br>
There are opinions that allow one to daven early and even make Kiddush
early. Also, waiting to daven after Tzeis is a D'Rabbonon. However,
simchas Yom Tov is a D'oreisa. Most people do not enjoy beginning to eat
at say 9:30. For kids it is particularly difficult. Therefore, davening
after Tzeis and then beginning to eat late conflicts with the simchas Yom
Tov of many. How can this D'Rabbonon take precedence over simchas Yom
Tov? <br>
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Yitzchok Levine</font></body>
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