Mincha Before Shekia

Question: By the time I get home in the Winter, it is already after shekia. Is it better to daven mincha by myself before shekia or to daven after shekia in a chassidishe shul after shekia?

Answer: The Mishna (Berachos 26a) cites a machlokes as to whether one can daven mincha up until plag hamincha or until the evening. Rabbeinu Yona (Berachos 18a) and Rambam (Tefilla 3:4) write that one only has until shekia as it corresponds to the korban tamid which must not be offered after shekia. Nonetheless, Rashi and others define evening as nightfall. Rabbeinu Chananel (quoted by the Hagaos Maimonos, Tefilla 3:3) writes that one can daven mincha until tzeis hakochavim, nightfall, corresponding to the time when the ketores must be offered by (see Shaagas Aryeh 17; Pnei Yehoshua, Berachos 27a).

The Gemara (Berachos 27a) teaches that as this machlokes was never resolved, one can choose one time over the other (see Shibolei Haleket 48; Raavad 194). The Mishna Berura (Shaar Hatziyun 233:18) writes that the machlokes as to whether we consider shekia or tzeis hakochavim the beginning of the evening is based on a machlokes between Rabbeinu Tam and the Vilna Gaon (OC 459:2) as to how we calculate shekia.

The Rosh (Berachos 4:3) and Shulchan Aruch (OC 233:1) write that one must choose one opinion and be consistent with it, not changing from one day to the next. Many acharonim including the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 233:9) and R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 1:24) stress the importance of davening mincha before shekia. Nonetheless, chassidishe shuls are more inclined to daven after shekia (see Divrei Yatziv OC 98).

There is a machlokes as to what one who usually davens earlier should do if they cannot get to a minyan until after shekia. R’ Yaakov Emden (Mor Uketzia 233) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 5:22) write that it is preferable to wait to daven. R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 9:48) writes that they should daven alone unless it has just turned shekia, in which case he should daven with a minyan.

Nonetheless, the Mishna Berura (233:14) writes that it is better to daven (and complete) mincha without a minyan before shekia than to daven later with a minyan. Only under extenuating circumstances, can one daven after shekia (Shaar Hatziyun 233:21. See Shearim Metzuyanim Behalacha 69:1).

In conclusion, unless the minyan starts right before or at shekia it would seem preferable to daven by oneself rather than to daven with a minyan after shekia.