The gemara says that if one can’t make it to shul he should daven at the same time as the shul. Does this mean in times even when the shul has the minhag to daven maariv early on a weekday after shkia before tzeis? I have seen the mishna berura say that if the shul davens before shkiah the person should wait, but what if the shul davens maariv after shkiah?
Answer:
The reason why we daven early with a tzibbur (see Shulchan Aruch 235, Mishnah Berurah 10, 12, and Biur Halachah) is because of the great value of davening with the congregation.
The Mishnah Berurah cites the teaching of Chazal that a person’s prayers are heard specifically with the tzibbur, a reference to the Gemara in Berachos 7b, which is the source for the teaching mentioned in the question whereby a person should at least time his davening to coincide with the tzibbur. Therefore, the idea appears to be comparable.
However, the Mishnah Berurah mentions the opinion of the Vilna Gaon, whereby a person should not daven early even if this means missing davening with a minyan.
Although the principle ruling of the Mishnah Berurah is not like the Vilna Gaon, but rather with the rishonim who write that one can daven early (even though one davens Minchah on other days after pelag ha-minchah, in line with Rabanan and not with Rabbi Yehudah), this ruling is only given for somebody who will actually be davening with the tzibbur, and gaining the full virtue of tefillah be-tzibbur.
For somebody who will not be gaining the full virtue, but only the partial virtue of davening at the same time as the tzibbur, it is therefore possible that the decision would fall in favor of the Vilna Gaon’s opinion, meaning that it is preferable to wait until nightfall, without a minyan.
This will apply even in the period after shkiah, until 13.5 minutes after shkiah, which is the first possible time for tzeis ha-kochavim.
As the Gemara notes, even when davening alone, it is preferable to daven in shul.
