Question:
The Mishna Berura cautions one not to daven mincha and maariv in the same time period i.e. not to daven mincha after plag and maariv before tzeis. This would be a tarti d’sasri. Would this be a problem for women as well? Meaning, if it is already after plag hamincha and a woman did not yet daven mincha, may she daven mincha and still be able to accept shabbos during the same time period? Obviously she can’t light after tzeis, but wouldn’t this be a tarti d’sasri and then she shouldn’t be able to daven then.
Answer:
You are asking a nice question.
There is a difference between davening maariv and being mekabel Shabbos. The reason it is darti dsasri, is because we can’t say that the period between plag hamincha and shkiya is both the time for mincha (according to R’ Meir) and the time for maariv (according to R’ Yehuda), and daven both during the same time period during any particular day. When a woman lights her candles she is saying that from now although it is still daytime, but she is adding time from Friday to the Shabbos, This is a special mitzva called tosefes Shabbos. Therefore it isn’t a problem for her to daven mincha, even right before she lights her candles, and then be mekabel Shabbos after plag hamincha.
Best wishes
Sources:
Brachos 27a, O:CH 261-2.
