Is it preferable to daven at home on my own before netz hachama in order to make it to an early doctor's appointment, or to go to the doctor's appointment and daven afterwards with a minyan at the proper time?
1 Answer
I would daven נץ on my own, based on Gemore below.
Talmud Bavli Berachot 5b
That my prayer should be before my bed, the Gemara asks, what does before my bed mean? If you say that it literally means that he would stand before his bed and pray, it is difficult, as Rav Yehuda said that Rav said, and some say that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: From where is it derived that one who prays should have nothing separating between him and the wall? As it is stated: “And Hezekiah turned to face the wall and prayed” (Isaiah 38:2), in order to facilitate his concentration during prayer. That being said, why would Abba Binyamin pray before his bed? Rather, do not say that before my bed refers to where he stood during prayer, but rather, say that he prayed adjacent to the time that he would retire to bed; he was careful to recite Shema and recite the evening prayer just before going to sleep (Rabbeinu Ḥananel).
Rashi סמוך למטתי – כל ימי נזהרתי שלא לעשות מלאכה ושלא לעסוק בתורה כשעמדתי ממטתי עד שאקרא ק"ש ואתפלל:
All days I was careful not to do any labor and to to be engaged in Torah when I stood up from my bad until I read Shema and I prayed.
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That was one factor I was considering, but was looking for sources if this would override davening with a minyan and after Netz. Also, maybe since a doctor's appointment is for health reasons it would be allowed before davening. Commented Aug 20 at 3:08
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there is somewhere ביאור הלכה which is משווה davening ביחיד with נץ on the same level as davening after נץ with minyan so according to הלכה you can choose, but your mind will be occupied more, that is just a fact, that is the point of that גמרא, ain't it? Commented Aug 20 at 3:28
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1@Mordechai is the question about davening before hanetz hachamah, or at the time of hanetz hachamah?– Joel KCommented Aug 20 at 4:20
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1It is about davening before Netz, but after Alos, which I believe is B'dieved. Sorry if that wasn't clear from the question. Was wondering 1) if the issur of engaging in personal activities before davening might not apply to a doctor's appointment which is for refua, and 2) if it does, if the ability to daven at the proper time with a minyan would override this issue, or if it is more appropriate to daven B'Ychidus, at the B'dieved time in order to not engage in personal activities before davening. Commented Aug 20 at 16:14