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I have heard that, according to the letter of the law, women only need to pray once a day (usually shachris). Some women add an additional prayer which is usually mincha.

If a woman desired to, could she pray three times just like men do: Shachris, Mincha and Maariv? Or is discouraged for women to pray Maariv?

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  • highly related: judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/11888/…
    – mbloch
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 14:08
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    See here: judaism.stackexchange.com/a/16074/5
    – Seth J
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 14:31
  • Very closely related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/16059/5
    – Seth J
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 14:31
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    What you heard is a highly controversial position which wasn't held or even presented as a possibility by anyone until the 17th century. The apparent unanimous position of everyone till then is that women should pray Shemoneh Esrei just like men, and such continues to be the dominant traditional position espoused by the vast majority of later authorities.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 16:32

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There is no question that an Ashkenazi woman can pray maariv if she desires.

It has optional status according to many, R Melamed for instance writes

Women never took Maariv upon themselves. Therefore, Maariv retains the status of an optional prayer for women.

Since a woman needs to pray once a day at least, he later writes that

If a woman was unable to pray both Shacharit and Mincha she should nonetheless pray Maariv.

R Doniel Neustadt writes here

Note that all tefilos in which women may be exempt, such as the daily Ma'ariv [...] are still permitted to be davened by women. [However one should ask a rav for sefardic women] since some Sephardic poksim (e.g., Yechaveh Da'as 1:68; 3:3) rule that women are not allowed to daven certain parts of the davening from which they are exempt.

According to R Yosef Ber Soloveichik, maariv has obligatory status for women.

See also here for more sources.

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    You would do well to clarify what "optional" means, as I've met many who regularly misunderstand that term. "Optional" here (at least according to the vast majority of Rishonim, including Tosfot, Rif, Rosh/Tur (and possibly the Rambam) and seemingly the Beit Yosef who cites this and no dissenters) means that it can be pushed off in extenuating circumstances like being busy with another time-sensitive Mitzva, not that you can skip it willy-nilly. This is the ruling of the Mishna Berura (OC 107 sk 2, 237 sk 1).
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 16:39
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    R Melamed cites no source for his claims in that article. Indeed, even if he is echoing some late Acharon's speculation, the claim is quite dubious, as no sources contemporary to the acceptance mention gender. (The Rambam writes "נהגו כל ישראל בכל מקומות מושבותיהם", the Rif "והאידנא נהוג עלמא לשוייה כחובה", the Rosh "והאידנא נהוג עלמא בתפלת ערבית מנהג חובה", and the ShA/Rama omit any details of the rules of the Reshut status because they aren't relevant anymore.) Of course, R Melamed's omission of any reference to those who obligate women in Maariv makes his article further suspect.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 17:16
  • Mahari Weill 193 in the early 15th century says women should be careful not to do melacha sat night before they daven but if they don't know how to daven they should be taught to say baruch hamavdil. Clearly, at the time women hadn't yet never accepted maariv...
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Mar 11, 2021 at 2:27
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    @Double AA Mishna Berura 106:4 writes “ אבל תפלת ערבית שהוא רשות אע"פ שעכשיו כבר קבלוהו עליהם כל ישראל לחובה מ"מ הנשים לא קבלו עליהם ורובן אין מתפללין ערבית.” This is what Rav Melamed is probably referring to. Also see rabbikaganoff.com/tag/women-and-maariv who cites the Graz 106:2; Mishnah Berurah 106:4; cf. Magen Avraham 299:16) as saying that women do not need to daven maariv. Which contemporary poskim hold that women must daven maariv besides the AHS?
    – Eman
    Commented Aug 16, 2021 at 1:46
  • @Eman I'm skeptical. The Mishna Berura (like literally all ashkenazi rishonim and acharonim ever) as above holds that the only possible reason for anyone to not daven arvit is if you have a pressing other mitzva that needs to be done, unlike what R' Melammed writes. Even if that's what R' Melammed is misrepresenting, it doesn't change the fact that the historical claim is quite dubious, to say it politely. It's beyond me why anyone takes this seriously. Chas veshalom to teach it to your holy daughters.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 16, 2021 at 13:14

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