Generally speaking, one may not eat before Shacharis unless it's for the sake of being able to daven better.
Does such a halachah apply to Mincha and Ma'ariv as well? Once their respective earliest zmanim arrive, may one eat before davening?
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Sign up to join this communityGenerally speaking, one may not eat before Shacharis unless it's for the sake of being able to daven better.
Does such a halachah apply to Mincha and Ma'ariv as well? Once their respective earliest zmanim arrive, may one eat before davening?
The link you attached to your question, comes with answers that basically say that even if you're allowed to eat before shacharis, it's only for eating "mezonot" and not a full meal with bread.
Therefore, my answer is that one is allowed to eat a light meal before Mincha or Maariv even if it's not in order to help him daven better.
Eating before Mincha
S"A Orach Chaim 232:3 which discusses eating before Mincha, says the following:
והא דאסור לאכול סעודה קטנה היינו כשקובע לסעודה אבל לטעום דהיינו אכילת פירות מותר וה"ה לאכול פת כביצה כדרך שאדם אוכל בלא קבע מותר
The Issur of eating before Mincha only applies to one who "sits down" for a meal. But to eat fruits or to eat a kabeitza of bread like a person does without keva, that's allowed (my translation)
Mishna Berura 232:34 explains the above in the following way:
מותר - אפילו כבר הגיע זמן מ"ק ואפילו אם אוכל הרבה פירות דזה לא מקרי סעודה. ותבשיל העשוי מחמשת המינים ג"כ מותר אם אינו קובע עלייהו
Permitted - even if the time for Mincha Ketana has arrived, and even if he eats a lot of fruit, that's not called a meal. And food made of the 5 types of grain are also allowed as long as he's not kovea on them. (My translation)
However, some say if one always goes to minyan and there’s a set time, it’s permissible to eat, even after 9½ hours except having a feast such as a wedding or Brit Milah after 9 hours.[Piskei Teshuvot 232:3] (Halachipedia)
Eating before ma'ariv
The Mishna Berura 235:16 says that one is allowed to eat fruits or cake before maariv, but not a full meal:
אסור להתחיל וכו' - והטעם שמא ימשך בסעודתו ופעמים ישתקע עי"ז גם בשינה וישכח לקרות שמע ואפילו לאכול קמעא אסור ומ"מ טעימה בעלמא מיני פירות או אפילו פת בכביצה שרי
Some say that if one always goes to minyan and there is a set time, it is permissible[to eat a meal], even after Tzet HaChachavim except by a feast such as a wedding or Brit Milah one should not start after Tzet.[Piskei Teshuvot 235:6] (Halachipedia)