Davening Mussaf at home

Question

I seem to remember that when a person davens at home, (I remember it in connection with Yom Kipur, but maybe it's always), s/he should ensure to only start with mussaf once the kehilla has started. I think it's because it's a time of din-judgement, and one needs the zechus of the rabim. But i can't find a source for this. Am i remembering wrong? [i am NOT getting mixed up with "mashiv haruach" - i know there one has to wait for zibur]. I am speaking about tfillas mussaf? Can anyone help? Thank you! Beth

Answer 1

Perhaps you are thinking about a citation from Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov, The Book of our Heritage as shown in Reciting Musaf At The Time Of Divine compassion

If an individual recites Musaf on Rosh Hashanah in his home, he should not do so during the first three hours of the day, for that is a period of Divine judgment, when God is angered by the idolaters who engage in their idolatry at this time.

The Talmud (Avodah Zarah 4b)

R. Yosef taught: An individual should not recite Musaf during the first three hours of the day on Rosh Hashanah, for during those hours the Divine judgment is stern and it is possible that an individual's actions might be scrutinized then and severe judgment passed.

Thanks to @DoubleAA for pointing to Shulchan Arukh OC 591:8 as the original source.

לא יתפלל ביחיד תפלת מוסף בראש השנה עד אחר שלש שעות היום:

The Magen Avraham does seem to say that one should be makpid even with Shacharis to not daven until the tzibur has done so.

יש ליזהר בכל השנה שלא להתפלל שחרית ביחיד בשעה ראשונה דבודאי אין הצבור מתפללין באות' שעה בזמן הזה בקיץ ובחורף הוי איפכא דלאחר ב' שעות בודאי התפללו כל המקומו' וצ"ע בזה לדינא:

Answer 2

I think you may be combining 2 Halachos here. In the first answer, we are talking about waiting a certain amount of time to Daven Mussaf, based on the Gemara in AZ 4b and SA OC 591:8. All of those sources have to do with waiting a certain amount of time to Daven particular Tefillos, and nothing to do with the Tzibbur starting.

There is another, unrelated Halacha based off of Brachos 7b and SA OC 90:9, which is that an individual Davening Beyechidus should attempt to Daven at the same time as the local Tzibur. This applies to all Tefillos, including a regular Shabbos Mussaf. Here is the quote from Shulchan Aruch (OC 90:9, mentioned above):

ישתדל אדם להתפלל בבית הכנסת עם הצבור ואם הוא אנוס שאינו יכול לבוא לבית הכנסת יכוין להתפלל בשעה שהצבור מתפללים (והוא הדין בני אדם הדרים בישובים ואין להם מנין מכל מקום יתפללו שחרית וערבית בזמן שהצבור מתפללים. סמ"ג). וכן אם נאנס ולא התפלל בשעה שהתפללו הצבור והוא מתפלל ביחיד אף על פי כן יתפלל בבית הכנסת: