What is the reward of those who come earliest to shul?

The Gemara teaches that a person should try to be among the first ten people who arrive in shul. Those who do will receive a reward equivalent to the combined rewards of all the people who arrive afterwards. The Achronim disagree about whether the earliest among the first ten also receive a reward equivalent to the sum of the rewards of all of those (in the group of ten) who arrive later. Even if a person cannot be one of the first ten people, he should try to come as early as possible. There is also a point in being among the first ten for Mincha and Ma’ariv. According to the Zohar, it is best if ten people gather and arrive in shul together. At the end of davening, it is best to be among the last ten people who leave the shul.

סימן צ' ס"ק מ"ז ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 46, 47

How far does a person have to drive to daven with a minyan?

A traveler who is ready to daven must first determine if there is a minyan either four mil ahead of him or one mil behind him. The distance it takes to travel a mil is eighteen minutes (see below for more details about this calculation). If he can reach/return to the minyan while it is still light and he does not have to travel alone, he must do so. Contemporary poskim discuss whether the qualification of arriving while it is still daytime is still applicable. They also discuss whether nowadays the distance should be calculated based on walking or driving. A person who is at home and is not traveling is only required to travel a mil in order to daven with a minyan.

סט"ז ס"ק מ"ט נ"א ונ"ב ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 55, 59

May one miss minyan to avoid bitul Torah?

The Gemara describes certain outstanding Amoraim who davened in their places of study instead of coming to a beis hakneses. Davening in the same place that one learns Torah trumps joining a large group of people who are davening. In addition, the time it would take to go to shul could be used for learning. The Rishonim disagree about whether these Amoraim had a minyan in their place of study. Some say they did, while others argue that there is no reason to assume that they did (based on the above reasoning). Although Rema quotes the later opinion, he says that it only applies to outstanding scholars who spend all their time learning and do not interrupt their learning for any reason. He adds that even these people should not make a habit of missing minyan, since the unlearned masses will mimic their practice and not daven. All agree that if there is a large group of people in the place of study, davening should take place there and not in a shul.

סי"ח ס"ק נ"ה, נ"ו, ונ"ז

• A person who is davening with a tzibur in shul may not begin Shemoneh Esrei before the tzibur. Passing ahead of the tzibur is considered disrespectful. If a person is in a rush, he must leave the shul before he begins Shemoneh Esrei.

• A person who has a choice between walking to a closer shul and one that is further away should go the longer distance. The additional steps he takes will bring him additional reward. There is no extra reward in driving to a further shul.

• When one gets close to a beis hakneses, he should run up to its entrance. Upon reaching the doorway, he should pause and enter slowly with a sense of awe. It is forbidden to depart from shul in a rush, as this gives the impression that attending shul is a burden. 

• Can a person have a different makom kavua for Shacharis and Mincha?

• Why are shuls built with lobbies?

• Davening in front of a wall