Under what circumstances is it permissible to daven a shortened Shemoneh Esrei?

Under certain circumstances, one may replace his tefilla of Shemoneh Esrei with a tefilla known as Havineinu. Havineinu is comprised of the standard text for the first three and last three brochos along with a single brochah in the middle which includes all the requests of the middle brochos. Circumstances which call for Tefillas Havineinu include a traveler who is concerned that if he davens a longer Shemoneh Esrei his concentration may be disturbed, a person who is experiencing a stressful situation which challenges his ability to have kavanah, a person who is sick and does not have the strength to daven for so long, and a situation where the end of zman tefilla is approaching and one will not be able to complete the whole Shemoneh Esrei before the time expires. Presently, the custom is not to daven Havineinu for kavanah reasons.

סי' ק"י ס"א ס"ק א' ביה"ל ד"ה או ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 8

Is it ever possible to daven Tefillas Havineinu on Motzei Shabbos?

One may not daven Havineinu during the winter months because v’sein tal u’matar cannot be added into the body of Havineinu. Similarly, one may not daven Havineinu on Motzei Shabbos, since Havdalah cannot be added into it. Even if one somehow managed to incorporate these additions into the text of Tefillas Havineinu during these times, some Achronim rule that he would not be yotzei and would have to daven again. If it is almost zman tefilla, however, one may daven Havineinu on Motzei Shabbos without the Havdalah addition. An alternative to Havineinu for someone who is experiencing a certain level of distress is to say a shortened version of each brocha along with the necessary additions.

ס"א ס"ק ה'-ו' ביה"ל ד"ה ואינו

How much time may a worker take off from work to daven?

In earlier times, certain workers were limited in how much time they were allowed to take off from work in order to daven. Nowadays, it is understood in employment arrangements that a worker may take off time to daven an entire tefilla. However, one may only leave the workplace to go daven with a minyan if that is considered a standard arrangement among employees. He may only go to the closest shul; he may not insist on going to a further one to gain more sechar. He may only serve as chazan if this will not cause him to take extra time off from work.

סי' ק"י ס"ק י"ב ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 9

• Shulchan Aruch and Rema both rule that the method of davening along with the chazan is generally b’dieved, and l’chatchilah one should wait to begin until he hears all of the devarim shebekedusha.

• Other Achronim disagree with the Shulchan Aruch and Rema, and rule that even l’chatchila one may choose to daven Shemoneh Esrei along with the chazan. Many Achronim rule that davening with the chazan is like davening tefilla b’tzibur. Others say that it is not equivalent to tefilla b’tzibur but it is a step above davening by oneself.

• A resident of Eretz Yisroel who is davening a weekday Shemoneh Esrei may say join with the chazan in reciting the Kedusha of Yom Tov. 

• How far must one travel to say Tefillas Haderech?

• How many times a day does one say Tefillas Haderech?

• Should Tefillas Haderech be said together with another brocha?