478. Starting Mincha Without a Minyan

69:4 A person must wash his hands up to the wrists (without a bracha – Mishnah Brurah 233:17) for Mincha the same as he must for Shacharis. He must do likewise for Maariv if there is a break between Mincha and Maariv, or for Musaf if there is a break between Shacharis and Musaf.

69:5 At Mincha, Ashrei should not be recited until a minyan has already been formed so that the shaliach tzibbur may recite Kaddish over what was said with a minyan. If Ashrei was recited without a minyan, after which the minyan was assembled, they should recite some psalm, to be followed by Kaddish. The shaliach tzibbur should put on his tallis before saying Ashrei so as not to have an interruption in between Ashrei and Kaddish. If a tallis only becomes available after Ashrei, he should put it on and recite a few verses before saying Kaddish. (The Mishnah Brurah is unconcerned with the small delay it takes to put on the tallis and would not require the shaliach tzibbur to recite any verses in such a case – MB 54:12.)