Correct for TT #625
Candle lighting - (Balak) 7:14pm (earliest -plag - 6:20)
Havdala - 8:31pm
Rabbeinu Tam Havdala - 9:05
Ranges are THU-THU 12-19 Tamuz (July 1-8)
Earliest Shacharit - 4:38-4:42am
Sunrise - 5:37-5:40˝am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:10-9:12am (8:14-8:17am)
Sof Z'man T'fila - 10:19-10:22am (9:44-9:46am)
Chatzot (halachic noon) - 12:43-12:44pm
Mincha Gedola (earliest Mincha) - 1:19-1:20pm
Plag Mincha - 6:20-6:20pm
Sunset - 7:54-7:53pm (7:49-7:48pm)
Candle Lighting and Havdala for other cities (time in bracket is earliest candle
lighting
Shabbat Earliest City Havdala
7:31pm (6:23) Raanana 8:34pm
7:29pm (6:21) Beit Shemesh 8:32pm
7:31pm (6:23) Netanya 8:34pm
7:30pm (6:22) Rehovot 8:33pm
7:11pm (6:22) Petach Tikva 8:33pm
7:28pm (6:22) Modi'in 8:33pm
7:29pm (6:21) Be'er Sheva 8:31pm
7:28pm (6:20) Gush Etzion 8:31pm
7:30pm (6:22) Ginot Shomron 8:33pm
7:13pm (6:20) Maale Adumim 8:31pm
7:26pm (6:22) Tzfat 8:34pm
7:28pm (6:20) K4 & Hevron 8:31pm
Jerusalem lights candles 40 minutes before sunset. (Except for those who don’t
follow that custom.) Which sunset? Important question. The standard practice is
to count 40 minutes before “sunset of elevation”. Jerusalem is a little over
800m above sea level. If one could see the sun set over a horizon at sea level
(which can be done from some parts of J’lem), it would set about 5 minutes later
than someone watching from sea level, or seeing the sun set beyond mountains
that are approx. the same height as Jerusalem is. Since the sunset on the same
plane is 5 minutes earlier, and for Shabbat purposes is the sunset we would have
to consider because of the strictness of Shabbat, then J’lem candle lighting
time is really only 35 minutes before “the other” sunset.
All other places at some height above sea level have similar problems.
Tzfat lights candles 30 minutes before sunset. Official candle
lighting for Petach Tikva is 40 minutes before sunset, just like Jerusalem. Not
everybody holds by that timing.
Some communities calculate Shabbat out at 33 minutes after
sunset. Some use the angle of the sun below the horizon to “end Shabbat” (8.5
deg).
Bottom line for now: until we get the chart running smoothly, don’t rely on it
exclusively. Cross-check times with calendars and charts. Please report
discrepancies to us, so that we can improve our time table.
Also realize that Sfardim and Ashkenazim often has differences
in minhag.
Explanation of the Z'manim
Sunrise for Jerusalem does not take into account elevation, since the eastern
horizon (where the sun rises) consists of the Hills of Moav across the Jordan
River, which are approx. at the same elevation as Jerusalem
Sunset, on the other hand, is given for an elevation of 825m
and, in parentheses, as if at sea level. There are different opinions as to
which sunset time should be used for halachic purposes. We present both times.
The deadlines for the SH'MA and the Shacharit Amida can be
calculated in two ways. Either considering the day to be from sunrise to sunset
or from dawn to stars out. The first way of reckoning is known as the opinion of
the GR"A, and is the first time given in each case. The second method is known
as the Magen Avraham, and is presented in parentheses.
Aside from candle lighting and havdala, the times are presented
as a range, from the current Thursday of the issue of Torah Tidbits until the
coming Thursday, a span of 8 days. Days between the two Thursdays can be
determined by interpolation (which means: a method by which to estimate a value
of between two known values - this is something that people above a certain age
might remember from high school trigonometry and logarithms, but younger people
who went to school during the calculator era might not be familiar with).
It is usually wise to "pad" the times with a minute or two in
the "play it safe" direction. E.g. Plag Mincha. Better to finish Mincha a minute
or two before the given time. But, better to not light candles until a minute or
two after the given time.
[The Parshat Balak Homepage]
[The TORAH tidbits Homepage] [How to use TORAH tidbits]
[About The OU/NCSY Israel Center] [About TORAH tidbits]
[www.ou.org]
