HALACHIC TIMES
Ranges are THU-THU 23-30 Sivan (June 30 - July 7)
Earliest Talit & T'filin - 4:38-4:41am
Sunrise - 5:37-5:40am
Sof Z'man Kri'at Sh'ma - 9:09-9:11am (8:14-8:16am)
Sof Z'man T'fila - 10:20-10:22am (9:43-9:45am)
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)
*Concerning "Earliest Shacharit", the time is actually the earliest time
for Tallit & T'fillin. In extenuating circumstances, one may daven earlier
than T&T time, but will have to do so without T&T, until their later time.
A fast begins earlier than T&T time, namely Olot HaShachar.
Candle lighting (regular and earliest) and Havdala times - Israel Summer
Time (DST) - Correct for TT 674 • Rabbeinu Tam (J'm) - 9:15pm
7:14pm (6:20) Jerusalem 8:31pm
7:31pm (6:23) Gush Katif 8:33pm
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
7:30pm (6:22) Modi'in area 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
7:14pm (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.