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Shabbat Ends at Dark
You may not end Shabbat before dark (appearance of three medium-size stars--tzeit ha'kochavim).
When Is Dark
Shabbat (and Jewish festivals) ends at “dark”: when three medium-sized stars are visible overhead.
When Is Dark
Shabbat (and Jewish festivals) ends at “dark”: when three medium-sized stars are visible overhead.
Note To find medium-sized stars, look for stars to appear in the west—those will be large stars. When large stars appear in the west, medium-sized stars should be visible overhead.
If you are in a place where the sun sets but the sky will not get dark any time that evening, ask a rabbi what to do.Kiddush Levana: When To Say: Night
You may say kiddush levana (blessing on the new moon) only at night, after dark/tzeit ha'kochavim.
Shabbat: Candles: Earliest Time To Light
You may not light Shabbat (or Jewish festival) candles before plag ha'mincha. The candles must burn until at least dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) and someone must be there to see the light from the candles after dark.
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan.
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan.
Jewish Festivals: Candles: Earliest Time To Light
You may not light Jewish festival (or Shabbat) candles before plag ha'mincha. The candles must burn until at least dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) and someone must be there to see the light from the candles after dark.
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You may light a candle without a blessing, just so you can have a flame for after the festival has begun. You go to synagogue and after ma'ariv you return home and light the candles from the flame which was burning from before sunset. If you will not have a flame burning from before sunset, you must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan. Women should skip mincha and light candles either 18 minutes before sunset or have a flame burning from before sunset and light candles from that flame once the festival has begun (but she may not light from a new flame or a match).
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You may light a candle without a blessing, just so you can have a flame for after the festival has begun. You go to synagogue and after ma'ariv you return home and light the candles from the flame which was burning from before sunset. If you will not have a flame burning from before sunset, you must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan. Women should skip mincha and light candles either 18 minutes before sunset or have a flame burning from before sunset and light candles from that flame once the festival has begun (but she may not light from a new flame or a match).
Non-Jew Driven Vehicle before Dark Starting Jewish Festival
You may continue riding in a car or taxi driven by a non-Jew between sunset and dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) beginning a Jewish festival, even if the vehicle is driven just for you. You:
- May not do this on Shabbat.
- Must have already paid before sunset.
- May not open a door that will cause a light to turn on or do any other melachot.
- If you have already traveled outside techum, you may move only 4 amot (85” or 116 cm) away from the vehicle, unless the driver leaves you off in an enclosed domain (any area surrounded by walls or an eruv), in which case you may go anywhere in that domain.
- If you had not gone outside of techum, you may go anywhere in the domain and you may also go up to 2000 amot (3,542 ft. or 1,080 m) outside of the domain.
Note Since this is a d'oraita case, we use a smaller measurement for ama--21 ¼” (54 cm).
Jewish Festivals: Ending: Before Havdala: Baruch HaMavdil
Say baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol (without saying God's name!) if:
- It is already “dark” (you can see three medium-size stars--tzeit ha'kochavim), and
- You want to end the Jewish festival (and Shabbat) before saying ma'ariv's amida or havdala.
Note Saying this formula allows you to do melacha, but you may not eat or drink until you have said or heard havdala.
Note Men must still say the amida and men and women must say or hear havdala later even if they said baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol. For how late you may say havdala after a Jewish festival, see Jewish Festival Havdala at Night or Next Day.
Note Men must still say the amida and men and women must say or hear havdala later even if they said baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol. For how late you may say havdala after a Jewish festival, see Jewish Festival Havdala at Night or Next Day.
When To Eat Se'uda Shlishit with Bread
The ideal is to wash hands and say ha'motzi for se'uda shlishit before sunset. However, you may still say ha'motzi for se'uda shlishit until 2 minutes before dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) if you have not yet eaten your se'uda shlishit. Once you have begun your meal before sunset, you may continue until long after dark.
Jewish Festivals: Candles: Dinner Location
As on Shabbat, light Jewish festival candles wherever you will eat dinner that night.
Note If you will be eating away from home, do not light the candles at home unless you will be home for some period of time after dark (in which case you must see the candles burning for at least one minute after dark/tzeit ha'kochavim; otherwise you will have made a bracha l'vatala). This is not the ideal situation, as the ideal is to light where you will eat.
Note You do not need to light candles at all if you are not eating at your own home on the Jewish festival (this applies to men and women, even wives and mothers who normally light at their own home) as long as someone else is lighting candles where you will eat. While the basic halacha is that the hostess lights for everyone, it is a widespread custom for any woman who is--or was--married to light at the hostess's home.
Note You do not need to light candles at all if you are not eating at your own home on the Jewish festival (this applies to men and women, even wives and mothers who normally light at their own home) as long as someone else is lighting candles where you will eat. While the basic halacha is that the hostess lights for everyone, it is a widespread custom for any woman who is--or was--married to light at the hostess's home.
Shabbat: Candles: Lighting at Dinner Location
Light Shabbat candles wherever you will eat dinner.
Note If eating elsewhere, do not light Shabbat candles at your own home unless you will be home for some period of time after dark while the candles are burning (otherwise you have made a bracha l'vatala). You must see the candles burning for at least one minute after dark (tzeit ha'kochavim).
Individual Prayer Times
Plag HaMincha: 1 1/4 halachic hours before sunset until sunset.
Mincha Gedola: 1/2 hour after halachic midday until 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset.
Mincha Ketana: 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset until sunset.
Tzeit HaKochavim: 36 to 72 minutes after sunset, depending on the opinion, purpose, and geographical location.
Note Plag ha'mincha is usually calculated from sunrise to sunset. If necessary, an alternative calculation may be used from dawn to dark, which results in plag ha'mincha's being somewhat later.
Mincha Gedola: 1/2 hour after halachic midday until 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset.
Mincha Ketana: 2 1/2 halachic hours before sunset until sunset.
Tzeit HaKochavim: 36 to 72 minutes after sunset, depending on the opinion, purpose, and geographical location.