Zmanim, halakhic times, divide the Jewish day. They determine and inform when we can perform Jewish activities. On Friday evenings, there is a time to light candles, and on Saturdays, havdalah can only happen after nightfall. Many rituals, mitzvot, celebrations, and prayers are centered around a particular time.

Zmanim are not random. They’re an essential part of the rich Jewish traditions that ground us in the world. 

For more information about the overall system of zmanim, see Rabbi Lauren Tuchman’s article “What Are Zmanim and Why Are They Important?” In this piece, we’ll break down the different zmanim and their meanings, starting from the earliest to the latest. (Please consult your rabbi for any halakhic advice.)

Alot HaShachar (עלות השחר)

Dawn

Alot HaShachar refers to dawn, when light is visible, but the sun has not yet come over the horizon. It is also known as Amud HaShachar. 

• This is when daytime communal fasts (like Tzom Gedalia) begin.
• It’s the earliest time one can fulfill daytime obligations like the morning Shema and Amidah—but only bediavad, in a non-ideal situation. There are more ideal times later in the day for fulfilling those obligations, when it is more obviously daytime.

Netz HaChamah (נץ החמה)

Sunrise

Netz HaChamah is sunrise, when the sun itself is visible over the horizon.

• This is the earliest ideal time to pray the Amidah.
• It is also ideal for other daytime mitzvot, like shaking the lulav and hearing the shofar. 

The Shulkhan Arukh (SA OH 58:1) recommends beginning one’s prayers slightly before Netz HaChamah, when one can just barely recognize a friend at a distance of four cubits—so that the Shema and its blessings will finish exactly at Netz.

Sof Zman Kriyat Shema (סוף זמן קריאת שמע)

Latest Time for Shema

One must recite the Shema and its blessings within the first three halakhic hours of the day. The end of those three hours is Sof Zman Kriyat Shema, or literally, The End of the Time for the Recitation of the Shema.

• Bediavad, in a non-ideal situation, one can recite the Shema and its blessings until the end of the fourth hour of the day.
• Without blessings, Shema may be recited anytime during the day (SA OH 58:6) 

Sof Zman Tefilah (סוף זמן קריאת תפילה)

Latest Time for the Morning Amidah

Like with the Shema and its blessings, one should recite the morning Amidah within the first four halakhic hours of the day (SA OH 89:1).

Hatzot HaYom (חצות היום)

Noon

This refers to halakhic midday, six hours into the twelve halakhic daytime hours. 

• Any half-day fasts or restrictions (like certain of the Tisha B’Av prohibitions) end at Hatzot.
• Bediavad, although it is not ideal, one can recite the Amidah until Hatzot. 
• After that point, it is forbidden to recite the morning Amidah after Hatzot.

Mincha Gedolah (מנחה גדולה)

Earliest Time for Mincha

• Mincha may be recited after this point, which falls six and a half halakhic hours into the day (SA OH 233:1 and Berakhot 26b:12). 
• However, the ideal time for Mincha is at Mincha Ketanah.

Mincha Ketanah (מנחה קטנה)

Ideal Time for Mincha

The ideal time to pray Mincha is nine and a half halakhic hours into the day (SA OH 233:1 and Berakhot 26b:12).

Plag Mincha (פלג מנחה)

Middle of the Time for Mincha

Plag Mincha is ten and three-quarters hours into the day. 

• According to Rabbi Yehudah, Plag Mincha is the latest time for mincha (MishnahA collection of rabbinic teachings edited in Israel around 225 CE. Organized in six sedaraim by subject matter and dealing with both ritual and civil law. Both the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmud are expansive discussions of the Mishnah. Read more Berakhot 4:1).
• However, the rabbis allow for one to pray mincha as late as nightfall (Shkiyah). 

The general advice is to hold one of these positions consistently.

After Plag Mincha,

• If one recited Mincha before Plag Mincha, one can then recite Ma’ariv. 
• However, the nighttime Shema must be repeated after nightfall.
• This is the earliest time when Shabbat candles can be lit.

Hadlakat Nerot (הדלקת נרות)

Candlelighting

This is the ideal time to light Shabbat candles.

Shabbat candles are typically lit within the 18 minutes before sunset (Shkiyah). Some communities, like in Jerusalem, light earlier, 40 minutes before Shkiyah. At the end of this period, it is Shabbat, and one can no longer light candles.

Shkiyah / Shkiyat HaChamah (שקיעה / שקיעת החמה)

Sunset

Shkiyah refers to sunset, when the sun is no longer visible on the horizon. It is the end of the halakhic day.

• This is the earliest time to recite Ma’ariv.
• One should ideally wait until true nightfall (Tzeit haKohavim) to say Shema (SA OH 235:1). 
• If one recited Ma’ariv at this time, one should go back and recite Shema again after Tzeit.

Bein HaShmashot (בין השמשות)

Twilight

After Shkiyah, when the sun is no longer visible, there is still light in the sky. Bein HaShamashot, twilight, refers to this intermediate time, when it is still light but the sun has set.

Because this time is not quite day and not quite night, the mitzvot observed during this time are in doubt.

Tzeit HaKohavim (צאת הכוכבים)

Nightfall

Tzeit HaKohavim means “the emergence of the stars.” This is when night can be confidently declared. 

• This is the ideal time for Ma’ariv and reciting the Shema. 
• It is understood to be when three medium-sized stars are visible to the naked eye. 
• By this time, we are officially on the next Jewish day—even though the secular day has not ended.
• This is when fasts end (other than Yom Kippur, which is at Motzei Shabbat).

Motzei Shabbat (מוצאי שבת)

The End of Shabbat

Shabbat and Yom Kippur have completely ended, and we are able to perform havdalah.

There are disagreements about how this particular time is calculated. In many communities, it is commonly observed 40–50 minutes after Tzeit HaKohavim. Consult your rabbi for local customs.

Hatzot HaLailah (חצות הלילה)

Midnight

This refers to halakhic midnight, the latest time for Ma’ariv (although some opinions allow even later Ma’ariv). 

Shaot Zmaniot (שעות זמניות)

Halakhic Hours

The rabbis established twelve hours of daytime and twelve hours of nighttime, regardless of the time of year. This means that an hour will change in length, depending on the time of year. These are known as halakhic hours or proportional hours.