When Does Shabbat End?: Difference between revisions
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==Introduction== | ==Introduction== | ||
=== | ===Underlying Question=== | ||
The Talmud has several different statements about when the nighttime begins for all purposes including when Shabbat ends. The clearest statement on the matter is that of Shmuel in Gemara Shabbat 35b; once three medium stars are visible in the sky it is considered night. This time period is called ''Tzeit Hakochavim'', the emergence of the stars. Though, there are multiple Gemaras that comment on the time span between sunset and Tzeit HaKochavim. The Gemara Shabbat 34b records the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda that night only begins after a period of twilight which elapses from ''shekiya'' (sunset) for another two thirds of a mil or three quarters of a mil.<ref>Rav Yosef's opinion is that ben hashemashot is 2/3 of a mil and Rabba holds it is 3/4 of a mil. It seems clear from the Gemara 34b that they're argument is when ben hashemashot begins. Rav Yosef holds that it doesn't begin for the first 1/12 of a mil after shekiya. Tosfot 35a s.v. vyered makes this evident. The Geonim (Otzar Geonim Shabbat 34b n. 111) agree. However, Rashba Shabbat 34b s.v. veyzhu implies that they're arguing about when the night begins.</ref> Additionally, Rabbi Yosi disagrees and thinks twilight is minimal, literally "the length of time it takes to bat an eyelash", though not precisely that amount of time.<ref>Shaar Hatziyun 293:3 writes that it is the time it takes to walk 49 [[amot]] which is approximately half a minute. (It is dependent on the amount of time of a mil which is the time it takes to walk 2000 amot.)</ref> Finally, the Gemara Pesachim 94a indicates that nightfall doesn't begin until 4 mil after ''shekiya''. There are three main approaches in the rishonim and achronim<ref>The Maareh Panim on Yerushalmi Brachot 1:1 s.v. tani kol zman, the teacher of the Gra, explains the dispute between the Rabbenu Tam and Gra is in fact a machloket tenayim.</ref> as how to resolve these statements of the Talmud in a cohesive manner. | The Talmud has several different statements about when the nighttime begins for all purposes including when Shabbat ends. The clearest statement on the matter is that of Shmuel in Gemara Shabbat 35b; once three medium stars are visible in the sky it is considered night. This time period is called ''Tzeit Hakochavim'', the emergence of the stars. Though, there are multiple Gemaras that comment on the time span between sunset and Tzeit HaKochavim. The Gemara Shabbat 34b records the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda that night only begins after a period of twilight which elapses from ''shekiya'' (sunset) for another two thirds of a mil or three quarters of a mil.<ref>Rav Yosef's opinion is that ben hashemashot is 2/3 of a mil and Rabba holds it is 3/4 of a mil. It seems clear from the Gemara 34b that they're argument is when ben hashemashot begins. Rav Yosef holds that it doesn't begin for the first 1/12 of a mil after shekiya. Tosfot 35a s.v. vyered makes this evident. The Geonim (Otzar Geonim Shabbat 34b n. 111) agree. However, Rashba Shabbat 34b s.v. veyzhu implies that they're arguing about when the night begins.</ref> Additionally, Rabbi Yosi disagrees and thinks twilight is minimal, literally "the length of time it takes to bat an eyelash", though not precisely that amount of time.<ref>Shaar Hatziyun 293:3 writes that it is the time it takes to walk 49 [[amot]] which is approximately half a minute. (It is dependent on the amount of time of a mil which is the time it takes to walk 2000 amot.)</ref> Finally, the Gemara Pesachim 94a indicates that nightfall doesn't begin until 4 mil after ''shekiya''. There are three main approaches in the rishonim and achronim<ref>The Maareh Panim on Yerushalmi Brachot 1:1 s.v. tani kol zman, the teacher of the Gra, explains the dispute between the Rabbenu Tam and Gra is in fact a machloket tenayim.</ref> as how to resolve these statements of the Talmud in a cohesive manner. | ||
