Short backgrounds on daily prayer and worship times across the faiths listed on this site.
Prayer names open today's times for that faith so you can see when they are scheduled.
Alot haShachar is halachic dawn, when the first light of morning begins to appear. It marks an important threshold for certain mitzvot, fasts, and early-morning practices, but is not itself a prayer service. Different methods calculate Alot using degrees below the horizon or a fixed interval before sunrise, so the exact time varies by halachic authority and community.
Chatzot is halachic midday, the midpoint of the daytime period according to the calculation being used. It serves as an important dividing point for a number of Jewish laws and practices and helps determine other zmanim, including the afternoon prayer period. Chatzot is a zman, not a separate prayer service. Its precise time can vary according to the method used to define the halachic day.
Havdalah is the ceremony marking the separation between Shabbat and the new week. Traditionally recited over wine or grape juice, fragrant spices, and a multi-wicked flame, it is performed after Shabbat has ended at nightfall. The precise ending time of Shabbat varies according to the method and community used to determine nightfall, so local practice should be followed.
Mincha Gedola is the earliest standard time for praying Mincha, the afternoon service. It occurs one-half of a seasonal hour after halachic midday. Mincha Gedola marks the opening of the afternoon prayer period rather than a separate prayer or service. Its exact clock time changes with the season and the calculation method used.
Mincha Ketana is a later point in the afternoon prayer period, beginning nine and one-half seasonal hours into the halachic day. It is traditionally regarded as a preferred period for Mincha because it more closely corresponds to the time of the afternoon Temple offering. It is a zman within the Mincha prayer window, not a separate prayer service.
Misheyakir is the early-morning time when natural light is sufficient to recognize a familiar person at a short distance. In practical halachic use, it marks the earliest time for certain daytime mitzvot, particularly wearing a tallit and tefillin. Different authorities use different solar calculations to approximate this level of morning light, so published times may vary.
Netz haChama is sunrise, when the upper edge of the sun appears above the horizon. It is particularly significant for Shacharit: the practice known as vatikin coordinates the morning prayers so that the Amidah begins at sunrise. Netz is a solar zman, not the name of the morning service, and Shacharit may also be prayed later within its permitted time.
Plag haMincha is a late-afternoon zman occurring one and one-quarter seasonal hours before the end of the halachic day, according to the calculation method being followed. It is relevant to several timing rules, including early Maariv and, under appropriate circumstances, Friday candle lighting. Plag is a halachic time marker rather than a separate prayer service.
Shabbat candles are lit on Friday before sunset to welcome and honor Shabbat. A common custom is to light 18 minutes before sunset, although the interval varies among communities and locations. Because candle lighting must occur before Shabbat begins, the locally accepted candle-lighting time should be followed when precise observance matters.
Shkiat haChama, or shkiah, is sunset and an important boundary in Jewish law. It affects the timing of daily prayers, Shabbat and festivals, fasts, and many other observances. Shkiah is a solar zman rather than a prayer service. The period between sunset and definite nightfall has a distinct and sometimes uncertain halachic status.
Sof Zman Shma is the latest time for fulfilling the morning obligation to recite the Shema. It is a deadline rather than a prayer service. Major calculation methods, particularly those associated with the Magen Avraham and the Vilna Gaon, can produce different times. The appropriate zman therefore depends on the halachic practice being followed.
Sof Zman Tfilla, more commonly transliterated Sof Zman Tefillah, is the latest standard time for the morning Amidah. It generally occurs four seasonal hours into the halachic day, although its clock time depends on how the beginning and end of the day are calculated. It is a prayer deadline rather than a separate service, and different calculation methods can produce different times.
Tzeit hakochavim is halachic nightfall, traditionally associated with the appearance of three stars. It is an important threshold for the evening Shema and Maariv, the end of fasts, and determining when Shabbat and festivals have ended. Different communities calculate nightfall using solar angles, fixed intervals after sunset, or other accepted methods, so published times can differ.
This prayer reference covers the daily times listed on My Sacred Times. Local and regional customs can still differ. Times are approximate. If something important to your community is missing, or a description needs a correction, please write to us at info@mysacredtimes.com.
