When Does One Pray When There Is No Day
Rabbi Dovid Heber, Star-K Kashrus Administrator
Refer to attached map
Click here for glossary.
There was a time not long ago when kosher food was available only in major Jewish metropolitan areas. Finding kosher certified products on the road was a daunting task. “Kosher Tours” were limited to a few select areas. Today, the Star-K and other kosher symbols appear on thousands of food products. Kosher food is available from Fairbanks to Fiji, and from New Zealand to Norway. Kosher tours are now available to Alaska and Antarctica. With so many north and south destinations easily accessible to kosher consumers, the observant Jew now faces an array of fascinating questions. In parts of Alaska, and other locations north of the Arctic Circle, there are periods of time during the summer when the sun never sets and during the winter when the sun never rises. When does Shabbos begin in the land of the midnight sun? Can one daven Shachris if the sun doesn't rise? When does Shabbos start and end in Anchorage on a day that does not get dark? A similar question is, when does an astronaut daven and begin and end Shabbos in outer space? A description of the Arctic Circle is necessary to understand the halachos that relate to these unique circumstances.
The Arctic Circle
(located at 66.56° N Latitude, see map) is an imaginary line that runs through Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, and Alaska.1From this general area and northward, there are days in the summer when the sun does not set and days in the winter when the sun does not rise.2 For example, in Longyearbyen, the northernmost town in the world located on the Svalbard Islands north of Norway,3 the sun remains above the horizon from April 20 through August 25. During this time the midnight sun is visible for over four months. Between October 27 and February 15, the sun never peaks above the horizon.4 In Alert, Nunavut in Canada,5 the sun does not set for almost five months of the year. At the North Pole, the sun rises in March and stays up for six months until it sets in September, when it remains below the horizon for six months. At the South Pole6, the sun also stays up for six months (September through March) and stays below the horizon for six months (March through September).
Shabbos and Tefilla – There are various opinions regarding what to do in such locations:
A. The Minchas Elazar 7questions whether a person’s Shabbos in the Arctic Circle lasts until the next sunset, which could be s everal months later. For example, if a person arrives on Friday, May 15th and the sun sets late that evening, and then rises early the next morning and does not set for two months, it may be a very long Shabbos until after the sun sets again in July! Because of this, as well as other doubts regarding times for davening, it is advisable8 that one should not live in or visit these locations during the months when the sun is always up or down.9
B. The Tiferes Yisroel 10 states that at the North Pole, one should use the times for Shabbos and davening based on the location from where he came.11 For example, if one goes from Baltimore to the North Pole, he begins and ends Shabbos and davens at the same time residents in Baltimore begin and end Shabbos and daven.
C. According to the Ben Ish Chai 12, when the sun is above the horizon for 24 hours, or it is completely dark for 24 hours, 6:00 a.m. is considered sunrise and 6:00 p.m. is considered sunset.13 In the “morning”, one wears tallis and tefillin, davens Shachris and performs most day mitzvos. Shabbos begins 18 minutes before 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Shabbos ends on Saturday at 7:12 p.m., 72 minutes after the “replacement sunset” of 6:00 p.m. At this time, one could say the evening Shema.
D. The Moadim U’Zmanim 14 introduces a novel approach to deal with this problem. In the summer, when the sun does not set, each new halachic day begins and ends when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky, usually around midnight.15 This is when Shabbos would begin on Friday and end on Saturday night. One could only fulfill mitzvos that are performed during the day (e.g. Shachris).16 One could not fulfill most mitzvos that may only be performed at night (e.g. reading the Shema of night).17 In the winter, when the sun is below the horizon, the new halachic day begins when the sun is closest to the horizon (usually around noon).18 In Polar regions, on a day in the winter when it remains completely dark with no sunlight for 24 hours,19 one could perform night mitzvos but not day mitzvos (e.g. Shachris) since there is no daylight. These opinions address “extreme” locations, places that have days in the year without sunlight or without sunset.20 There are also regions that do not have the distinct day and night to which we are accustomed, but do have some measure of light during the prolonged winter, and do experience sunset during summer. These areas are also of halachic concern because they do not experience a sunrise or a complete darkness during periods of the year.
The Halacha - Because of the various opinions, one should discuss the halacha with his rav. (Refer to attached map) The following guidelines were written with the input of Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, shlit"a, Rabbinic Administrator of the Star-K: [Note: Specific times listed are approximate and for purposes of example. There are numerous other examples beyond the scope of this article. Anyone visiting these regions must calculate specific times with his rav.]
Summer - Below the Arctic Circle – The most frequent question arises when people visit or live in Anchorage, Alaska; Stockholm, Sweden; or Oslo, Norway in the summer. Unlike the areas previously addressed, these locations are below the Arctic Circle (below the Arctic Circle means south of the Arctic Circle; above the Arctic Circle means north of the Arctic Circle closer to the North Pole) and experience sunrise and sunset 365 days a year. However, during part of the summer it never gets fully dark. When can one daven Maariv and when is Shabbos over during this time of the year? One may daven Maariv and begin Shabbos after plag hamincha (11/4 halachic hours before sunset) but he should repeat Shema just prior to chatzos halayla (the darkest period of time). Shabbos ends shortly after that, at chatzos halayla.21 For example, on June 22 in Anchorage, Alaska, the sun sets at 11:43 p.m. and rises at 4:20 a.m. One may daven Maariv and begin Shabbos after 9:42 p.m. (plag hamincha). One should repeat Shema at 1:55 a.m., prior to chatzos halayla.22 Shabbos ends at 2:02 a.m. Sunday (chatzos halayla).23 One may recite the complete havdalah after chatzos halayla. Alternatively, one may recite havdalah upon arising Sunday morning (only the brochos of Borei Pri Hagafen and Hamavdil).24
Winter - Below the Arctic Circle – These areas experience very short days. However, twilight is exceptionally long and one waits longer25 than in our area to end Shabbos in order to ensure the stars are visible. For example, in Anchorage on December 18, the sun rises at 10:12 a.m. and sets at 3:40 p.m. One must wait 1 hour and 29 minutes after sunset and end Shabbos at 5:09 p.m. The day is so short that one may not begin Shachris until 9:00 a.m., and Shabbos begins at 3:22 p.m.
Winter - Above the Arctic Circle at Locations with Sunlight - Almost all inhabited locations above the Arctic Circle, where the sun does not rise in the winter, experience a period of sunlight around noon.26 One may perform day mitzvos during a segment of this period of sunlight.27 In these locations, one may daven Shachris and perform most daytime mitzvos (e.g. Hallel) after there is enough light to distinguish between the colors of tchailes (blue/ green) and white28, until chatzos hayom (when the sunlight begins to decrease). One should daven Mincha a half hour after chatzos hayom. When the stars come out, Shabbos ends and one may daven Maariv. Twilight (i.e. the time when the sun is below the horizon but there is still sunlight) is longer than what we are accustomed to.29 For example, in Barrow located at the northern tip of Alaska, on December 1 the sun does not rise. However, at 1:15 p.m. there is the most sunlight of the day 30 (theoretical chatzos hayom). Therefore, one may daven
Shachris and perform daytime mitzvos between 10:40 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.31 (during these pre-dawn light conditions) and daven Mincha at 1:45 p.m. (1/2 hour after chatzos during the post sunset conditions). Shabbos ends at 4:23 p.m. when the stars come out.
Winter in Completely Dark Locations & Summer North of the Arctic Circle - Unusual and difficult questions arise when someone travels to these areas. As previously addressed, there is a dispute as to when Shabbos begins and ends in these locations. Ideally, due to the various doubts, one should avoid living in or visiting these problem areas. However, if one must visit these locations,32 the following halachos apply:
1. Winter - In Completely Dark Locations33 - One begins and ends Shabbos at the time indicated by the stricter opinions. This means that one begins Shabbos before chatzos hayom on Friday.34 Shabbos ends 72 minutes after the “6:00 p.m. shkia”35 Saturday. One davens Maariv and recites the evening Shema between 7:00 p.m. and midnight.36 After 6 a.m. and when it is morning in the location where one comes from, one would say K’rias Shema without brachos and Shachris Shemona Esrai, “Al tnai.”37
2. Summer - North of the Arctic Circle – When the sun remains above the horizon for 24 hours, one begins and ends Shabbos at the time indicated by the stricter opinions. This means that one begins Shabbos before 6:00 p.m. on Friday.38 Shabbos ends around midnight 39 (30 hours after it began). For example, if someone from Baltimore travels north to Pond Inlet, Nunavut in Canada 40 on June 28, Shabbos begins on Friday at 6:42 p.m.41 Shabbos ends at 1:15 a.m. early Sunday morning42, or whenever the place he comes from finishes Shabbos, whichever is later. One should wait until 2 1/2 hours before “chatzos halayla” (when the sun is at the lowest point) Friday night to recite kiddush.43 One davens daytime tefillos at the same time as the kehilla from which he came, and it is preferable that he also wait to fulfill the other opinions. For example, if one travels from Baltimore to Pond Inlet on June 28, when the sun does not set, one davens Shachris between 7:15 a.m.44 and 9:15 a.m.45 (being careful to recite Shema before 7:15 a.m.)46, and davens Mincha after 2:15p.m.47 One davens Maariv on weeknights and recites Friday night kiddush after 10:45 p.m.48 Depending on where one came from, one may have to wait until Shabbos morning to recite the Friday night kiddush.49
Outer Space
It is clear from the above that the calculation of davening times and when Shabbos begins and
ends would be complicated for Jewish astronauts in outer space. Therefore, a rav should be consulted. Ideally, one should not travel to outer space. If one must go, an astronaut would follow the opinion of the Tiferes Yisroel for davening, and according to some opinions keeps Shabbos anytime it is Shabbos anywhere on Earth. 50 If this is too difficult, one could rely on the Tiferes Yisroel for Shabbos. If one orbits the earth and stays above the area that is between 45oN and 45oS, one would daven each tefilla once per day (despite the continuous sunrise and sunset). One would keep Shabbos when it is Shabbos directly below the rocket on earth. Depending on the season and location, Shabbos could be as early as 2:00 a.m. Friday Universal Time and as late as Sunday 12:30 p.m. Universal Time. V’tzarich iyun.
Kosher Food
Once one has determined halachic times for areas above the Arctic Circle, one must locate kosher food. The Star-K has discovered that kosher food is available in the most remote geographic places. One can find kosher certified products near the beginning of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline at the Prudhoe Bay General Store. The Food Services Supervisor at the U.S. South Pole Observatory informed us that Star-K certified products have reached the South Pole! A physicist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Barrow, Alaska reports that many kosher products are available there. Furthermore, many years ago, the Jewish station-head gathered nine other Jewish men to form a minyan. We hope these guidelines will serve a useful purpose for future Barrow and Arctic minyanim!
Refer to attached map
The author wishes to thank Rabbi Eli Reidler and Dr. Yossi Scheller for their invaluable assistance.
Topic: When Does One Pray When There Is No Day (Read 2920 times)