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Zmanim
Zmanim (Hebrew: זְמַנִּים, literally means "times", singular zman) are specific times of the day mentioned in Jewish law.
These times appear in various contexts: Shabbat and Jewish holidays begin and end at specific times in the evening, while some rituals must be performed during the day or the night, or during specific hours of the day or night.
The daytime period is divided into twelve equal "relative hours" (or "seasonal" or "variable" hours), which can be longer or shorter than 60 minutes, as the period of daylight is generally not exactly twelve hours long. Hours of the day are counted according to these relative hours for commandments: thus, the Shema prayer must be recited in "the first three hours" of the day, i.e., the first 1/4 of the daytime period.
There are two major opinions regarding the definition of the daytime period:
The result is that "Magen Avraham times" are earlier in the morning than "Vilna Gaon times"; in practice, there are communities that follow each of those standards. For times in the afternoon, the Vilna Gaon's times are earlier, and are almost universally followed.
Near New York, for example, a "seasonal hour" based on the Vilna Gaon's calculations lasts ~45 minutes near the winter solstice, ~60 minutes near the equinoxes, and ~75 minutes near the summer solstice.
The Talmud often states calculations of zmanim in terms of the time it takes to walk some distance, stated in mil (Biblical miles). Most authorities reckon the time it takes to walk one mil as being 18 minutes, though there are opinions of up to 24 minutes.
Many authorities hold such calculations to be absolute: the phrase "four mils after sundown," for example, means exactly "72 minutes after sundown" in all places on all dates. Other authorities, especially those living in higher latitudes, noted that the darkness of the sky 72 minutes after sundown (for example) varies substantially from place to place, and from date to date. Therefore, they hold that "72 minutes after sundown" actually refers to the degree of darkness of the sky, 72 minutes after sundown in Jerusalem on an equinox. That degree of darkness is reckoned as being reached when the sun has fallen a certain number of degrees below the horizon (for example, 7°5′ below the horizon), and that number of degrees becomes the actual standard used for all places and all dates.
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Zmanim
Zmanim (Hebrew: זְמַנִּים, literally means "times", singular zman) are specific times of the day mentioned in Jewish law.
These times appear in various contexts: Shabbat and Jewish holidays begin and end at specific times in the evening, while some rituals must be performed during the day or the night, or during specific hours of the day or night.
The daytime period is divided into twelve equal "relative hours" (or "seasonal" or "variable" hours), which can be longer or shorter than 60 minutes, as the period of daylight is generally not exactly twelve hours long. Hours of the day are counted according to these relative hours for commandments: thus, the Shema prayer must be recited in "the first three hours" of the day, i.e., the first 1/4 of the daytime period.
There are two major opinions regarding the definition of the daytime period:
The result is that "Magen Avraham times" are earlier in the morning than "Vilna Gaon times"; in practice, there are communities that follow each of those standards. For times in the afternoon, the Vilna Gaon's times are earlier, and are almost universally followed.
Near New York, for example, a "seasonal hour" based on the Vilna Gaon's calculations lasts ~45 minutes near the winter solstice, ~60 minutes near the equinoxes, and ~75 minutes near the summer solstice.
The Talmud often states calculations of zmanim in terms of the time it takes to walk some distance, stated in mil (Biblical miles). Most authorities reckon the time it takes to walk one mil as being 18 minutes, though there are opinions of up to 24 minutes.
Many authorities hold such calculations to be absolute: the phrase "four mils after sundown," for example, means exactly "72 minutes after sundown" in all places on all dates. Other authorities, especially those living in higher latitudes, noted that the darkness of the sky 72 minutes after sundown (for example) varies substantially from place to place, and from date to date. Therefore, they hold that "72 minutes after sundown" actually refers to the degree of darkness of the sky, 72 minutes after sundown in Jerusalem on an equinox. That degree of darkness is reckoned as being reached when the sun has fallen a certain number of degrees below the horizon (for example, 7°5′ below the horizon), and that number of degrees becomes the actual standard used for all places and all dates.