Biblical Day
From Dawn Until the Following Dawn
Overview
Genesis tells us…
- Gen 1:1 In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth;
- Gen 1:2 and the earth being without form and empty, and darkness on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of Elohim moving gently on the face of the waters,
- Gen 1:3 then Elohim said, Let light be! And there was light.
- Gen 1:4 And Elohim saw the light, that it was good, and Elohim separated between the light and darkness.
- Gen 1:5 And Elohim called the light, Day (yowm). And He called the darkness, Night (layil). And there was evening (‘ereb), and there was morning (boqer), day one (yowm).
According to scripture, YHVH did His work during the “daylight” hours, then evening occurred, then at morning (dawn) the day ended.
As such, the Biblical day is from morning (boqer) to morning (boqer).
Torah Requirements
Daily required burnt offerings (`olah):
- 2 male lambs, each 1 year old, without blemish – one in the morning, and one between the evenings (at twilight)
Required food offerings (minchah) for the burnt offerings (`olah):
- Flour mixed with beaten oil (1/10 of an ephah for each of the 2 lambs)
- Strong drink (1/4 of a hin for each of the 2 lambs)
The Biblical Day in the Torah
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth;
Genesis 1:2 and the earth being without form and empty, and darkness on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of Elohim moving gently on the face of the waters,
Genesis 1:3 then Elohim said, Let light be! And there was light.
Genesis 1:4 And Elohim saw the light, that it was good, and Elohim separated between the light and darkness.
Genesis 1:5 And Elohim called the light, Day. And He called the darkness, Night. And there was evening, and there was morning, day one.
AND…
Genesis 1:8 And Elohim called the expanse, Heavens. And there was evening, and there was morning, day two.
AND…
Genesis 1:13 And there was evening, and there was morning, day three.
Genesis 1:14 And Elohim said, Let light sources be in the expanse of the heavens, to divide between the day and the night. And let them be for signs and for (Holy day) seasons, and for days and years.
Genesis 1:15 And let them be for light sources in the expanse of the heavens, to give light on the earth. And it was so.
Genesis 1:16 And Elohim made the two great light sources the great light to rule the day, and the small light and the stars to rule the night.
Genesis 1:17 And Elohim set them in the expanse of the heavens, to give light on the earth,
Genesis 1:18 and to rule over the day and over the night; and to divide between the light and the darkness. And Elohim saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:19 And there was evening, and there was morning, day four.
AND…
Genesis 1:23 And there was evening, and there was morning, the fifth day.
AND…
Genesis 1:31 And Elohim saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1 And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their host.
Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had made. And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.
Genesis 2:3 And Elohim blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because He rested from all His work on it, which Elohim had created to make.
Numbers 28:1 And YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 28:2 Command the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them, My offering, My bread for My fire offerings, My soothing fragrance, you shall take heed to offer to Me in its appointed season.
Numbers 28:3 And you shall say to them, This is the fire offering which you shall offer to YAHWEH, two yearling lambs without blemish, day by day, as a continual burnt offering.
Numbers 28:4 You shall offer the one lamb in the morning, and you shall offer the other lamb between the two evenings;
Numbers 28:5 and a tenth of an ephah of flour for a food offering mixed with beaten oil, a fourth of a hin;
Numbers 28:6 a continual burnt offering which was performed in Mount Sinai for a soothing fragrance, a fire offering to YAHWEH;
Numbers 28:7 and its drink offering, a fourth of a hin for the one lamb; pour a drink offering of strong drink to YAHWEH in the sanctuary.
Numbers 28:8 And you shall offer the other lamb between the evenings, even as the food offering of the morning, and as its drink offering, you shall offer as a sacrifice made by fire, a soothing fragrance to YAHWEH.
Common Misconceptions
Misconception #1 – The First Chapter of Genesis Proves an Evening to Evening Day
Each of the days of creation, as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis, all end in a similar manner:
- Gen 1:5 And Elohim called the light, Day. And He called the darkness, Night. And there was evening, and there was morning, day one.
- Gen 1:8 And Elohim called the expanse, Heavens. And there was evening, and there was morning, day two.
- Gen 1:13 And there was evening, and there was morning, day three.
- Gen 1:19 And there was evening, and there was morning, day four.
- Gen 1:23 And there was evening, and there was morning, the fifth day.
- Gen 1:31 And Elohim saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.
Because the evening is mentioned before the morning (or “day” in some translations), these verses have lead many to believe that a day is being recorded as starting at dusk in the evening and ending after the following daytime has finished, lasting from evening until evening (as Jewish people observe today). This misconception is due in part to poor translations in many Bibles, and in part to a lack of context.
The word translated here as morning (the Hebrew “boqer”) is frequently translated as “day” in many bible translations. However, the Hebrew word “boqer” means the break of morning or dawn, and signifies the end of night and the start of the new day. So, each of these verses are actually stating that at “boqer” (dawn) the day ended.
Also, the context is very important. In each case we see YHVH doing His work during what would be the “daylight” hours, which is then followed by night (‘ereb) and then the break of morning (boqer), signifying the end of the 24-hour day period. In context it is clear that one day ended, and the next day began, at “boqer” – the break of morning or dawn.
Misconception #2 – The Day of Atonement Proves an Evening to Evening Day
In Leviticus 23 we read:
- Lev 23:32 It is a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall humble your souls in the ninth of the month at evening; from evening until evening you shall keep your Sabbath.
Many people have come to believe that this verse also proves that the day period is from evening to evening. However, this is due to this verse being taken completely out of context. The entire section, in Leviticus chapter 23, regarding the Day of Atonement, reads as follows:
- Lev 23:26 And YAHWEH spoke to Moses saying,
Lev 23:27 Also, on the tenth of this seventh month shall be a day of atonement; there shall be a holy gathering, and you shall humble and weaken your bodies and shall bring a fire offering to YAHWEH. - Lev 23:28 And you shall do no work in this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to atone for you before YAHWEH your Elohim.
- Lev 23:29 For any person who is not humbled in this same day shall be cut off from his people.
- Lev 23:30 And any person who does any work in this same day, I shall even cut off that person from the midst of his people.
- Lev 23:31 You shall do no work; it is a never ending statute throughout your generations, in all your dwellings.
- Lev 23:32 It is a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall humble your souls in the ninth of the month at evening; from evening until evening you shall keep your Sabbath.
Verse 27 tells us that the Day of Atonement is the 10th day of the 7th month. However, verse 32 states that we are to begin observing the Day of Atonement in the evening of the 9th day of the 7th month, and continue observing until the evening of the 10th day of the 7th month. The observance of this appointed time (mo’edim) starts the evening before the actual Day of Atonement commences.
The reason for this appointed time (mo’edim) being different from all others, by beginning the observance the night before, is very likely due to what the Day of Atonement represents. It was on this day each year that atonement was made for the people of Israel by their High Priest. Our High Priest, Yeshua Messiah, has atoned for us with His own blood. The ordeal He went through to do this started in the evening of the 13 day of the 1st month (when He was arrested by the Roman soldiers) and lasted all through the next day (Passover) until He died and was buried on the evening of the 14th day of the 1st month. Thus, lasting from evening until evening.
Jewish Traditions
NOTE: Some of the Jewish traditions associated with the Biblical Calendar are steeped in Kabbalah beliefs. More information on the Kabbalah aspects of the Biblical Calendar can be found here at Chabad.org.
Babylonian Influence on the Observance of the Day Period
After their time in Babylon, the Jewish people adopted the Babylonian way of observing the day. Rather than marking the day period from morning (boqer) to morning (boqer), they began to mark the day period as starting at nightfall (‘ereb) and lasting until the following nightfall (‘ereb).
Definition of Nightfall
For the Jewish people, the start of the new day is marked when the sun sets (shekiah) and 3 stars are visible in the night sky (tzeit hakochavim). This “fuzzy” time period is known as “bein hashmashot”.
For the weekly Shabbat and the observed holy days, the new day starts at the earliest sign of sunset (even before the 3 stars are sighted) and lasts until sunset the following day when at least 3 stars are clearly visible. In other words, they give themselves a little “buffer” time before and after the officially marked start and end of the day.
If a child is born during the “fuzzy” time, Jewish people will consult a rabbi concerning the child’s birth date – especially if it is a boy, as the Torah requires all boys to be circumcised on the 8th day after their birth.
If a person passes away during this “fuzzy” time, a rabbi is also consulted regarding the date of the person’s death, as this will affect when the mourning period (yahrtzeit) officially begins and ends.
The Hour of the Day
Jewish law has a peculiar way of denoting the “hour of the day” (halacha). The “halacha” hour is calculated by taking the total time of daylight of a particular day, from sunrise until sunset, and dividing it into 12 equal parts. As such, the “halachic” hour is known as a proportional hour (sha’ah zemanit), and varies by the season and day.
Since many observances in Jewish law are performed at specific times during the day, calculations must be done to determine the “halachic” hour. These calculations, known as “times” (zmanim), are dependent on the length of the daylight hours in a specific locale.
That said, for example, the “3rd hour of the day” would be calculated by taking the number of daylight hours in the day, dividing it by 12, then taking that number times 3 to get the marker denoting the “3rd hour of the day” after sunrise.
An online calculator for determining “zmanim” for a specific locale can be found here at Chabad.org.
Alot Hashachar
Alot Hashachar is the time when some of the light of the sun begins to be noticeable on the eastern horizon.
According to Jewish law, the following may be started at this time:
- Traditional fasts, other than Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) and Tisha B’Av (the 9th of Av)
- All mitzvahs (instructions in Jewish law) associated with the daytime hours – however, many Jewish sages have declared that the observance of these mitzvah’s should be held off until Misheyakir (see below) or Hanetz Hachamah (see below)
Misheyakir (Earliest Time for Tallit and Tefillin)
Misheyakir is the time when there is enough light so that one can recognize a casual acquaintance from the distance of four cubits (a cubit is the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger).
According to Jewish law, this is the earliest time for the following:
- Say the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
- Put on tallit (prayer shawl) or tefillin (a pair of black leather boxes containing Hebrew parchment scrolls, wrapped on to one’s forearms and head using straps)
- Make a blessing on tzitzit (fringes on the 4 corners of your garment)
Hanetz Hachamah (Sunrise)
Hanetz Hachamah is the moment when the top edge of the sun’s disk comes into view at sea level.
According to Jewish law, this is ideally the earliest time for the following:
- Say the morning Amidah (prayers) – when there is a need to pray the Amidah earlier, a rabbinic authority is supposed to be consulted
- Daytime mitzvahs, such as blowing the shofar (ram’s horn trumpet) and waving the lulav (fruit and branches used for the Feast of Tabernacles)
3 “Shaot Zmaniot” Into the Day (3rd Hour of the Day)
According to Jewish law, this is the latest time of the day to fulfill the requirement to recite the morning Shema. If a person misses this time (Bedi’eved), they should still continue to recite Shema throughout the day until “chatzot” (midday – see below).
4 Shaot Zmaniot Into the Day (4th Hour of the Day)
According to Jewish law, this is ideally the latest time for the following:
- “Shacharit” (morning prayers) – however, if this time was missed, “Shacharit” should be recited until “chatzot” (midday – see below)
- Eating leavened food (chametz) on the eve of Passover (Erev Pesach)
Chatzot (Midday)
Chatzot is the halfway point between sunrise and sunset.
According to Jewish law, this is the latest time for the following:
- Saying “Shacharit” (morning prayers).
- Ending half-day fasts
Minchah Gedolah
Minchah Gedolah is a half an hour after “chatzot” (midday).
According to Jewish law, this is the latest time for the following:
- Reciting Minchah (afternoon prayer)
Minchah Ketanah
Minchah Ketanah is two and a half proportional hours before the end of the day. According to Jewish law, this time has certain ramifications with regard to beginning a meal, especially on Erev Shabbos (the eve of Shabbat) and Yom Tov (holy days). In addition, some consider this time to be relevant to some of the laws of Family Purity (the system of Jewish laws concerning marital life).
According to Jewish law, this begins the ideal time for the following:
- Praying Minchah (afternoon prayer)
Plag Haminchah
Plag Haminchah is one and a quarter proportional hours before the end of the day.
According to Jewish law, this is the earliest time to do the following:
- Light Shabbat candles
- Light Hanukah candles on the eve of Shabbat on Hanukkah (Erev Shabbat of Chanukah)
- If necessary, praying the Ma’ariv (evening prayer) – though the Shema must be repeated after nightfall (tzeit)
- Begin Shabbat early (if desired)
Candle Lighting Time
Candle lighting time for the eve of Shabbat (Erev Shabbat) and the eve of holy days (Erev Yom Tov) is 18 minutes before sunset (shekiah).
Some Jewish communities start Shabbat early in the summer. In such communities, everyone is expected to follow the custom of the community and light before the community begins Shabbat.
In addition, several communities, such as in Jerusalem, use a year-round standard which is more than 18 minutes for candle lighting. In such communities, everyone is expected to follow the local custom and light Shabbat (Shabbos) candles at the time the rest of the community lights.
Shekiah (Sunset)
Shekiah is the moment when the top edge of the sun’s disk disappears from view at sea level.
According to Jewish law, this is the time to complete the following:
- All mitzvahs associated with daytime hours
- Minchah (afternoon prayers) – however, if one didn’t pray Minchah before shekiah, one may still do so afterwards
Bein Hashmashot (Twilight)
Bein Hashmashot is the time between sundown and nightfall. It is considered a “time that could be day or a time that could be night” (safek yom safek laylah). Therefore all daytime mitzvahs must be completed before and nighttime mitzvahs should be fulfilled after it concludes, at nightfall (tzeit).
According to Jewish law, if a baby boy is born during “bein hashmashot”, his circumcision will be on the 9th day rather than the 8th day. If the 9th day is a Sabbath (Shabbat) or a holy day (Yom Tov), his circumcision will be even later.
Tzeit Hakochavim (Nightfall)
Tzeit hakochavim is the point in time when 3 medium stars are observable in the night time sky with the naked eye.
According to Jewish law, this is the time for the following:
- Beginning all evening mitzvahs – including the reading the evening Shema, the counting of the Omer and matters relating to the laws of Family Purity
- Ending fasts – except for the fast of Yom Kippur
- Praying Maariv (evening prayers)
A baby boy born after “tzeit” will have his circumcision exactly 8 days later, even if that day is Shabbat.
Sabbath and Holy Days (Shabbat and Yom Tov) End
According to Jewish law, the time when the Sabbath (Shabbat) and holy days (Yom Tov) end is defined as the point at which at least one cluster of three small stars is observable in the night time sky with the naked eye.
According to Jewish law, the following should be observed:
- No forbidden labor (melachah) should be done before this time
- Ma’ariv (evening prayers) may begin
- Havdalah (blessing over wine at the end of Shabbat) should begin after this time
More details on the Jewish traditions surrounding the Zmanim (Proportional Hours) can be found here at Chabad.org.
More details on the Jewish traditions surrounding the Biblical Day can be found here at Chabad.org.