Q&A: The Beginning and End of the Sabbath at the Pole
The Beginning and End of the Sabbath at the Pole
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I’m currently in Iceland, and at this time of year the days are especially long—the sun sets (below the horizon) at around 00:40 and rises at 01:30—which means there is no emergence of the stars. From day to day this gets more extreme, and we will soon reach a situation in which the sun does not set at all (although there is always “the lowest point in the sky”).
I’m wondering how one should conduct oneself regarding the Sabbath in particular, and the evening prayer in general.
1) When does the Sabbath end if the stars do not come out?
2) Should one say “May pleasantness” and “You have granted us knowledge” in an early evening prayer if the Sabbath has not yet ended?
3) Is it possible to pray the evening prayer from plag hamincha? (Is plag hamincha even defined if there is no “emergence of the stars”?)
4) The same applies in another half year—then the sun does not rise for several days…
Thank you!
Answer
I don’t know how to answer you right now. The accepted practice at the pole is to take the time when the sun is at its height in the sky as noon, and six hours before and after that are daytime. But in Iceland there is sunset and sunrise, except that the night (or the day) is extremely short.
I saw that there is a rabbi named Avi Feldman who is the new rabbi of Iceland (based in Reykjavik; apparently there is a Chabad house there), and it would be worthwhile to ask him. You can also ask other Scandinavian rabbis (in Sweden or Denmark).
If you have no way to check there, write to me again and I’ll try to look into it here.
Discussion on Answer
At first glance that sounds reasonable. What I wrote is what is commonly accepted in Jewish law with respect to the pole (when there is no night at all).
Hello, when does the Sabbath begin for the Pinchas portion, 5781, in Akureyri? Thank you, the Sherlo family.
With God’s help, New Moon of Shevat, 5781
To Yair and Elsa Sherlo — greetings,
Given the way things are going in Israel, it seems that the Sabbath of the Pinchas portion will be close to the elections for the 25th Knesset, and in any case you will surely be in the Holy Land in order to exercise your democratic right and duty to participate in the elections 🙂
If nonetheless you are forced to be in Iceland, then you can contact (as Rabbi Dr. Abraham suggested above) Rabbi Avi Feldman, the rabbi of Iceland, who is based in the capital Reykjavik, and/or the Chabad house there, and they will certainly provide you with information about the times for the beginning and end of the Sabbath in the holy community of Akureyri (and will also guide you on how to obtain kosher food there).
With blessings, Yaron Fish”l Korinaldi, from the holy community of Kochav HaShachar
Meanwhile I did a bit of searching on Google, and I got to the website of the Jewish community of Iceland, WWW/JEWISHICELAND.COM, and all the information is there, both about food options and about candle-lighting times.
For example, I discovered that candle-lighting for the Sabbath of the Pinchas portion, 5781, on 2.7.21 could be done between 21:44 (plag hamincha) and 23:36. The Sabbath ends at 1:06. That is for Reykjavik. Another click will give you all the daily times, both in Reykjavik and in other cities (including Akureyri).
In short: all the information is arranged, neatly laid out, and organized. It seems that Rabbi Avi Feldman and his wife, Rebbetzin Mushka, did an excellent job. Don’t read “Mushka” but rather “well-invested” 🙂
With a blessing of good night / good morning, Y.F.K.
Isn’t it more plausible to say that there is no night if the sun does not set, and to define the sun’s lowest point as the transition point between one day and the next? After all, as one moves northward, the night keeps getting shorter, and the limiting case of that process is when the sun does not set; so it seems more reasonable that the function defining the transition point between days, as a function of movement northward, should be continuous.