Sabbath/Shabbat Timer

Shabbat candle lighting is traditionally done a set number of minutes before sunset on Friday evening to mark the beginning of the Sabbath. The exact offset varies by community — most follow 18 minutes, Jerusalem uses 40 minutes, and some Ashkenazic communities use 20 minutes. Because sunset times change daily based on location and time of year, candle lighting time shifts each week.

Havdalah is the ceremony that marks the end of Shabbat on Saturday night. It is performed after nightfall, typically defined as when three stars are visible in the sky. Halachically this is usually 42 to 72 minutes after sunset on Saturday, depending on your community's custom and latitude.

Latitude significantly affects sunset times, especially in summer and winter. At higher latitudes (e.g. Northern Europe, Canada), summer sunsets can be very late while winter sunsets are very early. Near the poles, special halachic rules may apply. This calculator uses your exact latitude for precise sunset computation.

The UTC offset is your city's standard time zone offset from Greenwich Mean Time. For example, New York is UTC-5, Los Angeles is UTC-8, London is UTC+0, Jerusalem is UTC+2, and Sydney is UTC+10. If Daylight Saving Time is currently in effect in your region, you should also toggle the DST setting to 'Yes' to add one additional hour.

Sunset calculations require precise geographic coordinates. Using latitude and longitude ensures accuracy for any location worldwide, including rural areas not covered by city lookup databases. You can easily find your coordinates using Google Maps — right-click your location and the coordinates will appear.

No. While 18 minutes before sunset is the most widely followed custom (based on the Talmudic principle of adding a guard to the commandment), different communities follow different offsets. Jerusalem traditionally uses 40 minutes, some Ashkenazic authorities use 20 minutes, and various other customs exist. Always follow your community's posek (rabbinic authority).

The sunset and nightfall calculation method used here applies to any date, so you can enter a Thursday evening before a Yom Tov or the last day of a holiday to compute candle lighting and end times. Adjust the date field accordingly for the specific holiday date you need.

This calculator uses the standard solar declination and hour angle formula, which is accurate to within 1–2 minutes for most locations and dates. For precise halachic timekeeping, especially near the poles or during extreme seasons, consult a dedicated halachic zmanim application or your local rabbi.