HOME | CONTACT US | DONATE

Experience MyChabad.org. Sign up for Free!

ASK THE RABBI

		Chabad.org » Mitzvahs & Traditions » Shabbat » Candle Lighting » Candle Lighting Guide » Questions and Answers » Are your candle-lighting times for Palm Springs, CA, correct?

3 Comments

Are your candle-lighting times for Palm Springs, CA, correct?

By Moshe Berghoff

Question:

Are you sure your candle-lighting times for Palm Springs, CA are correct? The times provided on the Chabad.org candle-lighting times page seem to be a half hour off other California cities. Please advise.

Answer:

Yes, Palm Springs has special rules with regard to when Shabbat begins. This is due to the large mountain which is directly west of the city. I've been there for Shabbat myself and I can tell you that it does get darker there earlier than cities nearby.

Although "sunset" may be a while later, Shabbat begins based on "visual sunset" not "actual sunset."

All the best,

Moshe Berghoff
Chabad.org Development Team

3 Comments

By Moshe Berghoff More articles... |

Rabbi Moshe Berghoff is the Systems Administrator for Chabad.org. He also serves as a senior member on Chabad.org's devolpment team.

The content on this page is copyrighted by the author, publisher and/or Chabad.org, and is produced by Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with the copyright policy.

Reader Comments
Latest Comments:

Posted: Apr 18, 2007

Mt. S. Jacinto

You bet! This is definitely the locally accepted halacha and affects all matters which pertain to biblical law. This was the directive of Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dworkin OBM many years ago, based on the ruling of the preeminent halachic authority, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi.

As you have pointed out, this only applies to mountains close to the city. In this case, the visual sunset for Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, and all the other little towns that fall under the shadow of Mt. S. Jacinto is set at 25 minutes before nautical sunset. Candle lighting is an additional 18 minutes before that.

We were selective in the zip codes that we associated with these rules. So search by zip code to see if this rule applies to a particular city or neighborhood.

Posted By Moshe Berghoff (Author), Brooklyn, NY

Posted: Apr 11, 2007

Are you sure? Is that the custom in Palm Springs? I rember seeing an in depth discussion on this issue in Halachin literature, and if I remember correctly there is a difference between mountains close to the city, and mountains far in the horizon.

Posted By Anonymous

Posted: Apr 11, 2007

What attention to detail...

How nice to know that someone is actually making sure these details are accounted for in the online site. Also a good fact to know for places where the mountains block the sun earlier. I hadn't been aware that the time was different then.

Posted By Fraida, Camarillo, CA

Questions and Answers


	Why give charity before lighting?


	Why cover the eyes?


	Why at least two candles?


	Is any candle kosher?


	Does a single man light Shabbat candles?


	How about electric bulbs?


	Can I light candles after sunset?


	Why do women wave their hands over the Shabbat candles?


	Is it forbidden to do "work" after Shabbat candle lighting time?


	Are your candle-lighting times for Palm Springs, CA, correct?


	Where does the Torah say to light Shabbat candles?


	Is the blessing recited before a mitzvah or afterwards?


	Do Young Girls Light Shabbat and Holiday Candles?


	Holiday Candle Lighting on Saturday Night

Full Index...

Showing 3 - 16 of 16

More articles on
		Shabbat (535 articles)
		Halachic Times (12 articles)
		Shabbat Candles (55 articles)