Jewish Clock
Free App
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About Jewish Clock
Jewish Clock is a 24 hour clock which attempts to visualize the concepts of the clock that is used in Jewish law: Shaot Zmaniyot (or Zmanim).
The basic idea is that certain daily deadlines were defined as portions of the day. For example, according to Jewish law, the latest time one can pray the morning prayer, Shacharit, is when a third of the day passed, or in other words, 4 out of the 12 hours of the day have passed.
The modern way of using charts which translate the laws defined by Shaot Zmaniyot into our familiar clock, are not needed anymore when using this clock. Shacharit deadline is alway at 4. Shabbat, or any new day for that matter, always start at 12.
In particular, the clock divides the day, starting at sunrise, and ending at sunset, into 12 equal parts, which are each called one day hour. The night is divided in the same manner.
An important observation is that day lengths keep on changing, as do the lengths of the nights. In the summer the days are longer, and they leave much less for the night, and in the winter vice versa.
A non trivial way of showing the fact that we have more day time during the summer, is showing the time moving slower during summer days! the clock ticks the same number of times as usual: 60 seconds * 60 minutes * 12 hours a day. But those seconds are longer! So the clock ticks slower.
Location. Sunrise and sunset are strongly tied to ones location. That's why Jewish Clock needs to know the device's location before showing the time. In a device with no location capabilities, Jewish Clock can not function.
The inspiration for Jewish Clock came from Jack Kustanowitz, from MountainPass Technology, and his iPhone app/website: ZmanimClock.com .
I owe Jack many thanks for originating this idea, and for the elaborate explanations that appear on ZmanimClock.com and for the ones the were given in person.
One more thank you goes to Github user mikereedell, who open sources a java based sunrise/sunset library, which is used by Jewish Clock. You can find his code at https://github.com/mikereedell/sunrisesunsetlib-java.
Enjoy,
Yehuda Adler
yehuda.adler@gmail.com
The basic idea is that certain daily deadlines were defined as portions of the day. For example, according to Jewish law, the latest time one can pray the morning prayer, Shacharit, is when a third of the day passed, or in other words, 4 out of the 12 hours of the day have passed.
The modern way of using charts which translate the laws defined by Shaot Zmaniyot into our familiar clock, are not needed anymore when using this clock. Shacharit deadline is alway at 4. Shabbat, or any new day for that matter, always start at 12.
In particular, the clock divides the day, starting at sunrise, and ending at sunset, into 12 equal parts, which are each called one day hour. The night is divided in the same manner.
An important observation is that day lengths keep on changing, as do the lengths of the nights. In the summer the days are longer, and they leave much less for the night, and in the winter vice versa.
A non trivial way of showing the fact that we have more day time during the summer, is showing the time moving slower during summer days! the clock ticks the same number of times as usual: 60 seconds * 60 minutes * 12 hours a day. But those seconds are longer! So the clock ticks slower.
Location. Sunrise and sunset are strongly tied to ones location. That's why Jewish Clock needs to know the device's location before showing the time. In a device with no location capabilities, Jewish Clock can not function.
The inspiration for Jewish Clock came from Jack Kustanowitz, from MountainPass Technology, and his iPhone app/website: ZmanimClock.com .
I owe Jack many thanks for originating this idea, and for the elaborate explanations that appear on ZmanimClock.com and for the ones the were given in person.
One more thank you goes to Github user mikereedell, who open sources a java based sunrise/sunset library, which is used by Jewish Clock. You can find his code at https://github.com/mikereedell/sunrisesunsetlib-java.
Enjoy,
Yehuda Adler
yehuda.adler@gmail.com
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Free
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Android
4.0.3+
4.0.3+
Android app
App History & Updates
What's Changed
Due to popular demand: Widgets!
Due to popular demand: Widgets!
Version update Jewish Clock was updated to version 2.0
More downloads Jewish Clock reached 5 000 - 10 000 downloads
More downloads Jewish Clock reached 1 000 - 5 000 downloads
What are users saying about Jewish Clock
R
by R####:
by R####:
I have used this for awhile now because of a desire to live by the time of the ancients rather than the clock. This app comes so close to usefulness, although 12-1 would be called the first hour, 1-2 would be called the second hour, etc. There were no ''hard' hours in the day other than sunrise and sunset. Also some ancient Hebrew sundials had eight hours in the day and four watches at night. The Romans introduced the 12 hour day much later. The app needs alarms. Prayer times are important, but there may be other reasons people would use this app. Currently, I use a sun clock used in vedic mysticism simply because it does have alarms and reads out both solar time and clock time. I give it three stars, and hope the writer continues to upgrade the clock.
R
by R####:
by R####:
Even if you're not Jewish, this simple app is very useful if you'd like to align your day with natural light and darkness. Adding alarms would be a great feature--wake me when the sun comes up.
R
by R####:
by R####:
It brings back the 'natural time' concept into one's lives. Please, add a widget option.
R
by R####:
by R####:
Does not recognize my location on LG G4. Making the app useless.
Y
by Y####:
by Y####:
Everything about it is almost simply fine EXCPT WIDGET。I hope there will be a widget and also I hope you can also make a Hebew Calendar in its English word and Hebrew word, with a converter to Gregorian Calendar︙
X
by X####:
by X####:
Nice wish alarm
Z
by Z####:
by Z####:
It seen something wrong in it why it want location it can take system time not work is worse
L
by L####:
by L####:
Please, add a widget. It would be perfect.
R
by R####:
by R####:
The description is accurate, the app is simple/no fuss/works well, no ads... UPDATE: The clock stopped recognizing my location, though I've tried to adjust my device's settings, nothing is correcting the clock :C
G
by G####:
by G####:
Great but sooo badly needs a widget!
M
by M####:
by M####:
Very helpful..
Y
by Y####:
by Y####:
Cool
T
by T####:
by T####:
It seen something wrong in it why it want location it can take system time not work is worse
T
by T####:
by T####:
24 hour face. Takes 24 hours to make one revelution. Location must remain on. Battery drain...high.
F
by F####:
by F####:
I always wanted a clock like this! Great implementation!
N
by N####:
by N####:
Thanks for creating this.
Q
by Q####:
by Q####:
Needs a widget
Q
by Q####:
by Q####:
Very nice app
by R####:
It being a jewish calender shows how much religion is about managing ur life and not just the beliefs, as a muslim I can say how the time of prayers draws a broad understanding of day and night that is not just based on the newly invented Time! But unfortunately it didn't work for me