Why does the Jewish day start at sundown?

Answer 1

• A. Think about it--what makes more sense: for a new day to begin when the old day ends, or in the middle of the night? That's basically why the Jewish day begins at sundown--it follows the laws of nature as stated in the Torah (Genesis ch.1). But a fuller understanding of why the Jewish day starts at sundown requires a quick examination of time:
• B. When God created the universe, He created time, space and matter simultaneously. At the very beginning of Creation, the clock began ticking at 00:00 at the precise moment which space and matter burst into being. Twenty-four hours later, Day One was complete. What does the Torah say? "It was evening and it was morning, one day." That first 24-hour day began with night and ended with day--and it's been that way ever since.
• C. Later, on Day Four, God assigned the sun and the moon as day and night markers, setting up the solar system the way it is today. The Jewish day begins with night, because that's how time began.

A person's "day" is usually defined as the period of time during which they are active. Most modern people "start the day" in the morning when they wake up, continue through daylight hours, and rest at around sundown. The ancestors of the Israelites were nomadic. Travelers would rest in the ours of heat and go by night, because it is much cooler than the daytime, they can use the stars for navigation, and use the moon as a lamp. Their active time is night, so their "day" starts at sundown.

Answer 2

Because that is the system explicitly set forth in the Torah (Genesis 1:5, Leviticus 23:32).

In Genesis 1:5 it says "And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day". Since the "evening" comes before the "morning" in the sentence, Jews extrapolate that the evening precedes the morning in the same day.

Answer 3

In Judaism, all days start at sunset. The reason for this is found in the biblical account of creation: "And it was evening and it was morning of the first day"... and so on for all the days of creation. Evening came first, before the day. So Jewish holidays, like all other days, begin at sunset.

Answer 4

We light the menorah because it is Chanukkah and on Chanukkah we need to publicize the miracle of the Maccabees and the oil of the Temple burning for 8 days. The best time to light candles is at sundown or in the evening, so that people can easily see them.

Answer 5

Dead Jews have to be buried before sunset on Friday, because the Jewish Sabbath is from Friday night (at sundown) to Saturday night (at sundown) and no work (such as burying a dead body) can be done on the Sabbath.

Answer 6

I think it's just a matter of convenience, not a requirement.

Answer 7

The Shabbat lasts from Friday sunset until Saturday after twilight.

Answer 8

Shabbat begins on Friday at sunset.

Answer 9

All Jewish days begin at nightfall. This follows from Genesis 1:5 "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." Later days in the creation story in Genesis are described similarly, that is, "the evening and the morning" are described as making up each day.