One hour, two worlds: How daylight saving time is shaping Israel’s future

Daylight Saving Time: Is It Really Worth One Hour Earlier?

In the fast-paced modern world, where time often feels like an enemy, we have the opportunity to notice and appreciate the freedom and renewal that lie within it. However, to fully benefit from this, we must be active and avoid wasting time. There is nothing more remarkable than the fact that twice a year, we change one of the most fundamental components of our lives – time itself. The "time-setting law" attempts to harness the sun to fuel the economy, aligning daylight hours with the active hours of the working day. The shift of the clock reveals that, unsurprisingly, even time is a subject of political conflict in Israel. The debate between religious and secular groups reflects a deeper divide on economic efficiency and quality of life.

However, it turns out that even among scientists, there is no consensus on the contribution of daylight saving time to efficiency. Research examining the economic, psychological, and health impacts of the time change presents contradictory findings. This debate is also evident within the religious sector itself: some see an advantage in moving the Selichot (penitential prayers) to early morning hours, while others are concerned about late-night hours. The fierce disagreement in Israel about implementing daylight saving time is not just a political dispute over comfort or efficiency, but it hints at a fundamental gap in how we understand the essence of time. One hour, a seemingly small change, invites deeper reflection on our perception of time. No matter how rich, healthy, or wise we become, time is the most precious resource, and there is no substitute for it. But should we treat it as a resource to be exploited, or as a gift to be cherished?

Between Greenwich Time and Temporary Hours

The argument between Alice and the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland illustrates the tension between these two conceptions. Alice claims she "knows how to make the most of it," while the Mad Hatter clarifies that "time doesn't tolerate being used." Well, if you knew how to maintain a good relationship with it, you could make the most of time in many ways.

This dispute reflects the gap between the Western concept of time, which emphasizes control and efficiency, and the Jewish understanding of time, which calls for reflection and listening to time, enabling us to sanctify and discover it. The international clock, based arbitrarily on the Greenwich Meridian, strives for a uniform and fixed division of the day, while the halakhic (Jewish law) clock, based on the sunrise and sunset, divides the day into temporary hours that vary according to the seasons.

The commandment of "sanctifying the month," the first commandment given to the people of Israel, demonstrates humanity's power to observe reality and influence every aspect of life. When the Sanhedrin (Jewish court) determines the month based on the testimony of witnesses who observed the moon, they reveal the most appropriate time for work, festivals, and mourning in that month.

Rav Kook, of blessed memory, taught that "each moment shines with its unique nature." In other words, every moment contains a unique power, and only when we uncover it can we experience the light and abundance hidden within it.

When crossing time zones, the body undergoes internal disorientation, known as "jet lag," which manifests in both physical and mental discomfort. This is a clear signal that when our internal and external sense of time contradict each other, we lose balance. This serves as a metaphor for the existential need to awaken and connect the external reality of time with our personal experience.

Don't Waste Time

According to the rabbis, Passover must be celebrated in the spring, and if necessary, we are required to act actively and add an entire month to ensure that we do not celebrate the Festival of Freedom in the winter. This fact reminds us that even in the fast-paced modern life, where time often becomes our enemy, we can choose to pay attention and enjoy the freedom and renewal inherent in this time. But for that, we need to be proactive, and we must not waste time.

Just as the Torah and Jewish law aim to create harmony between objective time and its subjective meaning, so too does Israeli society require a balanced relationship between the principles of Jewish tradition and humanistic and democratic values. The ongoing discussion about changing the clocks demonstrates how twice a year, questions about priorities, personal freedom, and connection to tradition turn into existential questions that we can engage with.

The internal conflict that has reignited outside is painful and emphasizes the need for meaningful dialogue about the evolving Israeli identity. The disputes and disagreements in Israeli society are a threat but also an opportunity for learning and connecting different worldviews to form a more harmonious picture of a Jewish and democratic society.