Another feature of this ancient practice is that, unlike the standard modern 12-hour clock that assigns 12 o'clock pm for noon time, in the ancient Jewish tradition noon time was always the sixth hour of the day, whereas the first hour began with the break of dawn, by most exponents of Jewish law,Magen Avraham §58:1, §233:3 of R. Avraham Gombiner; Maimonides' commentary on Mishnah Megillah 2:4; the Responsa Terumat HaDeshen, responsum # 1 of R. Israel Isserlein; the Levush §267 of R. Mordecai Yoffe; Minchat Kohen (Mevoh Shemesh 2:6) of R. Abraham Cohen Pimentel, in the name of Tosefot Ha-Ramban (Nachmanides) and R. Shlomo ben Aderet (Rashba); Bayit Chadash §431 of R. Joel Sirkis; Turei Zahav §433 of R. David HaLevi Segal; Pri Chadash §433 of R. Hezekiah da Silva; Eliyahu Rabbah 58:2 of R. Elijah Spira; Mizbe’ach Adamah 4a of R. Mordechai Chaim Meyuchas; Mikra'ei Kodesh 158b by R. Baruch Gigi; Mateh Yehuda §433 of R. Yehudah Ayash; the Responsa Hayim Sha'al 2:38 (70) of R. Chaim Yosef David Azulai; Tov Ayin 18:38 of R. Alter Yechiel Naiman; Chayei Adam 21:3, 27:1 of R. Avraham Danzig; Kitzur Shulhan Arukh 17:1 of R. Shlomo Ganzfried, Chesed La'alafim 58:5 of R. Eliezer Papo; Shiltei ha-Gibborim 58:3 of Joshua Boaz ben Simon Baruch; Rav Poalim (Orach Chaim 2:2); Shalmei Tzibbur 93c of R. Yisrael Ya'akov Algazi, among others. Rabbi Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky in Sefer Eretz Yisrael (p. 18:3) has written that the custom of the Land of Israel is to follow the Magen Avraham and only under extenuating circumstances may one rely on the Vilna Gaon. and with sunrise by the Vilna GaonBi'urei ha-Gra ("Elucidations of the Gra") §459:2 and Rabbi Hai Gaon.  12: o'clock am (midnight ) was also the sixth hour of the night, whereas the first hour of the night began when the first three stars appeared in the night sky.
Another feature of this ancient practice is that, unlike the standard modern 12-hour clock that assigns 12 o'clock pm for noon time, in the ancient Jewish tradition noon time was always the sixth hour of the day, whereas the first hour began with the break of dawn, by most exponents of Jewish law,Magen Avraham §58:1, §233:3 of R. Avraham Gombiner; Maimonides' commentary on Mishnah Megillah 2:4; the Responsa Terumat HaDeshen, responsum # 1 of R. Israel Isserlein; the Levush §267 of R. Mordecai Yoffe; Minchat Kohen (Mevoh Shemesh 2:6) of R. Abraham Cohen Pimentel, in the name of Tosefot Ha-Ramban (Nachmanides) and R. Shlomo ben Aderet (Rashba); Bayit Chadash §431 of R. Joel Sirkis; Turei Zahav §433 of R. David HaLevi Segal; Pri Chadash §433 of R. Hezekiah da Silva; Eliyahu Rabbah 58:2 of R. Elijah Spira; Mizbe’ach Adamah 4a of R. Mordechai Chaim Meyuchas; Mikra'ei Kodesh 158b by R. Baruch Gigi; Mateh Yehuda §433 of R. Yehudah Ayash; the Responsa Hayim Sha'al 2:38 (70) of R. Chaim Yosef David Azulai; Tov Ayin 18:38 of R. Alter Yechiel Naiman; Chayei Adam 21:3, 27:1 of R. Avraham Danzig; Kitzur Shulhan Arukh 17:1 of R. Shlomo Ganzfried, Chesed La'alafim 58:5 of R. Eliezer Papo; Shiltei ha-Gibborim 58:3 of Joshua Boaz ben Simon Baruch; Rav Poalim (Orach Chaim 2:2); Shalmei Tzibbur 93c of R. Yisrael Ya'akov Algazi, among others. Rabbi Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky in Sefer Eretz Yisrael (p. 18:3) has written that the custom of the Land of Israel is to follow the Magen Avraham and only under extenuating circumstances may one rely on the Vilna Gaon. and with sunrise by the Vilna GaonBi'urei ha-Gra ("Elucidations of the Gra") §459:2 and Rabbi Hai Gaon. Midnight ( 12: 00am ) was also the sixth hour of the night, whereas the first hour of the night began when the first three stars appeared in the night sky.
A
Midnight (
R
o'clock am (midnight
00am