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In previous years, we've discussed the basic commandment status of changing clocks around this time of year as well as the proper language for announcing the change. Given that it's a commandment and that it is invariably announced in the synagogue, I assume that there must be associated blessings and liturgy. Has anyone come across any of the following, in English, Hebrew, Yiddish, Judaeo-Arabic, vel sim.?

  • Prayer to be said in the synagogue on or at the end of the preceding Shabbat, along with the announcement.

  • Additions to the prayers on the preceding Shabbat.

  • Blessing to be recited before changing one's clocks.

  • Meditation for those who are awake to observe the clock change.

  • Haftara for the morning after.

  • Any other associated prayers.

I realize it's too late for this season in the US, but it's not too late for Israel, and it could be useful to have these texts available for next year.

This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.

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    I have heard that the haftarah is from Mishlei, perek 3
    – rosends
    Commented Mar 14, 2016 at 13:43

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We need to write some liturgy for this:

  • SHa'on! Na, ELOKEINU, SHAo'n-NA!
  • SHa'on! Na, BOR'EINU, SHAo'n-NA!

  • SHa'on! Na, ME'ORER YESHENIM, SHAo'n-NA!

  • In the merit of Rebecca, who had to water all the camels while still daylight, give us more time!

  • In the merit of Joshua, who kept the sun standing so the people could fight ... give us more time!

  • In the merit of Nakdimon ben Gurion, who got the debts paid in time ... give us more time!

  • In the merit of the manna, that would melt precisely at the hour that the sun, not the shade, was hot -- give us more time!

  • In the merit of Rabbi Akiva, who lost his alarm clock [rooster] but accepted that God has a plan ... give us more time!

  • In the merit of the Ashkenazim who thought that coffee was kitniyos ... give us more time!

  • In the merit of Cain, to whom God granted a non-hour -- lo sha'ah -- give us more time!

  • In the merit of Pharaoh, who said the Jews should not have a false hour -- al yish'u bedivrei shaker -- give us more time!

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    Is this in grateful anticipation of fall back, in fearful anticipation of spring forward, or both? When is this recited?
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Mar 14, 2016 at 19:23
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    This is the spring-forward one. The fall-back one is a lot more complicated and nearly impossible to ram into a singable meter.
    – Shalom
    Commented Mar 14, 2016 at 21:07
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There is an interesting discussion about this in the gemara. According to all opinions, hatov v'hameitiv is said during the autumn clock change (only once, before changing all of the clocks in the house) because we get an extra hour of sleep.

In the spring, however, there is a machloket amoraim. Shmuel holds that we say barukh dayan emet upon changing the clocks in the spring because we lose an hour of sleep. Rav, on the other hand, holds that we still say hatov v'hameitiv in the spring because God was kind enough to have the clock change early on a Sunday morning so we don't have to get up an hour earlier for work. According to the RaMBa"M, the halakha is like Rav.

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Due to the danger involved in changing the clock forward in the Spring, there is a special Mi Sheberach that we say after reading the Torah the Shabbos before:

מי שברך אבותינו אברהם יצחק ויעקב הוא יברך את אלו שיאבדו שעה משנתם והמצא להם מנוחה נכונה על מטתם. מלכא דעלמא יתן ארכא לשניהון ובאור צדיקים נשמח. כי עמך מקור חיים ובאורך נראה אור ונזכה לראות אור הגנוז להצלת אור היום בשנה הבאה בציון ערך אמן

He Who blessed our forefathers... should bless those who will be losing an hour of sleep, and find proper rest for them on their beds. The King of the world should lengthen their sleep and let us rejoice in the light of the righteous. For You are the source of life and in Your light light is seen, and we should merit to see the light which has been hidden away for next year's Daylight Savings, in Your city Jerusalem, Amen

Additionally, Tefillas HaDerech should be said for most of the week on which the clock was changed.

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    Let's see who can find all the references.
    – Y     e     z
    Commented Mar 15, 2016 at 2:34
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I realize that your question stated prayers, but I hope that you are a bit flexible with seeking other ideas that should be said that aren't specifically "prayers" per se, although, they could be?

While Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) is said on Shabbat Hol Hamo'ed Succot, it is customary to recite Kohelet chapter 3 on the Shabbat prior to changing the clock in either direction (to or from Daylight time). The majority of the chapter speaks about time. The verse that refers to turning the clock from / to daylight time is:

Ecclesiastes 3:6:

עֵ֤ת לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ וְעֵ֣ת לְאַבֵּ֔ד עֵ֥ת לִשְׁמ֖וֹר וְעֵ֥ת לְהַשְׁלִֽיךְ׃

A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

The above verse is evidence that the concept of Daylight Savings Time was much older than Ben Franklin's idea. It was actually conceived by the wise King Solomon.

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  • I wouldn't be surprised if some of the liturgical poetry quotes this verse. Thanks!
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Mar 14, 2016 at 15:05
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We insert a special request in the brakhah ולמלשינים אל תהי תקוה וכל הרשעה כרגע תאבד asking for the person who invented this horrible and useless idea to be thoroughly punished:

תרקבנה עצמות יוצר שיטת שעון קיץ גזל שינה אין דומה לו מטריח צבור ללא תועלת ברוך אתה ה' שובר אויבים ומכניע זדים

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