when the gemmora first answers when the simonim are according to r'eliezer it says that the first one is at the end of the first , middle of the middle, and then the beginning of the last one. but why would a woman be up talking to her husband with the kid nursing at two in the morning?
Reuven Kasierer, Silver Spring, MD
As is clear from the Gemara, in the days before electricity the days were centered around daylight. Aside for the Talmidei Chachamim, people went to sleep around Tzeis, or a bit later. At the first sign of light people were already up and about, so they must have started to wake up at the beginning of Ashmurah #3.
D. Zupnik