What is Havdalah?
Just as candle lighting welcomes Shabbat, Havdalah says goodbye to it. It's a short ceremony on Saturday night with a cup of wine, fragrant spices and a braided candle, and it takes about five minutes.
What it means
Havdalah means "separation." The ceremony marks the line between the holiness of Shabbat and the ordinary week ahead. The spices are often explained as a comfort for the extra soul we're said to have on Shabbat, which leaves when it ends, and the flame recalls that fire was the first thing people kindled after the very first Shabbat.
When to make Havdalah
After Shabbat is over on Saturday night, once three stars are out (nightfall). Never before, because lighting the Havdalah candle isn't allowed on Shabbat. See when does Shabbat end; the home page shows the exact time for your city.
What you need
- A cup of wine or grape juice, filled to the brim, with a plate under it
- Fragrant spices, like cloves, cinnamon or myrtle
- A braided Havdalah candle with several wicks, or two ordinary candles held together so their flames touch
Step by step
- Light the Havdalah candle and have someone hold it.
- Pick up the cup in your right hand. Many start with a few verses of hope for the week ahead (beginning "Hinei E-l yeshuati"), found in any siddur.
- Say the blessing over the wine, but don't drink yet.
- Say the blessing over the spices, then smell them and pass them around.
- Say the blessing over the flame, then hold your fingers up toward it and look at the light reflecting on your fingernails.
- Say the Havdalah blessing while holding the cup.
- Sit and drink most of the cup.
- Put out the flame by dipping it in the leftover wine, showing it was lit only for the mitzvah.
The four blessings
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, borei p'ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, borei minei v'samim.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who creates different kinds of spices.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, borei m'orei ha'eish.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who creates the lights of fire.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל, בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹשֶׁךְ, בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים, בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol, bein or l'choshech, bein Yisrael la'amim, bein yom hash'vi'i l'sheishet y'mei hama'aseh. Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who separates between holy and ordinary, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, L-rd, who separates between holy and ordinary.
Havdalah after a holiday
When a holiday ends on a weeknight, Havdalah is said over wine with the blessing over the wine and the Havdalah blessing only, without spices or a candle. After Yom Kippur the flame blessing is included, using a candle lit from a flame that burned all through Yom Kippur. When a holiday begins right on Saturday night, there's no separate Havdalah; it's woven into that night's holiday Kiddush.
If you missed it Saturday night
If you didn't make Havdalah on Saturday night, you can still say it over wine, without the spices and flame blessings, until sunset on Tuesday. Until you've made Havdalah or said "Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol," you shouldn't do work that's forbidden on Shabbat. After a holiday, a missed Havdalah can be said until sunset the next day.
Common questions
What is Havdalah?
Havdalah is the ceremony that ends Shabbat on Saturday night, with blessings over wine, spices and a braided candle, and a blessing separating the holy Shabbat from the week.
When is Havdalah?
After nightfall on Saturday night, once Shabbat is over, when three stars can be seen.
What do you need for Havdalah?
A cup of wine or grape juice, fragrant spices, and a braided Havdalah candle (or two candles held together).
Why do you look at your fingernails during Havdalah?
After the blessing over fire, you look at the light on your fingernails so that you actually benefit from the flame you just blessed.
What if I forgot to make Havdalah?
You can say Havdalah over wine, without the spices and flame, until sunset on Tuesday.
Sources
- Havdalah Blessings and Instructions (Chabad.org)
- What Is Havdalah? (Chabad.org)
- Holiday Havdalah (Chabad.org)