The Guide to

 Havdallah(separation)

 

Basic addition, extended edition includes 22 other blessings.

הבדלה

Opening Song:

HENA EL YESHUATI AVTACH V'LO AF'CHAD KI AZE ZAVEMRA HASHEM ADONAI VAYAHI LI (LEE) LA'YESHUA USHAVTE'IM:

Behold, G-d is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the L-rd my G-d is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation. Li LI LI LI,LILILI,LILILILILILI.(Li in Hebrew means: To me.).

 

Statement 1:

Therefore with joy will we draw water out of the wells of salvation. Salvation belongs to the L-rd; your blessing be upon your people. The L-rd of host is with us; the G-d of Jacob is our refuge. In the past the Jews had light and joy, gladness and honor. So be it with us. I will lift up the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the name of the L-rd.

 

Berakha for wine:

BARUCH ATTAH ADONAI ELOHEINU MELECH HA'OLAM BOREH PRI HA'GAFEN.

Deserving of praise are you, O L-rd our G-d, ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. (Do not drink till the end).

 

The spice box (Besamin-means: fragrance. Passed around the room for every person to smell, to remember the sweetness of Shabbat. It is made of cinnamon, ginger, all spice, nutmeg, the women of the house makes it wraps it in a small cloth, napkin and puts it in a small box. Such as a small candy dish, coin dish. Or a person could buy a Besamim. We bought a small dove ceramic container at the dollar store and have been using it for the last ten years.

 

Besamin Berakha (blessing):

BARUCH ATTAH ADONAI ELOHEINU MELECH HA'OLAM BOREH MENI BA'SAMIN.

Deserving of praise are you, O L-rd our G-d, Ruler of the universe, who created various kinds of spices.

 

Ha'Eish Ha'Nerot (The Fire from the candle)(Lighting the Havdallah candle.The hands are spread toward the light in the front, cupping the hand opening the middle, so light can pass through to remember the light of Hashem.

   

Ha'Eish Ha'Nerot Berakha:

BARUCH ATTAH ADONAI ELOHEINU MELECH HA'OLAM MOHR HA'EISH:

Deserving of praise are you, O L-rd our G-d, ruler of the universe, who creates the light of fire.

 

Zemiros-Departure of the Shabbath.

 

Statement 2:

BARUCH ATTAH ADONAI ELOHEINU MELECH HA'OLAM. HA'MAVDIL BEN KODESH LA'KHOL BEN OHR L'CHOKSHEK BEN YISRAEL LAMEM BEN YOM HASVI'I L'SHE'SHEET YAME HA'MA'ASEH. BARUCH ATTAH ADONAI HA'MAVDIL BEN KODESH LA'KHOL.

 

Deserving of praise are you, O L-rd our G-d, ruler of the universe, who made a distinction between holy and profane, between light and darkness, between Yisrael and the nation's, between the seventh day and the six working days. Deserving of praise are you, O L-rd, who distinguishes between holy and profane.

 

The wine is drunk and the light extinguished in the once of wine to be left in glass. This is so the sweetness of the light and Shabbath will carry us till Shabbath comes again. The Rabbis say enough light of Shabbath and of Tora should carry us till the next Shabbath. In this the flame is not totally diminished. Thou Shabbath is over, the work week begins-it stays within us!

 

Ending Song: Eliyahu Ha'Navi (The Prophet):

ELIYAHU, HA'NAVI, ELIYAHU HA'TISHBI ELIYAHU, ELIYAHU, ELIYAHU HA'GILADI. BIN HERAH V'YAMENU YAVO ELEINU IM MASHIACH BEN DA'VID, IM MASHIACH BEN DA'VID.Repeat twice.

Elijah, Elijah, the Gileadite. Speedily, in our own day, may he come to us, with the Messiah, the son of Da'vid. With the Messiah, the son of Da'vid.

 

Last Greeting:

Yats'ah Ha'Shabbat Shavua Tov-Shabbat is over, have a good week.Hebrew

     

Tenga Un Buen Semana-Shabbat is over have a good week. Spanish

 

Extended Version is found in The Complete Artscroll Siddur.

Page 653-675. Total of 22 pgs.

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The History of Havdallah

 

(Hebrew meaning-"separation" or “differentiation”)

 

In traditional Jewish observance through the centuries, the Havdallah, sometimes spelled Habdallah ceremony on Shabbat night marked the end of the Sabbath. Just as on the previous day, on Erev Shabbat at dusk it is called: Shabbath Ha'Malkah-Queen Sabbath, all Shabbat is called the queen. It was traditionally ushered in with a royal fanfare of blessings over lighted candles with prayer, only then in the Synagogue, and, later, at home with the singing of hymnal liturgy in joyous welcome and the

“Sanctification rite of Kiddush” so too was the departure of Her Majesty marked by ceremony. But this time was not all rejoicing but  filled with some regret, we rejoice when Shabbat comes, and am saddened when she leaves. Havdallah was changed with mystic symbolism. Medieval Jewry, being both poets and mystagogues had planted the notion in Jewish religious thinking of the existence of a Sabbath over soul-Neshamah Yetzerah that gave an additional measure of holiness and rapture to the Sabbath-another, an extra dimension of spirituality. This allowed emotion to overflow in the hearts of the devout so as to increase their bliss for Shabbat day. The departure of Shabbat caused the over soul to grieve. The faithful Jews after Temple times joined in what one would call abstract grief, and in appropriate expressions of it during the Havdallah service, comfort was gained by inhaling the aroma of spices, the Besamin contained in a ornamental receptacle, most often made of silver called a “spice box” The Zohar, makes the point that upon smelling the Havdallah spices, the saddened spirit is revived.

 

The Havdallah rite was, and still is, performed only by the male head of the family, synagogue, group, immediately upon his return home from Ma'ariv (the evening,last 3rd prayer of the day). This does not mean women can not participate in fact they must, it means only the male heads can actually perform or instruct the Havdallah service and ceremony. All sing together, all do the blessings together, all smell the besamin, all blow out the candle. All remember (Zachor) Shabbat end. Before the members of the household gathered around him, he kindles a light (The only time a man can light a candle) a braided wax candle with a double wick, to recall the torch used in ancient times in the Temple- the Menorah. The ancient Havdallah candles had seven braids.

 

Since the kindling of fire was strictly forbidden on the Sabbath in order to discourage the Jews of Biblical and late times from emulating fire worshiping idolaters, the first light struck at the close of the Sabbath constituted a symbolic act, it indicated that the Holy Sabbath and all the special laws that governed it had come to an end, and that it was permitted once more to resume the routine of workday living. When the sun goes down at the end of Shabbat and three stars are seen it is already according to Tora the next day, which means when the sun sets after Shabbat it is already Yom Rishon-which Rome calls: Sunday. So when Sunday comes according to the Roman Gregorian Calendar they are actually late by 4 hours this is from about 9:00PM or a bit earlier depending on the season till 12:00 AM in the morning. In times when the sun sets earlier they are late up to 8 hours. Hashem's calendar (Luah) timing is right!

 

It indicated that the holy Sabbath and all the special laws that governed it had come to an end and that it was permitted once more to resume the profane routine of life. It represented, indeed, a sharp transition from the ideal spiritual to mundane reality. This notion is expressed in the benediction which the head of the household recites over an overflowing goblet of wine in the rite: Blessed are you, O L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, who makes a distinction between holy and profane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day (not Saturday, not Friday- Friday is the day of Frigga a Roman god, Saturday is the day of Romes god Saturn) and the six working days. The kindling of Ha'Shabbat has an ancient origin but probably was instituted by Ha'Soferim (The Jewish writers, Sages (Ha'Chazal), the Scribes of Second Temple times who collectively were called: “The men of the Great Assembly “Ha'Ish Gadol Beit Knesset”) or the men of the Great Synagogue, and who established the traditional forms of liturgy and rite for the Synagogue and the home. The Rabbinic Sages who were their successors tried to attach to the first light a cosmic symbolism, saying: The light which Hashem created on the first day lit up the world for man from the time he was made until sundown on the following day, thus the moon is Hashem's Havdallah candle (makes since), the blazing sun is Hashem Ha'Shabbat Ha'Nerot (The Sabbath candle) we light before the beginning of Shabbat. When the darkness that enveloped man filled him with fear. Then Hashem gave him two stones (Avadim) which he rubbed together until fire came. Whereupon he offered a benediction over the fire. This benediction, recited during the Havdallah rite, makes a complete break with the fire- worshippers animistic conception of fire; it attributes its origin to the First cause: Blessed are you, O L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, who has created the light of fire.

 

There once was a book that explained this called:

Ha'Sefer Ha'Minhagim- book of the customs, Amsterdam, 1695. Today there are various other books that talk of Jewish customs, so vast, immense only a search on any search engine would find them all. Such as to be a Jew, A guide to Jewish observance in contemporary life.

Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin.

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The ending of Havdallah

 

The Sabbath day ends, not at sundown when the sun sets, but at nightfall when the stars come out. Nightfall begins when at least three stars are visible in the heavens. Calculations have, however, long replaced the visual method of determining the onset of nightfall. The time between sundown (Shkiat Hahama) and nightfall (Tset Hakokhavim) is traditionally neither day nor night. In Hebrew it is called “between the suns”(Bayn Hashmashot). Since its status is doubtful, it is automatically attached to Shabbat, so that there shall be no question of Sabbath violation. Ha'Bayn Hashmashot period of Friday evening is also attached to the Sabbath for the same reason.

 

Why when the stars come out, and not when the sun sets?

 

The span of time between sundown and nightfall (darkness) depends upon the latitude. At the equator the two occur almost simultanously, but as the distance from the equator increases, the span of time of Bayn Hashmashot increases. As one travels northward from the equator, nightfall gets later. As one travels southward towards the equator, nightfall comes quicker. In the United States, along the New York City latitude, nightfall occurs about thirty to forty minutes after sundown. Every city is on a different time, in Yisrael by the time Sabbath come for us, it is already past Havdallah for them because from here in Texas Yisrael is 8 hrs different and Africa 9.

     

So if we all exist in a different timing stratospheres how can Shabbath begin for every one at different times?

   

It is determined in each area when three stars are noticed Havdallah begins. I wonder how does Alaska observe Shabbath if any Jews go there, during part of the year the sun never sets, for six to eight months its only daylight. That would be confusing according to Jewish calendar rites. It is proper to check with the local Rabbi or synagogue, or consult a local Jewish calendar as to the exact time the Sabbath ends.

 

If there is no adult male in a household to recite the Havdallah the women should perform the Mitzvah herself in this situation. If a women has some weekday task to do immediately after nightfall (lighting, a fire, emergency) and she has not yet heard or been in attendance to Havdallah she should first make the following declaration:

 

BARUCH HAMAVDIL BAYN KODESH L'KHOL.

Blessed is He who divided the sacred from the secular.

 

This completes her responsibility and concludes the Sabbath for her.