Sacred Separations

(5) Bet Shammai says: [the proper order is] candle, [Birkat Ha]Mazon, spices, and Havdalah. But Bet Hillel says: candle, spices, [Birkat Ha]Mazon, and Havdalah. Bet Shammai says [the blessing over the candle concludes with the words], “Who created the light of the fire.” But Bet Hillel says: “Who creates the lights of the fire.”

...And a blessing is not said over the light until they benefit from its light.

(2) "And Elokim blessed the seventh day and sanctified it"- He blessed it with light. Because the sun began to set on Friday night and the light began to shin, all began to praise. Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Zeira said: 36 hours the the light shined - 12 on Sabbath eve, 12 on Shabbat night, and 12 on Shabbat day. When the sun then began to set at the end of the Sabbath and it began to get dark, Adam became afraid. What did God do? He appointed for Adam two flints and struck one against the other. and light eminated from them. And Adam made a blessing on it. What did he say? "Borei M'orei Ha'aish" (who creates light sources for fire). Why do we say this blessing at the end of Shabbat? ... because this was the beginning of its creation.

What were the clothes of the first man? A skin of nail, and a cloud of glory covered him. When he ate of the fruits of the tree, the nail-skin was stripped off him, and the cloud of glory departed from him, and he saw himself naked, as it is said, "And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree, about which I commanded you?" (Gen. 3:11).

(4) At the end of Shabbat Adam was meditating in his heart and saying: Perhaps the serpent, which deceived me, will come in the evening, and he will attack me in the heel. A pillar of fire was sent to him to give illumination about him and to guard him from all evil. Adam saw the pillar of fire and rejoiced in his heart, and he put forth his hands to the light of the fire, and said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the flames of fire. And when he removed his hands from the light of the fire, he said: Now I know that the holy day has been separated from the other days, for fire may not be kindled on the Sabbath day; and in that hour he said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who divides the holy from the ordinary.

(5) Rabbi Mana said: How must a man say the Habdalah blessing? (He does this) over the cup of wine, with the light of fire, and he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the various flames of fire; and when he removes his hand from the fire (flame) he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who divides the holy from the profane.

(6) If he have no wine he puts forth his hands towards the light of the lamp and looks at his nails, which are whiter than his body, and he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who divides the holy from the ordinary. and when he has removed his hands from the fire, he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who divides the holy from the ordinary.

(7) If he has no fire, he puts forth his hand to the light of the stars, which are also fire, looks at his nails, and says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the various flames of fire. If the heavens be darkened, he lifts up a stone outside, and says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who divides the holy from the ordinary.