Havdallah

On Motzei Shabbat - because the gemara (Eruvin 43) explains: Eliyahu Hanavi cannot come on either Erev Shabbat or Erev Yom Tov because of the hassle. (Rashi explains that everyone would go out to greet him and not have time to get ready for Shabbat). Therefore now that Shabbat is over and he is able to come, we pray that he should come soon and bring us good tidings.

Rabbi Yochanan said to him: Initially, during the difficult, early years of the Second Temple, they established that havdala is to be recited in the Amida prayer. Subsequently, when the people became wealthy, they established that havdala is to be recited over the cup of wine. When the people became impoverished, they again established that it was to be recited in the Amida prayer. And they said: One who recites havdala in the Amida prayer must, if he is able (Shitta Mekubbetzet, Me’iri), recite havdala over the cup of wine as well.

It is biblically mandated positive commandment to sanctify the Sabbath with speech, as it is written (Exodus 20, 7): "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." i.e. Remember through remberance of praise and through Kiddush. And it must be remembered when it begins and when it ends. When it begins - with Kiddush, and when it ends - with Havdala.

A person must be careful not to do any melacha (work) until three small stars can be seen in the sky. The stars must not be spread out, but three consecutive stars. If it is a cloudy day the person must wait until they have no doubt that Shabbat is finished

On entering his house at the conclusion of the Sabbath, he says the benediction over the wine, the light and the spices and after that says the Havdalah; and should he have only one cup [of wine], he leaves it until after the meal and combines all [the benedictions] afterwards.

The entry of Shabbat is different than taking it out. When bringing it in, the earlier the better. However, when taking it out, the later the better, so that it should not appear as though Shabbat had been a burden

The sons of Rabbi Hiyya said: the one who does not make Havdallah at the close of Shabbat, until when can they make it? Until the fourth day of the week (Tuesday evening)

"If you don't have spices, you don't have to go looking for some."-Because we only bless them to revive the spirit, which is pained at the exiting of Shabbat.

We don't make Havdallah over bread, but we can use beer if it is the local drink. And this is the law regarding all drinks, except for water.

Gloss: It is better to make Havdallah over bad wine than over beer. (Abudraham) It became customary to make Havdallah at the end of Pesach on beer, and not on wine, because it is desired.

When a holiday falls on Saturday night, and one says Kiddush over bread, there are those who say that you can then also make Havdallah on the bread. And there are others who say that it is preferable to say Kiddush and Havdallah over beer.

Gloss: The first opinion is best.

The order of Havdallah: Wine, spices, candle, separation. Its acronym is YaBNeH (Yayin, Besamim, Ner, Havdallah). And one must be careful that the cup is not spoiled.

Gloss: And it is customary to say before Havdallah that is done at home, "Behold the God of my salvation . . .", "The cup of salvation I raise . . .", "The Jews had light . . ." as a good omen. And at the time of Havdallah one should look at the cup and the candle. And it is customary to spill a little wine on the ground, before one says the blessing, so that the cup will not be spoiled. The reason for spilling the wine? Because it is said, "Any home where wine is not poured out like water is not blessed," so we do this as a good omen at the beginning of the week. And we pour some from the cup after Havdallah, and extinguish the candle in it, because of the delight of the mitzvah.

It is preferable to bless over a torch. And there is one opinion that if you don't have a torch then you have to light another candle for Havdallah aside from the candle that is being used to light up the home.

Gloss: A candle that has two wicks is called a torch.

It is customary to look at the palms of one's hands and at the fingernails.

Gloss: You should look at the fingernails of the right hand and hold the cup in the left hand. And you should curl the fingers into the hand so that you can look at the fingernails and the palm of the hand at the same time, without seeing the fingerprints.

"It is customary to look"-The reason is that one can distinguish the light between each finger. And similarly we look at the fingernails to see if one can distinguish the light between each finger, like one can distinguish between the nail and the flesh. And furthermore, because fingernails are a good omen because they grow forever. And we we look at the palms of hands because the lines on the hand have an omen that can be blessed.

(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 then it was created. Rabbi Abahu said...but we also say it at the end of Yom Kippur (which may not be on Saturday night)! Because we refrain from light the entire day,

(8) Women are obligated in Havdalah, just as they are obligated in Kiddush. And there is someone who disagrees.

Gloss: Therefore, they should not recite Havdalah to themselves, rather they should hear Havdalah from men.

Behold, God is my deliverance; I am confident and unafraid. Adonai is my strength, my might, my deliverance.

With joy shall you draw water from the wells of deliverance. Deliverance is Adonai’s; You will bless Your people.

Adonai tz’va-ot is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Adonai tz’va-ot, blessed the one who trusts in You.

Help us, Adonai; answer us, O Sovereign, when we call. Grant us the blessings of light, of gladness and of honor which the miracle of deliverance brought to our ancestors. I lift the cup of deliverance and call upon Adonai.

Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who creates fruit of the vine. Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who creates fragrant spices. Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who creates the lights of fire. Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has endowed all creation with distinctive qualities, distinguishing between sacred and secular time, between light and darkness, between the people Israel and other peoples, between the seventh day and the six working days of the week. Praised are you, Adonai our God, who distinguishes between sacred and ordinary time.

Rabbi Elazar said: A person should always set his table on Shabbat eve with all the preparations for an important feast, even if he only needs the table set for an olive-bulk of food. And Rabbi Ḥanina said: A person should always set his table at the conclusion of Shabbat, Saturday night, for a feast in deference to the Shabbat that passed, even if he only needs the table set for an olive-bulk of food. And with regard to the meal at the conclusion of Shabbat, they said: Hot water after Shabbat is a remedy [melugma], warm bread at the conclusion of Shabbat is a remedy. The Gemara relates: They would prepare for Rabbi Abbahu at the conclusion of Shabbat a third-born calf, and he would eat one kidney from it. When his son Avimi grew up, he said to his father: Why do you waste so much? Let us leave a kidney over from Shabbat eve, and you will not need to slaughter an entire calf for that purpose. Indeed, they left the calf and did not slaughter it, and a lion came and ate it. This teaches that one should not be miserly when it comes to honoring Shabbat.