Havdalah Prayers

The Havdalah service marks the end of Shabbat. It is performed on Saturday night when three stars can be seen in the sky (normally about 45 minutes after sundown).

Items needed: a glass of wine or other liquid, some fragrant spices, and a special Havdalah candle.

Wine

The first of the four Havdalah blessings is made over wine. Recite this blessing:

Barukh atah Adonai Elohaynu melekh ha-olam, borei p’riy ha-gafen. (Ah-main)
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. (Amen).

Spices

The second blessing is recited over fragrant spices. The spices represent a compensation for the loss of the special sabbath spirit. The spices commonly used are cloves, cinnamon or bay leaves. They are commonly kept in a special decorated holder called a b'samim box.

Barukh atah Adonai Elohaynu melekh ha-olam, borei minei b'samim. (Ah-main)
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates varieties of spices. (Amen)

Fire

The third blessing is recited over the special, multi-wicked Havdalah candle (see on-line store for candles). If you cannot obtain a Havdalah candle, you can hold two candles close together, so their flames overlap. Party candles (long, very thin candles) can be warmed up and twisted together.

Lighting a flame is a vivid way of marking the distinction between the sabbath and the weekday, because we cannot kindle a flame on the sabbath.

After the blessing is recited, hold hands up to the flame with curved fingers, so you can see the shadow of your fingers on palms.

Barukh atah Adonai Elohaynu melekh ha-olam, borei m'orei ha-eish. (Ah-main)
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the light of the fire. (Amen)

Havdalah

The final blessing is the havdalah blessing itself, the blessing over the separation of different things. The blessing is recited over the wine. After the blessing is complete, the wine is drunk. A few drops of wine are used to extinguish the flame from the candle.

Barukh atah Adonai Elohaynu melekh ha-olam, ha-mavdil bayn kodesh l'chol,
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular,

bayn or l'choshekh, bayn yisrael la-amim, bayn yom ha-sh'vi'i l'shayshet y'may ha-ma'aseh
between light and dark, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of labor