The name havdalah comes from the Hebrew word l’havdeel, which means to distinguish or separate.The Havdalah service marks the end of Shabbat, which is the seventh day of the week , according to the jewish calendar. It should be performed no earlier than nightfall on Saturday night. Nightfall is the time when three stars can be seen in the sky .it is also performed at the end of other festivals and holy days.

The ceremony

Three things are needed for the havdalah ceremony: glass of kosher wine or grape juice , some fragrant spices (cloves, cinnamon or bay leaves are commonly used) and a special Havdalah candle. Every one of them represent a symbol – the wine represent joy, the spices represents the sweetness of the holy day and the fire is the unity of the time and the life the goes on.

while the blessing of this three elements, some biblical verses are from the bible especially from two books ,Isaiah and Psalms. The verse from Isaiah is praising the trust in the lord salvation, as written in Isaiah 12:2-3-

הִנֵּה אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי אֶבְטַח, וְלֹא אֶפְחָד:  כִּי-עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ יְהוָה, וַיְהִי-לִי לִישׁוּעָה. “

 וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם-מַיִם, בְּשָׂשׂוֹן, מִמַּעַיְנֵי, הַיְשׁוּעָה” 

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation”

Havdalah to me- what is my candle? (metaphorically )

After the reading of the verses, the blessing of the 3 elements, it is customary to sing songs about the week that is going to come. Then the holiness becomes a secular. From my point of view ,the separation and the distinction should be in the times , but not in the way that we are acting, the holiness of doing good things need to be permanent- havdalah is not needed in that point of view!.

main phrases of the post + transcription + translation

Eli@eteachergroup.com