Havdala

The One who differentiates between sacred and profane, between light and dark, between Yisrael and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of the act [of Creation].

It is a positive mitzva from the Torah to sanctify Shabbat with words, as it is said “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it,” that is to say, remember it [with] a mention of praise and sanctification, and one must remember it as it enters and as it departs, as it enters with kiddush ha-yom and as it departs with havdala.

One says havdalot at the end of Shabbat and at the end of Yom Tov and at the end of Yom Kippur and at the end of Shabbat leading to Yom Tov and at the end of Yom Tov leading to Chol Ha-mo’ed. But not at the end of Yom Tov leading to Shabbat.

Just as we recite kiddush on Shabbat and havdala on Motza’ei Shabbat, so we recite kiddush on the night of Yom Tov and havdala at its end and at the end of Yom Kippur, for all of them are Shabbatot of God, and we recite havdala at the end of Yom Tov leading to Chol Ha-mo’ed and at the end of Shabbat leading to Yom Tov.

Know that kiddush on Yom Tov is not on a Torah level.

…Rabbeinu Tam: Granted that kiddush is on a Torah level. [Reciting it] over wine is not from the Torah, but our sages said to mention it [Shabbat] over wine. And furthermore, havdala is not on a Torah level.

Rabbi Yitzhak bar Avdimi said: Even though Rabbi [Yehuda ha-Nasi] would split them [the various berachot of havdala], he would go back and say them in order over a cup in order to discharge [the obligations of] his children and members of his household.

…It is explained here that women are obligated in kiddush as a matter of Torah law even though it is a positive time-bound mitzva. And the reason for the matter is that it is written “remember” and “keep”—everyone included in keeping is included in remembering, and women, since they are obligated in keeping, are obligated in remembering. Havdala is also included in the category of kiddush and the greatest of our compilers [Rambam] counted it as a positive mitzva along with kiddush, and as included in remembering [Shabbat], and according to this opinion havdala is a Torah-level obligation like kiddush and women are obligated in it as in kiddush…

The mitzva of sanctifying Shabbat with words…At the departure of Shabbat we also recite a beracha over wine in honor of the day, and this beracha of Motza’ei Shabbat is called havdala…and it is practiced in every place and at every time, for males and females, and even though it is among the time-bound mitzvot, for thus our sages taught us that women are obligated in kiddush and in havdala.

From that which we say “to discharge the obligations of his sons and members of his household,” we learn that women are obligated in havdala. And even if you say havdala is a positive time-bound commandment they [women] are obligated in it, for whatever our sages enacted was enacted in the Torah’s mold, and certainly his wife is always included in the category of members of his household.

Rash [Rav Shimon of Sens] wrote: “Women do not make havdala for themselves because havdala is not dependent on keeping Shabbat, rather our sages connected it to a verse [as a learning device].”

Women are obligated in havdala just as they are obligated in kiddush, and there are those who disagree. Rema: Therefore they [women] should not recite havdala for themselves, they only should hear havdala from men.

It is prohibited to perform any labor prior to reciting havdala…And if one needs to perform labor prior to reciting havdala within tefilla, [then] one says: ‘[Blessed is] the One Who differentiates between sacred and profane’ without a beracha, and performs labor. Rema: Similarly women who do not say havdala in tefilla [because they do not say ma’ariv], one should instruct them to say ‘[Blessed is] the One Who differentiates between sacred and profane’ before they perform labor.”

(What Rema wrote at the end of 296, that women not recite havdala for themselves is le-chatchila, out of stringent concern for those who consider havdala to be rabbinic and women exempt. But the fundamental halacha is that they [women] can recite havdala for themselves, for havdala is on a Torah level, for “remember” is at the entry and departure [of Shabbat] and naturally women are obligated, since “whoever is obligated in keeping [is obligated in remembering]” is them…”)

Rema wrote in a gloss: “Therefore they [women] should not recite havdala for themselves, they should only hear it from men.” It is clear that he understood that what that Orchot Chayyim [in the name of Rash] wrote in the first view that “women do not make havdala for themselves” was to say that they [women] are prohibited…Why should they [women] not recite havdala for themselves? For whether women are obligated on a Torah level, or whether they are not obligated on a Torah level but rabbinically, or even if they are not obligated at all even rabbinically, why should they not recite havdala to discharge themselves that in which they are obligated, on a Torah level or rabbinically? And even if they are not obligated at all, they bring themselves into the obligation as with shofar and lulav, and as they recite zimmun for themselves as above 199, so too how much more so they recite havdala for themselves. Rather the matter is clear that “[women] do not make havdala for themselves]”, its meaning is ‘do not need to make havdala for themselves,’ for a rabbinic-level obligation is only for the men and not for women and nevertheless the custom is that even when they are by themselves they are obligated in havdala and [make an effort to] hear havdala from men. And in any case, if the woman can make havdala for herself she makes havdala for herself, even if there are men there from whose mouths she can hear….

It is possible that the view of Rema is that for a mitzva that includes an action, [women] are permitted to perform [the mitzva voluntarily] and recite a beracha, but with a matter that only has a beracha, like this, they are not [permitted]…But in Rosh in the first chapter of Kiddushin, it implies that women are permitted to say every beracha that doesn’t include “ve-tzivanu” “and commanded us”…and the fundamental halacha is like the words of Bach [who permitted women to recite havdala].

it is good for them [women] to hear [havdala] from men; nevertheless, it is clear that if there is no one to recite havdala for them that they [women] should recite havdala for themselves.

A woman who recites havdala for herself is even able to discharge the obligation of her fellow woman in havdala. (Note 75 …I heard from my uncle, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach…)

My husband had always been adamant that [a] woman did not recite Havdalah. We never really discussed the whys and wherefores….Then one Shabbos there was no male, either in residence or visiting…No problem—just pop over to a neighbor. Reality, as is often the case, proves more challenging than the concept….I called us ‘the Motza’ei Shabbos orphans” as we knocked on doors to find a male who had not yet recited Havdalah. There had to be an alternative plan, and I sought out the halachic response from a Rabbinical figure of international standing. “Of course, make Havdalah yourself if there is no male around.”…Clearly this Gadol whose expertise I was seeking was not aware of these issues that had made my life, or at least, each Motza’ei Shabbos, a moment of great stress and discomfort.

In any case women do not discharge the obligation of men, for they [their obligation] is a matter of doubt…According to the opinion that havdala is a Torah-level obligation, the law is the same for women. And for one who says it is rabbinic, women are exempt; if so, they also don’t discharge men’s obligations.

A man may not discharge the mitzva of havdala through a woman, but in a pressing situation when he cannot recite havdala for himself and also it is impossible for him to hear havdala from a man—one should be lenient to discharge the obligation through a woman[‘s recitation].

Presumably every household member intends not to discharge [their obligation] through havdala in synagogue, for they rely on havdala at home, and it is as though they didn’t hear havdala at all, and they don’t discharge their obligations through it [at synagogue].

For when we say ‘all berachot, even though one has discharged [his own obligation] he discharges [another’s obligation],’ these words refer to discharging [the obligation of] one who is inexpert, but not one who is proficient; for he [a proficient person] himself discharges his own obligation if he wishes. And even if he [a man] has recited kiddush or havdala, he should not recite the berachot for one who is proficient, but rather for a woman or one who is inexpert.

Gloss: And the custom is that women recite berachot over positive time-bound mitzvot; therefore, also here they recite the beracha for themselves. But others don’t recite the beracha for them [women] if they [the others] have already discharged their obligation [in hearing shofar], and they don’t blow solely for women, but if they are blowing for a man who is obligated, they recite a beracha for him even though they have already discharged their obligation.

This implies that every beracha that does not include “ve-tzivanu” “and commanded us” – women are permitted to recite…and see 589:6 [on shofar blowing for women], that if the others have already recited havdala, it is prohibited for them to recite havdala for women, and it is straightforward that [women] are permitted to recite a beracha for themselves over the spices and over the cup, for those are birkat ha-nehenin, and the fundamental halacha is in accordance with Bach.

From men – And if the men have already recited havdala for themselves, or intended to discharge their obligation in synagogue, they should not recite havdala in order to discharge the obligation of the women if there are no adult men or minor males [regarding whom there is an obligation of education for mitzvot] hearing from him, for according to the dissenting view [in Shulchan Aruch] it would be a beracha in vain [Magen Avraham]. Behold, in the book Zachor Le-Avraham under the entry “Havdala” and also in the book Birkei Yosef they brought a number of halachic authorities who thought that even one who had recited havdala already can recite havdala for women. In any case, why should we place ourselves in a doubtful position in the matter of a beracha when she can recite havdala for herself…

I saw one who wrote that a man who already recited havdala should not recite havdala for women, like a man does not recite a beracha over shofar for women when he has already discharged his obligation as is written in 589 [Eliya Rabba 18]. And it seems to me that this is not analogous, for with shofar it is clear that there is no obligation upon them [women], but according to most halachic authorities they [women] are obligated in havdala. Granted, one should be concerned for a minority view lest they [women] are exempt, and certainly if they [women] can recite havdala for themselves it is better [for them to do so], but if they [women] cannot, it is permissible and a mitzva for a man to make havdala for them [women], for thus is the view of the majority of halachic authorities [so it seems in my humble opinion].

Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said Rabbi Yochanan said: The men of the Great Assembly enacted for Israel berachot and tefillot, kiddush and havdala. At the beginning they established it in tefilla. They [the community] became wealthier, they [the men of the Great Assembly] established it over a cup [of beverage]; they became poorer again, they established it in tefilla. And they said: One who recites havdala in tefilla must recite havdala [again] over a cup [of beverage].

Women who have the practice not to perform labor on Motza’ei Shabbat, it is not a [valid] custom. Until tefilla is complete, it is a [valid] custom.

We learn in Pesachim in chapter four [51b] one who performs labor on Motza’ei Shabbat and Yamim Tovim will never see a beracha from it. This refers specifically to before havdala, as is brought in the Yerushalmi in chapter four of Pesachim, Women who have the practice of performing labor on Motza’ei Shabbat, it is not a [valid] custom. Meaning, it is not a good custom. Until tefilla is complete, it is a [valid] custom. Meaning, until they complete the order of prayer. Nevertheless, women have the practice not to perform work on all of Motza’ei Shabbat.

We have not heard of this custom, which is against the Yerushalmi. And our women don’t perform [labor] only until after havdala, and afterwards perform all labors, and this is the fundamental [halacha].

Havdala in prayer…permits performing labor, and havdala over a cup [of beverage] concludes the meals of Shabbat and finishes its fulfillment, and all the time that the fulfillment of the order of the meals of Shabbat is incomplete and the stopping point of havdala [over a beverage] has not occurred, it is prohibited to eat.

For Rav said: Just as Shabbat establishes [eating as fixed and subject to the laws of] tithes, so Shabbat establishes [eating as fixed and thus prohibited prior to] kiddush…Thus said Rav: For kiddush, it establishes, but it doesn’t establish for [eating before] havdala. These words apply to interrupting a meal, that we do not interrupt a meal [in order to recite havdala before continuing to eat]. But beginning a meal, we do not begin [a meal after Shabbat, until reciting havdala]…and [for] drinking also we don’t say [one may not drink before havdala] except with regard to wine and beer, but water, there is no concern [of drinking] prior to havdala]…

It is prohibited to eat anything, or even to drink wine or other drinks aside from water, from when it gets dark until reciting havdala. But if he was sitting and eating from when it was still daytime, there is no need to stop [his meal in order to recite havdala].

Master Yenuka and Master Kashisha son of Rav Chisda said to Rav Ashi…[Ameimar] came to our place, we didn’t have wine, I brought beer. He said: If so, it is the beverage of the land. He recited havdala and drank a taste of some.

When he drinks, he drinks a cheek full and gives a taste to his wife and to the members of his household.

He drinks a cheek full and gives a taste to the members of his household. Rav Sa’adya wrote that the members of his household don’t need to taste from the cup of the beracha.

A cup of havdala, from which we are not accustomed to give to household members and to fellow eaters to drink, and the one who recites havdala is accustomed to drink all of it, for he is obligated to recite a beracha after drinking from it.

Women are accustomed not to drink from the cup of havdala…Shibbolei Ha-leket wrote in the laws of kiddush that it is customary for the one who recites havdala to drink it all, and he does not give of it to household members to drink.

“And she [Chava] took of its fruit and ate” Rav Aybo said: she squeezed grapes and gave to him [Adam]…

You already knew what our sages said regarding the sod [kabbalistic hidden meaning] of the tree through which Adam Ha-rishon sinned being a grapevine, and they said that it teaches that she [Chava] squeezed grapes and gave to him and they are “deviants of a strange vine” (Yirmiyahu 2:21) and “beaker of the poisonous cup” “cup of His wrath” (Yeshaya 51:17)…and since she [Chava] intended to distinguish [herself, le-hibadel] from Adam through the wine, women don’t taste wine of havdala…

According to the above, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer said to also give a reason from the perspective of Halacha on women being accustomed not to taste of the wine of the cup of havdala…because we are concerned that perhaps halacha is in accordance with the view of those who say that women are exempt from havdala, and according to this view, the “amen” that she makes over the beracha of flame and of havdala is a break between “borei peri ha-gafen” that she discharges through her husband and drinking. But one should look into this a bit, for ultimately she is obligated to recite havdala as a matter of doubt, and an obligation as a matter of doubt is an obligation, and it is no longer a break.

Behold according to what Magen Avraham wrote…that women have the custom of not drinking from the cup of havdala, if so without all the rationales, how can she recite havdala for herself, and is it not the case that she cannot drink…Rather, the intent of Magen Avraham is to be lenient when she does not have someone from whom to discharge the obligation, for then perforce she recites havdala for herself and drinks in order not to nullify the mitzva of havdala.

I have seen someone who raised the difficulty of how they [women] can recite havdala and behold women don’t drink from the cup of havdala. I am puzzled about this, for is it a halacha? It is a mere custom, and not everyone is concerned for this, and it is obvious that when they [women] recite havdala, they need to drink.

At the end of Shabbat, at the time that he [Chazon Ish] recited havdala over wine, there were children standing in line and Chazon Ish would give them to drink wine from the cup. In the place was a little girl of one of the Torah scholars who also pushed to drink from the wine, and her father said to her: If you drink, you will grow a beard ….Chazon Ish, who heard the words, smiled and said: The world makes a mistake [der welt hat a-ta’us], it is not that one who drinks grows a beard, rather one who can grow a beard is the one who drinks!

Rav Nachman said: Rav Beibay, who drinks beer, his daughters need [depilatory] paste; we, who don’t drink beer, our daughters don’t require [depilatory] paste.

For Rabbi Simon ben Lakish said: God gives man an extra soul on Erev Shabbat, and on Motza’ei Shabbat they take it from him, as it is said “shavat va-yinafash” “He rested and made a soul,” since one has [already] rested, woe, a soul is lost.

For we recite the beracha over spices on Motza’ei Shabbat because of the extra soul that is lost, and one smells the spices and it puts his mind at rest. But on Yom Tov there is no extra soul. And if you should say, why do we not recite a beracha on spices when Yom Tov falls on Motza’ei Shabbat? [The answer is] since there are important and good foods, they put his mind at rest on their own without the scent of spices…

Why do we recite the beracha over spices on Motza’ei Shabbat? Since the soul is in sorrow at the exit of Shabbat, we gladden it and restore it with a good scent.

It is straightforward that they [women] are permitted to recite the beracha for themselves over spices and over the cup [of beverage], for they are berachot over taking pleasure [birchot ha-nehenin].

When Shabbat ended, the dark began to come and Adam became frightened and said this is what is written “He will snap at your head and you will snap at his heels” (Bereishit 3:15). Perhaps it comes to bite me. And he said, “Only darkness will snap at me” (Tehillim 139:11). Rabbi Levi said: At that moment God called forth two flints and he [Adam] struck them together and fire came out of them. That is what is written “And night becomes light for me” (Tehillim 139:11). And he [Adam] recited a beracha over it of “borei me’orei ha-eish,” “Who creates the lights of fire.” Shemuel said: Therefore, we recite a beracha over fire on Motza’ei Shabbat, for that is the [time of] the beginning of its [fire’s] creation. Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Abbahu in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: Even on Motza’ei Yom Kippur one recites a beracha over it, for the fire was at rest that entire day.

…I am in doubt, even according to the view that women are obligated in havdala, if they are obligated in the blessing on the flame. For havdala, even though it is time-bound, is included in the mitzva of remembering (zachor), which belongs to Shabbat, as Rambam wrote, and even according to the view that says it [havdala] is rabbinic, they enacted it similarly to kiddush. That is not the case for the fire, which was enacted over the creation of fire on Motza’ei Shabbat, which does not belong to Shabbat at all. And it [the blessing on the flame] is time-bound. Whence do we know that they [women] are obligated? And one cannot say that since it was established in the beracha of havdala they have one law, for this is not so, for they can recite it on its own as well, and also one is not obligated to chase after a flame as below 298:1. And perhaps since ideally it is a mitzva to order them together, they have one law. But it is more correct to say that a woman is not obligated in the beracha over the candle according to all opinions.

A woman who recites havdala for herself as above ch. 58:16, should not recite the beracha of the candle among the berachot of havdala, for fundamentally she is exempt from this beracha, and if she recites the beracha this will entail a concern of a break between the berachot of havdala, but she can recite the beracha after she drinks from the cup of havdala. Note 69 : I heard from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach…What reason is there to remove them [women] and prohibit them to fulfill this mitzva of giving thanks to God in commemoration of the Creation…For it is permissible for them to recite the beracha of “me’orei ha-eish” and to receive reward for it as one who is not commanded yet performs [a mitzva]… Until here is the opinion of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. (But according to this, one should investigate why shouldn’t she recite the beracha of the candle in the middle of havdala…

For according to the halachic authorities who consider women obligated in havdala, they are also obligated in the beracha of borei me’orei ha-eish…And thus is the halacha, for all [people] are included in the mitzva of havdala, as is explained clearly in Ritva Pesachim 54 that his wife is included among the members of the household, and Rabbi Yehuda Ha-nasi would go back and say them in order over a cup in order to discharge the obligation of his wife and household members, she [a woman] recites borei me’orei ha-eish. See there. And this is clear in my humble opinion. And even in a place in which there is no custom, women should recite borei me’orei ha-eish, and read this precisely. What I wrote, that women are obligated in the beracha of borei me’orei ha-eish on Motza’ei Shabat and it is not in the category of positive time-bound commandments, since it was established over a cup of havdala in which women are obligated. This is not like Mishna Berura, who wrote that according to all opinions women are exempt from this, for he missed the words of later authorities. And thus is the custom.

…In my humble opinion, they [women] should recite the beracha on the candle for so it is inferred from what that the Shulhan Arukh wrote according to the first unattributed view that “women are obligated in havdala” and he did not conclude “but she should not recite a beracha on the candle.” And also, even if we say that the exemption of women also applies here from the aspect of it [the beracha on the flame] being time-bound, women also fulfill positive time-bound commandments when they wish and recite berachot over them…and also in the essence of the matter to consider the blessing on the flame time-bound is not clear…One should also obligate women [in the beracha] over the flame, for behold, also the beracha on the candle on Motza’ei Shabbat has the halacha of not being time-bound, for one should not divide up each beracha on its own, for also according to the halacha she should recite the beracha.