Shabbos 250
End of Shabbos

Havdalah — how to end Shabbos.

Havdalah is the short ceremony that ends Shabbos. It uses wine or grape juice, fragrant spices (besamim), and a multi-wick havdalah candle, and is said after nightfall on Saturday.

Find My Havdalah TimeBuild My Packet

What you need

  • A cup of kosher wine or grape juice (filled until it overflows slightly).
  • Fragrant spices (besamim) — cloves, cinnamon, or a spice box.
  • A multi-wick havdalah candle (or two regular candles held together).

How to say Havdalah

  1. Fill a cup with kosher wine or grape juice (until it overflows slightly).
  2. Hold the cup and say the Havdalah blessings in order: wine, spices, fire, separation.
  3. Smell the spices when you reach the spices blessing.
  4. Look at the Havdalah flame, holding fingers up to the light.
  5. Drink most of the wine or grape juice after the closing blessing.
  6. Wish each other “Shavua tov” or “A gut voch.”

Havdalah — the four blessings in order

עַל הַיַּיִן — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן. עַל הַבְּשָׂמִים — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים. עַל הָאֵשׁ — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ. בִּרְכַּת הַהַבְדָּלָה — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל, בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹשֶׁךְ, בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים, בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל.

Over the wine — Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p'ri hagafen. Over the spices — Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei minei v'samim. Over the fire — Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei m'orei ha-eish. The Havdalah blessing — Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, ha-mavdil bein kodesh l'chol, bein or l'choshech, bein Yisrael la'amim, bein yom hash'vi'i l'sheishet y'mei hama'aseh. Baruch atah Adonai, ha-mavdil bein kodesh l'chol.

Over the wine — Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Over the spices — Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of varieties of spices. Over the fire — Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the lights of fire. The Havdalah blessing — Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who separates between holy and ordinary, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, Lord, who separates between holy and ordinary.

The full Havdalah sequence also includes blessings on the spices and the candle. See the full Havdalah text inside your printed Shabbos 250 packet.

Build My Packet