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On Saturday evening, when three stars appear in the sky, the Shabbat ends. In the evening prayer of Arvit, in the 4th blessing, we add the Havdalah. Havdalah is a hymn to G-d thanking Him for separating certain things in the world, such as separating the Shabbat from the rest of the days of the week. After the prayer, we recite again the Havdalah as a separate blessing, in a ceremony with a cup of wine.
Why do we do Havdalah (literally separation)?
In the same way that there is a Mitzvah to remember Shabbat when it starts, which we accomplish through the Kiddush (as we explained here), we need to remember it when it finishes. In the words of our Sages: “Remember [the Shabbat] when it enters and when it leaves”.
Let us go a little deeper. The Shabbat is a day where we detach ourselves a little bit from our everyday life and connect again to G-d, leaving aside our physicality. When the Shabbat ends, we start a new week, where we will go back to our everyday routine. The power to remain connected to G-d even then is given to us by the Shabbat. This is why we bless G-d Who gave us the power to stay connected with Him, blessing Him for having separated and distinguished the day of Shabbat. This is why we say Havdalah, to thank G-d.
At night after the end of Shabbat, it is customary to say a blessing over besamim, herbs or spices with a good aroma (cloves are regularly used). It is also customary to light a new fire, and after saying the blessing, use it (benefit from it) to see the difference of color between our nails and the skin of our fingers (besides the thumbs).
Our Sages instituted to say those blessings during the Havdalah ceremony, after the blessing over the wine and before the blessing of the Havdalah. We will explore the reasons for these customs next week, G-d willing.
We introduce the Havdalah with several verses speaking about abundance and G-d’s salvation, as a good way to start the week.
It is customary not to eat from sunset until Havdalah (as on Friday from sunset until the Kiddush).
Thus, we bid farewell to the Shabbat expressing our gratefulness to G-d Who gave us the gift of this special day.
Shabbat Shalom,
Arie from the Yeshiva