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Havdalah Havdalah This article was written by Stephen Butterfass for Religious Living on the Web. As Shabbat left with the evening darkness, our sages must have regarded that departure as a time of foreboding, a waning of holiness, as the week's trials approached. The ceremony of Havdalah, which means distinction or separation, was created not only to consciously separate the sacred time from the approaching secular, but to send us into the coming week with the experience of Shabbat, "a good week, a week of peace, may gladness reign and joy increase", as the refrain goes. Havdalah is a joyous ceremony with meaningful symbols and not hard at all to make a part of your home rituals. It is recited after sunset, in a darkened room, using one candle made of at least two separate wicks,(Creation and Redemption becoming one), a large cup of wine (symbol of joy) and a spice box filled with any fragrant spice, symbolizing Shabbat's richness and also to leave us with a pleasant fragrance as Shabbat departs. The prayers for Havdalah can also be found in any Siddur and in the Gates of the House, (the home prayerbook published by our movement's Central Conference of American Rabbis). The blessing over the wine is said first,but the wine is not drunk just yet: Blessed is the Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Now the blessing over the spices, and as the spice box is passed around, the spices are smelled in turn by those present: Blessed is the Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of diverse spices. The blessing over the flame is then recited and we extend our hands towards the light, to see the light reflected in our fingernails and palms, symbolizing the divisions between light and dark, holy and profane. Blessed is the Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the light of fire. A final prayer of separation recognizing Shabbat as a special day of holiness is then recited: Blessed is the Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, who separates sacred from profane, light from darkness, the seventh day of rest from the six days of labor. Blessed is the Eternal, who separates the sacred from the profane. Finally, the cup of wine is passed around for all to drink, and a few drops of the wine should be poured into a dish and the candle extinguished in the wine, or as we do it in our home, by dipping the candle in the cup itself. It is then customary to wish everyone a Shavuah Tov, a good week. The song "Eliahu ha-Navi" (May the Prophet Elijah come speedily in our time-heralding our redemption) is traditionally sung to close the ceremony.
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