Chapter 96 : Laws Concerning the Maariv Prayer on Shabbos Night and Havdalah

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§1

[On Shabbos night] the Maariv prayer should be said at a later hour, [than on weekdays] and when saying "Vehu rachum" and "Barechu," the chant should be drawn out in order to add from the mundane to the sacred. In the Maariv Shemoneh Esrei we say "Attah chonantanu". If you forgot and omitted it, and you remembered before saying Hashem's Name of that berachah, you should say it at the point you remembered and go on to conclude: "vechoneinu etc." But, if you did not remember until after mentioning Hashem's Name, [then,] finish the blessing, "Chonein hadoas," and you need not repeat [the Shemoneh Esrei] for you will recite Havdalah afterwards over wine. But great care should be taken not to do any melachah, nor to taste anything before reciting Havdalah over wine. If you did a melachah or ate something you must repeat the [Maariv] Shemoneh Esrei. (If you do not have wine over which to recite the Havdalah, and you forgot to say "Attah chonantanu," other rules apply in this case.)

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§2

After completing the Shemoneh Esrei, half-Kaddish is said followed by "vihi no'am," ["may the pleasantness"] which is said because it is a Psalm of blessing with which Moses blessed Israel when they completed the construction of the Tabernacle. It should be recited while standing. It is customary to repeat the final verse: "Orech yamim etc." ["With long life"). After that "Ve'atah kadosh" ["and You, Holy One"] and the kedushah-order are said, since it relates to "Vihi no'am," because through the construction of the Tabernacle, the Shechinah dwelled amongst Israel. This is [the interpretation of]: "And You, Holy One, are enthroned upon the praises of Israel." If Yom Tov occurs during the following week, even if on Friday, "Vihi no'am" and "Ve'atah kadosh" are not said, since included in "Vihi no'am" is [the prayer:] "Umaasei yadeinu koneneihu" ["and the work of our hands — establish it"]. Therefore, it is required that all six weekdays be fit for work. And once "Vihi no'am" is not said then, "Ve'atah kadosh" is also not said, because they relate to one another. After [completing] "Vihi no'am" and "Ve'atah kadosh," whole- Kaddish is said followed by "Veyiten lecha" and "Aleinu." These prayers are said after Maariv on Shabbos night, so that the Bnei Yisroel can prolong the completion of the order [of prayers], in order to delay the return of the wicked to Gehinnom; because it waits for them until the last assembly in Israel completes its order [of prayers].

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§3

Just as it is a mitzvah to sanctify Shabbos upon its arrival over a cup of wine, so, too, it is a mitzvah to sanctify it at its departure over a cup of wine, which is done at Havdalah. A berachah is also recited over aromatic spices and over a candle. Women, too, are obligated [to recite] Havdalah. They should, therefore, be very attentive to the Havdalah berachah. When wine is unavailable, Havdalah is recited over beer or mead, or any beverage considered a popular drink with the exception of water.

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§4

Once twilight arrives it is forbidden to eat or drink anything except water prior to Havdalah. However, if you prolong the Third Meal even into the night, you may [continue to eat and drink] since you began when it was permitted. You may also drink from the cup [of wine] [over which] Birkas Hamazon was said because it, too, is part of the [Third] Meal, provided that you are always accustomed to reciting Birkas Hamazon over a cup of wine. But, if you sometimes recite Birkas Hamazon without a cup [of wine] (because you rely on the poskim [who hold] that Birkas Hamazon does not require wine, ) it is forbidden at this time to drink from the Birkas Hamazon wine, prior to Havdalah.

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§5

Similarly, you may not do a melachah prior to Havdalah. Women who need to put on the lights prior to Havdalah, should first say: "Blessed is He who distinguishes between the sacred and the mundane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the peoples, between the Seventh Day and the six work days, blessed is the One Who distinguishes between the sacred and the mundane." If Yom Tov occurs on Sunday, they should conclude: "The One Who distinguishes between the sacred and the sacred."

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§6

If you prolong the Maariv prayer at the end of Shabbos or prolong your meal into the night, you may ask even a Jew, who has already prayed and said "Attah chonantanu," to do a melachah for you. You may benefit or partake of his melachah, though you will afterwards mention Shabbos during Birkas Hamazon.

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§7

When pouring [wine into] the Havdalah fill it to the brim until it overflows slightly, [for this is] a sign of blessing. Lift the cup in your right hand and the aromatic spices in your left, until after you recite "... borei peri hagafen," ["... Creator of the fruit of the vine"]. Then put the cup in your left hand and the spices in your right and recite "...borei minei vesamim," ["...Creator of various kinds of spices"]. Afterwards recite the berachah over the candle. Then again take the cup in your right hand and recite the berachah "hamavdil." After concluding [the berachah], sit down and drink the whole contents of the cup by yourself. And the little left in your cup you pour out and with it extinguish the candle. You apply some of it to your eyes to show your esteem for the mitzvah. It is customary for women not to drink from the Havdalah cup.

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§8

It is advisable to add some "pizem" [musk] to the besamim because it is agreed that its proper berachah is "...borei minei vesamim. " It is preferable to also take a myrtle since a mitzvah was done with it once, let a mitzvah be done with it once more.

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§9

It is preferable that the candle be made of wax, and of single candles braided together forming a torch. If you do not have [such a candle] you may recite the berachah on two other candles whose flames have been brought together so that they form a torch. It is customary after reciting "... borei me'orei ha'eish," to look at your fingernails, preferably the fingernails of your right hand. It is also customary to look at the palm of your right hand. You should bend the four fingers over the thumb into the palm of your hand and look at your fingernails and at your palm simultaneously, then straighten your fingers and look at the fingernails from the back.

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§10

One who is blind does not recite a berachah over the candle. One who has no sense of smell does not recite a berachah over besamim.

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§11

If after you recited the berachah on the wine and you are holding the besamim in your hand and intended to recite the berachah over them, you inadvertently said "borei me'orei ha'eish," and immediately realized [your error] and concluded "borei minei vesamim" the berachah is valid for the besamim. You may then recite the berachah on the candle. But, if you intended the berachah for the candle, it is valid for the candle, and recite the berachah on the besamim afterwards.

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§12

It is a mitzvah to increase the lighting slightly on Shabbos night and to recite the zemiros to escort the Shabbos upon her departure. This is a sign of respect similar to a king being escorted upon departing from the city. Eliyahu the Prophet is mentioned and we pray that he come and bring us the tidings of the Redemption. [We wait until Shabbos night] because Eliyahu will not arrive on Friday so as not to disturb Israel in its preparation for Shabbos. On Shabbos, too, we do not pray for his coming since there is a possibility that the laws of techum apply above ten tefachim, making it impossible for him to come on Shabbos; therefore, as soon as Shabbos is over and it is now possible for him to come, we pray that he come and bring us good [tidings]. The Midrash also states that at the end of every Shabbos, Eliyahu enters the Garden of Eden and sits under the Tree of Life and inscribes the merits of the Israelites who keep the Shabbos. We, therefore, mention him then for good.

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§13

If possible, you should fulfill the mitzvah of the melaveh malkah meal with bread and a hot dish. Set your table appropriately in honor of the departure of Shabbos. One who cannot eat bread should at least eat some cake or fruit.

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§14

[Even] if you already recited Havdalah, you may recite Havdalah for your children that have reached the age of training so that they fulfill their obligation, and certainly for an adult, provided they cannot recite Havdalah for themselves. However, one who is able to do so for himself, must himself recite the Havdalah. When reciting Havdalah for others, upon reciting "borei minei vesamim," you must smell the spices yourself so that your berachah not be in vain, (because the berachah, "borei minei vesamim" at Havdalah was established solely for man's pleasure). Havdalah should not be recited solely for women by someone who has already recited Havdalah (because some hold that women are exempt).

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§15

If you forgot, were unable, or purposefully failed to recite Havdalah on Shabbos night, you may do so until the end of Tuesday. However, do not recite the berachah over the besamim or the candle, only the berachah, "borei pen hagafen" and the berachah, "Hamavdil." Once Tuesday has past, Havdalah can no longer be recited, because the first three days of the week are called the days after Shabbos and are considered the end of Shabbos, whereas the last three days are called "the days before the coming Shabbos" and have no relationship to the Shabbos past.