Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Havdalah

Q: When is Havdalah supposed to happen?

A:  Havdalah is the ceremony that ends the Shabbat.  It is the counterpoint to candle-lighting which takes place on Friday night.  Just as the kindling of two lights inaugurates the Shabbat before sundown, so Havdalah is the farewell to that day following sunset on Saturday night.


Havadalah is an adjunct, a ceremony that follows Maariv (the evening service), to the Sabbath to give us one final taste of the sublime restfulness of Shabbat before returning to the weekday and its demands.  Havdalah is performed when the sun has completely set and it is dark, three stars visible in the night sky.

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