Havdalah Service

To prepare for Havdalah, gather a kiddush cup with wine, a spice box with sweet-smelling spices, and a braided candle. If you do not have a kiddush up, any nice wine glass will suffice. If you do not have a spicebox, places sweet-smelling spices (cinnamon and nutmeg work nicely) in a small dish. If you do not have a Havdalah candle, you can make one by softening several Chanukah candles in a basin of hot water and braiding them together (necessity is the mother of invention; I've done this). When everything you need has been made ready, gather everyone around the table, turn out the lights, and light the Havdalah candle. If you have children present, invite them to hold the candle, kiddush cup, and spicebox. Children especially love to extinguish the Havdalah candle in the wine.

HEE-NAY AYL Y-SHU-A-TEE EV-TACH V-LO EF-CHAD.
KEE O-ZEE V-ZIM-RAT YA A-DO-NAI VA-Y-HEE LEE LEE-SHU-AH.
U-SHE-AV-TEM MA-YEEM B-SA-SONE MEE-MA-A-NAY HA-Y-SHU-AH.
LA-DO-NAI HA-Y-SHU-AH AL AM-CHA BEER-CHA-TE-CHA SE-LAH.
A-DO-NAI TZE-VA-OT EE-MA-NU MEES-GAV LAL-NU E-LO-HAY YA-A-KOV SE-LAH.
LA-Y-HU-DEEM HA-Y-TAH OO-RAH V-SEEM-CHA V-SA-SONE VEE-KAR.
KAYN TEE-H-YEH LA-NU. KOS Y-SHU-OT E-SAH U-CHE-SHAYM A-DO-NAI EK-RAH.

Behold, God is my unfailing help; I will trust in God and will not be afraid.
The Lord is my strength and song; God is my Deliverer.
With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation.
The Lord alone is our help; May God bless our people.
The Lord of the universe is with us; The God of Jacob is our protection.
There was light and joy, gladness and honor for the Jewish people.
So may we be blessed.
(Lifting kiddush cup with wine) I will lift the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.

BA-RUCH A-TA A-DO-NAY E-LO-HAY-NU ME-LECH HA-O-LAM BO-RAY P'RI HA-GA-FEN.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

(At this point, some pass the kiddush cup around for everyone to take a sip; this is optional.)

(Holding the spice box aloft.)

BA-RUCH A-TA A-DO-NAY E-LO-HAY-NU ME-LECH HA-O-LAM BO-RAY MEE-NAY V-SA-MEEM.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates diverse kinds of spices.

(The spicebox is passed around for everyone to take a sniff.)

BA-RUCH A-TA A-DO-NAY E-LO-HAY-NU ME-LECH HA-O-LAM BO-RAY M-O-RAY HA-AYSH.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the lights of the fire.

 (Those present cup their hands and hold them toward the flame of the candle so that their fingertips cast a shadow on the palm of their hands. In this way, the distinction between light and darkness is illustrated on their hand. We have been known to make shadow plays with our hands at our house.)

BA-RUCH A-TA A-DO-NAI E-LO-HAY-NU ME-LECH HA-O-LAM HA-MAV-DIL BAYN KO-DESH L'KHOL. BAYN OR L-CHO-SHEKH. BAYN YIS-RA-EL LA-A-MEEM, BAYN YOM HA-SH-VEE-EE L-SHAY-SHET Y-MAY HA-MA-A-SEH. BA-RUKH A-TA A-DO-NAI HA-MAV-DIL BAYN KO-DESH L'CHOL.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the world, who separates the holy from the mundane, light from darkness, Israel from the other peoples, the seventh day of rest from the six days of work. Blesed are You, Lord, who separates the holy from the mundane.

(The Havdalah candle is now extinguished in the wine. You can either turn it upside down and dip the wick end directly in the wine cup, or hold out the wick end over a small bowl and pour wine on top of the wicks to extinguish them. Then the folllowing may be sung.)

HA-MAV-DIL BAYN KO-DESH L'CHOL. CHA-TO-TAY-NU HU YIM-CHOL.
ZA-RAY-NU V'CHAS-PAY-NU YAR-BEH KA-CHOL, U-CHE-CHO-CHA-VIM BA-LAY-LA.

May God forgive our transgressions and make our people as numerous as the sand, and as the stars of the night.

SHA-VU-AH TOV!

A good week!

(There is a lovely English version to the same tune which is sung: "A good week, a week of peace, may gladness reign and joy increase.")

E-LEE-YA-HU HA-NA-VEE E-LEE-YA-HU HA-TISH-BEE.
E-LEE-YA-HU E-LEE-YA-HU E-LEE-YA-HU HA-GEE-LA-DEE.
BEE-M-HAY-RA V-YA-MAY-NU YA-VO AY-LAY-NU
EEM MA-SHEE-ACH BEN DA-VEED, EEM MA-SHEE-ACH BEN DA-VEED.

Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbaite, Elijah the Gileadite.
Soon, in our day, he will come to us with the messiah, son of David.