עברית
Women
Performing Havdalah and Women
Question
Dear Rabbi, my mother and I live alone. There are Shabbatot when no man is available to perform Havdalah for us. A. Am I required to do a full Havdalah (which includes: spices, candle, and wine) and not only say "Who distinguishes between holy and mundane"? B. If so, when lighting the Havdalah candle, am I not violating Shabbat? (I do not pray Maariv on Motzei Shabbat in the synagogue.) Thank you in advance and Shabbat Shalom, Lilach
Answer
Dear,
1. In this case, you must perform Havdalah (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Siman 294, Seif 8, as well as the Rema and Mishnah Berurah there).
The order of Havdalah is as usual with the blessing over the wine, the blessing over the spices, the blessing over the light, and the blessing Who distinguishes (see Hazon Ovadia, Shabbat, Part 2, pages 466-471, and Piskei Teshuvot, Siman 294, Oter K).
You need to drink from the cup a minimum amount known as melo lugmav (see Mishnah Berurah there, Seif Katan 35, and Hazon Ovadia, page 63), and it is good that you drink a revi'it (81 cc), because with the minimum amount there is a question of whether you can recite the after blessing (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Siman 202, Seif 1, Mishnah Berurah, Seif Katan 12, and Siman 294, Seif Katan 6).
2. Before you begin Havdalah, say "Blessed are You, Who distinguishes between holy and mundane," and then you may light the fire for Havdalah (according to Shulchan Aruch and Rema, Orach Chaim, Siman 297, Seif 10, Mishnah Berurah there, and Hazon Ovadia, page 578).
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs
