Pesach: Havdalah at Kiddush

Q. If I forgot to insert Havdalah into Kiddush, can I be yotzei (fulfill my obligation of) Havdalah by listening to one of my guests recite Havdalah when they recite Kiddush?

A. The core issue of this question is the following: The listener already recited Kiddush and only needs to be yotzei Havdalah, while the guest is reciting both Kiddush and Havdalah. Do we say the listener can be yotzei the portion of Havdalah, or do we say he cannot be yotztei Havdalah because the Kiddush is a hefsek (interruption) between the opening bracha of Borei Pri Hagafen and the Havdalah which follows Kiddush? Rav Schachter, shlita, ruled that one may satisfy his obligation in this situation. He brought proof from the Magen Avrohom (OC 296:10) who writes that if one heard Havdalah from another but did not listen to the bracha of Borei Pri Hagafen, he is yotzei Havdalah. We see that Borei Pri Hagafen is not an essential part of Havdalah (though one who recites Havdalah for himself must recite Borei Pri Hagafen because Havdalah must be said “al hakos”, on wine). In our situation, even if Kiddush would be viewed as an interruption, it cannot be worse than if he did not intend to be yotzei Borei Pri Hagafen at all, and yet he is still yotzei Havdalah.

Similarly, Rabbi Genack heard the following from Rav Soloveitchik zt"l. Rav Soloveitchik would always sit for Kiddush. He explained that the bracha of Borei Pri Hagafen on the wine is an integral part of Kiddush and he wanted all those listening to his Kiddush to be included in this bracha as well. To include others in the bracha of Hagafen, it is preferable that everyone be sitting. However, for Havdalah he would stand. He explained that the bracha of Hagafen is not integral to Havdalah. He said that this was the practice of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik as well.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.