#166: The Order of Havdalah

Rabbi Eli Ozarowski
  1. The Rema writes that it is customary to recite pesukim (verses) before Havdalah, beginning with "Hinei E- l Yeshuati" (Behold God is my salvation), as a positive omen for the coming week. Sephardim recite a different series of pesukim at the beginning of Havdalah. Since these pesukim are not obligatory, one who omitted them has still fully fulfilled the mitzvah.
  2. The order of the obligatory part of Havdalah is as follows: The berachah of “Borei Pri HaGafen” is recited first, followed by the berachah on besamim, then the berachah on fire, and finally the berachah of “Hamavdil” (Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 296:1). If one mistakenly changes the order of Havdalah in any way, one has still fulfilled the mitzvah (Piskei Teshuvot 296:1).

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.