Havdala After Yom Tov

Richard B. Aiken

Jewish Festival Havdala at Night or Next Day

Say Jewish festival havdala at night.  If this is impossible, say it the next day but only until sunset on the day after the Jewish festival.

NOTE: This is different from havdala after Shabbat!

Men and Women Must Say/Hear Havdala

The following must each hear or say havdala for themselves:

Men and boys 13 years old and up, and

Women and girls 12 years old and up.

NOTE: A husband's or father's hearing havdala at synagogue does not cover his family's obligation to hear havdala.  He may say havdala for his wife and children even if he fulfilled his personal havdala requirement at the synagogue. (Men who say havdala for their families normally intend not to be covered by the synagogue's havdala).

No Candle or Spices

For Jewish festival havdala, use only wine (or a substitute, chamar medina, beverage); NO candle or spices (unless the Jewish festival also coincided with Shabbat).

Havdala Beverage

Wine or grape juice is the preferred beverage for havdala, but you may use any common beverage (chamar medina) that is drunk for social reasons.

Filling the Cup

You must pour at least 4 fl. oz. (119 ml--a revi'it) of wine or other beverage into the havdala cup--this is halacha.  However, to symbolize that we are blessed (siman bracha) with wealth, overfill the cup (non-binding custom).

NOTE: Do not drink the overflow, to show that we are so rich that we do not need the spilled beverage.

NOTE: Do not overfill a cup containing shmita wine!

How Much To Drink

To fulfill the commandment of havdala (or kiddush), the person making kiddush must drink at least 2 fl. oz. (59 ml) within 30 seconds from the kiddush cup. However, drinking at least 4 fl. oz. (119 ml--a revi'it) from the havdala cup within 30 seconds allows you to say bracha achrona.

Who Drinks the Beverage

For men: No one should drink the havdala beverage except the person saying havdala. This is a non-binding custom, not a halacha.

For women: This custom does NOT apply to women. Women who say havdala for themselves may give their havdala beverage to someone else to drink.

Havdala Standing or Sitting

Sitting or standing while drinking havdala (or kiddush) beverage is a non-binding custom, not a halacha.

Copyright 2015 Richard B. Aiken. Halacha L’Maaseh appears courtesy of www.practicalhalacha.com Visit their website for more information.