Havdalah
The Magic of three stars.
Shabbat ends on Saturday night with the appearance of three stars in the sky. Havdalah is the ceremony that marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and ushers in the new week. The ritual involves lighting a special havdalah candle with several wicks, blessing a cup of wine and smelling sweet spices.
These blessings talk about distinctions between the holy and the everyday, between light and darkness, and between the seventh day of rest and the six days of work.The blessing over the wine is a symbol of joy, to sanctify the moment, and we sniff the spices to carry the sweet spice of Shabbat into the week and waking us gently to our earthly responsibilities.
הִנֵּה אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי אֶבְטַח וְלֹא אֶפְחָד כִּי עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ יי וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה
וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה
לַיי הַיְשׁוּעָה עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ סֶּלָה
יי צְבָאוֹת עִמָּנוּ מִשְׂגָּב לָנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה
יי צְבָאוֹת אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם בֹּוטֵחַ בָּך
יי הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנו
לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשֹׂן וִיקָר
כֵּן תְהִיֶה לָנוּ:
כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא וּבְשֵׁם יי אֶקְרָא