For those looking for a quick, easy reference to guide them through the Saturday night Havdalah blessings, this resource is for you!

Our handy Havdalah Blessings, in an easy-to-print PDF format, includes the four blessings needed for this ritual, plus the concluding songs, all in Hebrew and transliteration, with traditional and alternative translations as well.

Not sure how to pronounce the Hebrew? Read along, in transliteration or in Hebrew, and listen to each blessing.

First Blessing

Lift the cup of wine and say:

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen.

Blessed are You, Infinite One, creator of the fruit of the vine.

Second Blessing

Lift the spices and say:

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei minei v’samim.

Blessed are You, Source of many kinds of spices.

After saying the blessing, inhale the sweet smell. Pass around the spice box so that everybody can inhale the scent deeply.

Third Blessing

The third blessing is over the lights of the candle, which we have already lit. We say:

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei m’orei ha-eish.

Blessed is the Oneness that makes us holy through commandments and commands us to kindle the light.

After the blessing, hold up your hands to feel the warmth of the braided candle. To make use of the light, some people look for the reflection of the candle light in their fingernails. Another custom has people start with fingers cupped toward their palms and slowly opening them to see the light on their palms.

Fourth Blessing

The last blessing is the Havdalah, separation, blessing:

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, ha-mavdil bein kodesh l’chol,
bein or le’choshekh, bein Yisrael la-amim,
bein yom ha-shevi’i l’sheshet y’mai ha-ma’aseh.
Barukh ata Adonai, ha-mavdil bein kodesh l’chol.

Blessed is the Oneness that makes us holy and distinguishes between the sacred and the profane,
between light and darkness, between Israel and other people of the world,
between the seventh day and the six days of the week.
Blessed are You, Infinite One, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the profane.

We then sip the wine and sing Eliyahu HaNavi while slowly lowering the Havdalah candle into the wine so that the candle is extinguished as the song ends.

Eliyahu ha’Navi, Eliyahu ha’Tishbi, Eliyahu ha-Giladi. Bim’heira v’yameinu yavo eleinu, im Mashiach ben David.

Conclusion

It is customary, at the ritual’s conclusion, to sing “Shavua Tov” (a good week) and turn on the room’s lights as it ends.

Shavua tov (8x)
A good week, a week of peace, may gladness reign and joy increase. (2x)

Return to the Guide to Shabbat and Havdalah for Interfaith Families.