Havdalah: Difference between revisions

# If one doesn't have wine, one should use Chamar Medina, such as beer or cognac, but one may not use soda, coffee, tea, orange juice, lemonade, or water for Havdalah.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 296:2 writes that one may make Havdalah on beer if it is Chamar Medina or other drinks besides for water. Birkei Yosef 296:3 clarifies that the Shulchan Aruch's language of "or other drinks" didn't mean to include milk and oil, but rather he meant other types of Chamar Medina and exclude water even if the people of the town only drink water. Sh"t Igrot Moshe 2:75 rules that soda is just like water, isn't Chamar Medina, and thus, can not be used for Havdalah. Sh"t Vayan Avraham (Izrael) Siman 34 (pg 63) writes that he remembers in the holocaust the question arose whether lemonade could be used for Havdalah and he concludes that it just like water and can’t be used for Havdalah. Yalkut Yosef 296:8 writes that one may not use coffee, tea, orange juice, or soda for Havdalah, but one if there's no wine in the city, one may use beer or cognac which are considered Chamar Medina.</ref>

# If one is has an extreme need such as a need to travel to the end of the [[Techum]] for the purpose of a mitzvah after [[Shabbat]] one may pray [[Arvit]] starting from Plag [[Mincha]] (ten and three quarter hours into the day). In such a case one may also say Havdalah early but one may not say the Bracha on the candle (Moerei HaEsh). Even in such a case it is certainly forbidden to do Melacha (activity which is forbidden on [[Shabbat]]) until [[Tzet HaKochavim]]. <Ref>S”A 293:3 </ref>

# According to Sephardim, one should sit during Havdalah. However, the Ashkenazic minhag is to stand during [[Havadalah]]. <ref> Tosfot 43a writes that to be included in [[Kiddish]] one should sit and then asks on those who stand during [[Havadalah]] because of the same issue. Therefore, Shulchan Aruch 296:6 rules that one should sit during Havdalah. However, Rama 296:6 and the Gra (Maaseh Rav pg 103, #150) write that the Ashkenazic practice is to stand for Havdalah. Mishna Brurah 296:27 explains that the reason for the Ashkenazic minhag is to escort the [[Shabbat]] queen out and escorting must be done standing. He adds that one can fulfill the obligation of others even when standing because everyone is assembled expressed for that purpose and has Kavana to fulfill their obligation. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Teshuva Siman 3 quoted in back of Radiance of [[Shabbos]]) writes that his personal minhag was to sit like his father's minhag but because of the rishonim who hold that one may stand one should not change one's minhag. </ref>

# Before one says Havdalah, one may not doing any Melacha. If one made Havdalah in [[Tefillah]], one may do Melacha. If one needs to do Melacha before saying Havdalah in [[Tefillah]], one should say "HaMavdil Ben Kodesh LeChol" (which is not a bracha) and then do Melacha. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 299:10. Rav Schachter (Eretz HaTzvi p. 57) permits preparing the wine for Havdalah because [[Hachana]] isn’t considered a Melacha and may be done after [[Shabbat]] before Havdalah. </ref>However, one may not eat until one made Havdalah over a cup of wine.<ref>Mishna Brurah 299:1</ref>

# It is permissible to use a non-religious Jewish taxi driver on [[Motzei Shabbat]] even though the taxi-driver didn't make Havdalah.<ref> Sh"t Tzitz Eliezer 12:37 writes that saying "Have a good week" does not fulfill the mitzvah of Havdalah. Sh"t Tzitz Eliezer 11:34 and 12:38 writes that there's no an issue of asking an non-religious Jew to do work for him after [[Shabbat]] since they aren't going to say Havdalah anyway, the prohibition not to do work before Havdalah doesn't set in. [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=308 Rabbi Mansour on dailyhalacha.com] explains this ruling. See also [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/735734/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Taking_a_Taxi_in_Israel_on_Motzai_Shabbos Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz on yutorah.org].</ref>

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