Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 294 - Laws Governing Recitation of Havdalah in Shemoneh Esreh

SECTION 294 The Laws Governing the Recitation of Havdalah in the Shemoneh Esreh (1-7)

1 When the Men of the Great Assembly ordained the wording of the blessings, the Shemoneh Esreh prayers,1 the Kiddush [recited on Shabbasos and festivals], and the Havdalah [recited at their conclusion] for the Jewish people, they ordained that Havdalah be recited in the She­moneh Esreh alone2 and not over a cup [of wine].3 For when the Jews ascended from the [Babylonian] exile, they were financially pressed and not all of them had the means to purchase wine for Havdalah.

They ordained that it be recited in the blessing Chonein hadaas (“Who graciously grants knowledge”), because man’s capacity to make a distinction between the holy and the mundane4 is an expression of wisdom. Hence, they established that it [be recited] in the blessing [acknowledging G‑d’s gift] of wisdom. Also, it is forbidden to request one’s needs on Saturday night before the recitation of Havdalah, just as it is forbidden to make such requests on Shabbos itself.5 Therefore, [our Sages] ordained its recitation before one requests his needs in the intermediate blessings [of the Shemoneh Esreh].

2 Afterwards, when the financial situation of the Jewish people improved, our Sages ordained that [this blessing] be recited over a cup [of wine. Subsequently,] their financial situation [again] deteriorated and our Sages reinstituted it in prayer.6 Lest the practice continue to vary from prayer to over a cup and from over a cup to prayer depending on the financial status of the Jewish people, our Sages ordained that every person who recites Havdalah in his prayers should also always recite it over a cup [of wine] if he can find one.7

One must seek a cup [of wine for Havdalah] like one seeks to fulfill all the mitzvos that are obligations on one’s physical person.8 [The only dispensation is that] if one cannot find one, he can fulfill his obligation with the Havdalah included in the Shemoneh Esreh. One is permitted to eat if he does not expect that he will have a cup [of wine] on Sunday.9 Even if he expects to have one afterwards, he does not have to fast until he recites Havdalah over a cup [of wine]. Instead, he may eat immediately because he already fulfilled his obligation through [the recitation of] Havdalah in prayer. ([The laws that apply] if he expects to have a cup [of wine] on Sunday are explained in sec. 296:12].)

Needless to say, one who recites Havdalah over a cup [of wine] before reciting the Evening Service must mention Havdalah in the Shemoneh Esreh. For the fundamental ordinance established by the Men of the Great Assembly when they ascended from the [Babylonian] exile was to recite Havdalah in the Shemoneh Esreh.

Similarly, one who forgot to recite the Evening Service on Saturday night or who was prevented from doing so by forces beyond his control and recites the Morning [Shemoneh Esreh] twice [in compensation]10 must mention Havdalah in the second Shemoneh Esreh, for it is the one recited [as compensation] even if he already recited Havdalah over a cup [of wine] at night, for the recitation of Havdalah in prayer was the fundamental ordinance [established by our Sages].

3 If a person erred and did not mention Havdalah in the blessing Chonein hadaas, he should complete the Shemoneh Esreh.11 He should not return [and recite the blessing again] so that he can include Havdalah,12 since he must still recite it over a cup of wine13 and will then fulfill his obligation. He must, however, be careful not to perform any [forbidden] labor before he recites Havdalah on a cup [of wine]. Alternatively, after reciting the She­moneh Esreh, he should say, “[Blessed is He] Who makes a distinction between the holy and the mundane,” without reciting a blessing.14 He may [then] perform labors [forbidden on Shabbos], as will be explained in sec. 299[:16].

If he forgot (and performed a [forbidden] labor while prohibited [from doing so]15 or) tasted something before reciting Havdalah over a cup [of wine], he must recite the Shemoneh Esreh again, reciting Havdalah in it, and also [recite Havdalah] over a cup [of wine]. Since he acted improperly by eating (or performing work) beforehand, he does not fulfill his obligation through the recitation of Havdalah over a cup [of wine] alone.

4 If a person erred and did not mention Havdalah in the Shemoneh Esreh, and he does not have a cup [of wine over which to recite Havdalah] at night, and he is under the impression that he will not have one the next day either, he must recite the Shemoneh Esreh again immediately and mention Havdalah in his prayer.16 Although he expects to have [a cup of wine for Havdalah]later,17 it can be assumed that his intent is not to fast that long. And if he will partake of any food, he does not fulfill his obligation by reciting Havdalah over a cup [of wine] alone, as explained (in subsection 3).

5 When does the above18 apply? When he becomes aware [of his omission] after he completed the Shemoneh Esreh. In such an instance, he is required to go back to the beginning of the Shemoneh Esreh if he had already left his place [after Shemoneh Esreh]19 or he had already completed the recitation of the prayers of supplication he is accustomed to reciting after Shemoneh Esreh,20 as explained in sec. 117[:5]. Alternatively, the above applies if one recalls [his omission] in the middle of the Shemoneh Esreh but after he had completed the blessing Shomei’a tefilah, in which instance, he would be obligated to return to the beginning of the blessing Atah chonein. If, however, he recalls [the omission] before completing the blessing Shomei’a tefilah, he should recite [Havdalah] in that blessing, like one who omits the request [for rain] in the blessing of material prosperity should recite it in the blessing Shomei’a tefilah.21

True, there are authorities who maintain that [Havdalah] is not analogous to the request [for rain], which is a prayer and a request and thus follows a similar mode to the blessing Shomei’a tefilah, which is also a prayer and a request. This, [however,] is not true of Havdalah,22 which does not at all follow a similar mode as the blessing Shomei’a tefilah. The approach [of these authorities is] fundamentally [accepted as halachah]. Therefore, a person who has a cup [of wine over which to recite Havdalah] or who expects to have one the next day should not recite [Havdalah] in the blessing Shomei’a tefilah even if he recalls his omission before he reaches that blessing. Nevertheless, someone who does not at all expect to have a cup [of wine] on the following day and, [hence,] would be required to recite the [entire] Shemoneh Esreh again may rely on the first opinion and recite [Havdalah] in the blessing Shomei’a tefilah instead of returning to the blessing Atah chonein so that he will not enter a situation where it is possible [that he would be reciting] blessings unnecessarily.

6 If one erred and did not mention Havdalah in the Evening Shemoneh Esreh when Tishah BeAv falls on the day after Shabbos, it is not necessary for him to repeat [the Shemoneh Esreh]. Even if he recalls his omission before he recites the blessing Shomei’a tefilah, he should not include Havdalah in that blessing. [The rationale is that] he will [in any event] recite [Havdalah] over a cup [of wine] after Tishah BeAv and then he will fulfill his obligation. And, regardless, he will not taste anything before the completion of Tishah BeAv.23

7 In every situation where one is not required to go back [and repeat the Shemoneh Esreh]24 because he forgot to mention Havdalah, even if he remembers immediately after mentioning G‑d’s name at the conclusion of the blessing Atah chonein or directly after completing this blessing, even though he did not begin the following blessing, he should not go back to the beginning of the blessing Atah chonein.25[This instruction applies] even if he desires to be stringent with himself, because it is forbidden to recite an unnecessary blessing.

Even if he desires to recite the passage Atah chonantanu [at this point in prayer] without concluding with a blessing, he does not have license to do so, because [it would be considered] an interruption of the Shemoneh Esreh.26 This law applies regardless of the place in the Shemoneh Esreh where he recalls [the omission of Havdalah].

If, however, he completed the Shemoneh Esreh and desires to repeat the entire Shemoneh Esreh as a voluntary prayer, he may do so, as explained in sec. 107[:1].27

If he recalls his omission before mentioning G‑d’s name in the blessing Atah chonein, he should immediately recite the passage Atah chonantanu and then complete the blessing according to his ordinary pattern, [saying] vechaneinu mei’itchah… Baruch Atah A-donai….