Havdalah Spice Vibes
INTRODUCTION:
Maimonides teaches that we recite the blessing over the spices on Havdalah to gladden our souls that are sad that the extra spirit we are given on Shabbat has left.
The Shulchan Aruch teaches that the spices need to be somewhat specific – they can’t be bathroom spices, or spices over the deceased. It also teaches that we don’t make a blessing over myrtle whose scent has faded. So, we need to have a scent that lingers. And while Myrtle is optimal, this program is designed to intersperse the idea that we want to use the spices to comfort us and provide us with direction for the new week. Participants will get to choose the spice they want to smell, and the vibe they want to take into the new week before the service begins.
MATERIALS:
- Essential oils kit with multiple scents
- Perfume scent cards
- Cinnamon sticks or cloves (in case someone doesn’t want essential oils)
- Table with cards for scents and what they stand for
PROGRAM OUTLINE (15 minutes + Havdalah):
- Introduce idea (7 minutes)
- Choose your scent vibe (8 minutes)
- Havdalah service
Introduce idea (7 minutes)
- Introduce the idea of spices (use Maimonides text)
- Move into Myrtle is ideal, but we have to use something with a strong scent
- Spices/scents can give us vibes for the week ahead
Choose your scent vibe (8 minutes)
- Materials will be on a table with cards that have the scent along with vibe that they hope to gain for the week.
- Vibes are:
- Cinnamon – sweet week, Chamomile – comfort, lavender – restful, Eucalyptus – breath, peppermint – energy, citronella – nature, orange – bright/sunny, clary sage – wisdom
Havdalah Service
- Hold Havdalah service and ask them to use their scent vibes during the blessing over the spices
TEXT:
וְלָמָּה מְבָרְכִים עַל הַבְּשָׂמִים בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ דּוֹאֶבֶת לִיצִיאַת שַׁבָּת מְשַׂמְּחִין אוֹתָהּ וּמְיַשְּׁבִין אוֹתָהּ בְּרֵיחַ טוֹב
Why is the blessing recited over spices on Saturday night? Because the soul is forlorn by reason of the departure of the Sabbath. Therefore, we gladden it and settle it with a pleasant fragrance. (Mishneh Torah 29:1)
אֵין מְבָרְכִין עַל בְּשָׂמִים שֶׁל בֵּית הַכִּסֵּא וְלֹא עַל שֶׁל מֵתִים (וְדַוְקָא) הַנְּתוּנִים לְמַעְלָה מִמִּטָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֵת וְלֹא עַל בְּשָׂמִים שֶׁבִּמְסִבַּת ע”א דסתם מְסִבָּתָן לְעַכּוּ”ם. הָגָה וְאִם בֵּרֵךְ עַל בְּשָׂמִים אֵלּוּ לֹא יָצָא וְצָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ עַל אֲחֵרִים [ב”י בְּשֵׁם א”ח]:
2. We do not make a blessing over spices for a bathroom, nor over those for used for the deceased (and specifically) those which are placed on top of the bed of the deceased, and not over spices used at a gathering for the deceased, because this is simply like a party for a gentile. RAMA: And if one does make the blessing over these spices, he has not fulfilled his obligation and he must go back and make a blessing on other spices [Beis Yosef in the name of the Orach Chayim] (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 297:2)
נָהֲגוּ לְבָרֵךְ עַל הַהֲדַס כָּל הֵיכָא דְאֶפְשָׁר: הָגָה וי”א דְּאִין לְבָרֵךְ עַל הֲדַס הַיָּבֵשׁ דָּאִינוּ מֵרִיחַ רַק עַל שְׁאָר בְּשָׂמִים (טוּר בְּשֵׁם הר”ר אֶפְרַיִם והר”א מִפְּרָאג) וְכֵן נָהֲגוּ בִּמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ ונ”ל דַּיִשׁ לְהַנִּיחַ גַּם הֲדַס עִם הַבְּשָׂמִים דְּאָז עוֹשִׂין כְּכֻלֵּי עָלְמָא:
4. It is customary to make a blessing over the myrtle whenever possible. RAMA: And there are those who say that we do not make a blessing over a dry myrtle whose fragrance has mostly faded, but rather we use other spices and this is the custom in our countries. And it seems to me that one should use a myrtle with spices for this is what the rest of the world does. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 297:4)
