Berakhot 143

1:
This mishnah can be divided into two parts – Reisha [first section] and Seifa [last section] – and both parts are dealing with the ceremony called "Havdalah". Just as we are required to acknowledge the sanctity of Shabbat and the festivals at their onset by reciting Kiddush before our festive meal, so we are required to acknowledge the departure of that sanctity and the profane nature of the ensuing day by reciting Havdalah. Havdalah is recited in two ways: as part of the regular liturgy and as a special ceremony (like Kiddush) observed. The former method adds to the Amidah of the evening immediately following the holy day a paragraph acknowledging God as the origin of the important distinctions in our natural and social worlds – between the sacred and the profane, between daylight and darkness, between Jews and non-Jews, and between the seventh day and the rest of the days of the week. This declaration must be recited immediately following the conclusion of the holy day. Even someone who does not recite the Amidah should at least recite this paragraph as soon as Shabbat (or the festival) has departed (by the clock), thus permitting to themselves all those tasks that were forbidden during 'sacred time'. Such tasks may then be performed even though the 'ceremony' called Havdalah has not (yet) been observed.

2:
The second method of acknowledging the departure of the holy day is through the ceremony of Havdalah. We fill a cup to overflowing with wine or any other beverage except pure water, have at hand a special candle which consists of more than one wick, and some sweet-smelling substance (spices, perfume etc). After a preparatory paragraph we recite the blessings over these three accessories and then conclude with the same declaration that formed part of the Amidah. This method does not have to be observed immediately the holy day ends (assuming that the former method has been observed) and may be delayed – even as late as Tuesday morning!

3:
Our mishnah is concerned with the procedure to be observed when someone has continued their Third Sabbath Meal so late that when the time for reciting Grace arrives it is also time for reciting Havdalah. Bet Shammai say that the correct order would be first to recite the berakhah over the candle, then to interpolate Grace after the meal, and then to proceed with the berakhot over the spices and havdalah. Bet Hillel say that the correct order is: candle, spices, grace, havdalah.

4:
The Gemara [Berakhot 52b] notes that our mishnah reflects the version of it taught by Rabbi Me'ir (one of the principle mentors of the editor of the Mishnah, Rabbi Yehudah the President of the Sanhedrin). A baraita, however, attributes a different version of the maĥloket [difference of opinion] to Rabbi Yehudah [bar Ilai]. His statement reads: Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel did not differ as to the correct order of 'Grace' and 'Havdalah' – that in the circumstances assumed by our mishnah the Grace should come first and the Havdalah declaration last; what they differed about was what came in between – Bet Shammai saying the order is 'light' then 'candle', with Bet Hillel saying the opposite. The purpose of the light is to demonstrate the distinction between light and dark and also our halakhically renewed ability to create a flame; the purpose of the spices is to indicate our hopes for a sweet week ahead. This being the case, we should bear in mind the words of Ed Frankel quoted in the ensuing discussion that "Bet Shammai seems far more sensible and logical". As if to answer Ed's challenge, the Gemara points out that the decision to follow Bet Hillel was not one based on logic but on public opinion: "the people adopted the custom of Bet Hillel as explained by Rabbi Yehudah".

Several messages have accumulated over the past days which, since they are either opinion or information, require no response from me.

In Berakhot 139 we learned the mishnah that "Bet Shammai say that one should first recite the blessing over 'the day' and afterwards the one over the wine; whereas Bet Hillel say that first the blessing over the wine should be recited and then the blessing over 'the day'."

Ed Frankel writes:

I understand the logic of both Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai, and I must tell you despite all the rationales offered by Bet Hillel, Bet Shammai seems far more sensible and logical.

Two messages have been received concerning mayim aĥaronim.

Rémy Landau writes:

I first learned of the custom of mayyim aharonim at seudah shelishit in of all places a Conservative shule! Apparently the secondary washing must be completed prior to the completion of the shir hamaalot. There are even specially designed water containers which dole out drops of water that are passed around. Ironically, the Orthodox shule which takes great care to count the number of people who have washed their hands prior to reciting the invitation to bentsch after the third shabbat meal does not perform thie custom. So, I don't see how this rather intriguing custom of mayyim aharonim can be classed as defunct.

Rachel Leila Miller reports in similar vein:

I've actually witnessed the custom of mayim acharonim (in a conservative home, no less). it was done at the table, right before birkat hamazon.

In our last shiur we also mentioned the "tidying of the dining area" – clearing away crumbs and left-overs and physically removing the table. Ze'ev Orzech writes:

Another, and possibly earlier, reason for clearing the table before birkat hamazon may have been so that nobody would mistake the crumbs as a food offering to demons (as a form of appeasement). R. Eleazar ben Pedat says: "He who leaves crumbs on the table is to be regarded as a worshipper of heathen gods."