Havdalah is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and ushers in the new week. The ritual involves lighting a special candle with several wicks, blessing a cup of wine, and smelling sweet spices. Shabbat ends on Saturday night after the appearance of three stars in the sky. Havdalah may be performed as late as sunset of the Tuesday following Shabbat.
Havdalah candles in the collection of the Jewish Museum of Switzerland.
Havdalah candle, kiddush cup, and spice box
Observing the Havdalah ritual, 14th-century Spain
Hasidic rebbe reciting Havdalah
Shabbat or the Sabbath, also called Shabbos by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stories describing the creation of the heaven and earth in six days and the redemption from slavery and the Exodus from Egypt, and look forward to a future Messianic Age. Since the Jewish religious calendar counts days from sunset to sunset, Shabbat begins in the evening of what on the civil calendar is Friday.
Kiddush cup, Shabbat candles and challah cover
A silver matchbox holder for Shabbat from North Macedonia
A challah cover with Hebrew inscription
Two homemade whole-wheat challot covered by traditional embroidered Shabbat challah cover