Praise the Before, Praise the After, Praise the Time In Between.

I construct four walls and a roof and no windows.
I put in only one door, open it once a year, and never go in.
Inside the walls, Holy of Holies. Outside the walls, everything else.
All I did was build a temple.

I buy some fabric.
I put fringes on the corners and cover myself with the cloth.
Inside the cloth, I pray. Outside the cloth, I gossip.
But all I did was cover myself.

I have a candle, wine, and sweet smelling spices
I smell the spice, then I light the candle and dip it in the wine.
Before sunset, mindfulness and rest. After sundown, a week of new mistakes.
All I did was wait for it to get dark.

Praise Kadosh the holy,
Praise Khol the mundane,
Praise Ha Mavdil Beyn Kodesh Lekhol, that which differentiates between them.
Amen.

By Trisha Arlin


Service Section: Havdalah 
Source: ritualwell.org