Jewish Festivals: Ending: Before Havdala: Baruch HaMavdil

Say baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol (without saying God's name!) if:
  • It is already “dark” (you can see three medium-size stars--tzeit ha'kochavim), and
  • You want to end the Jewish festival (and Shabbat) before saying ma'ariv's amida or havdala.
Note Saying this formula allows you to do melacha, but you may not eat or drink until you have said or heard havdala.
Note Men must still say the amida and men and women must say or hear havdala later even if they said baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol. For how late you may say havdala after a Jewish festival, see Jewish Festival Havdala at Night or Next Day.