Havdalah Sets

Handcrafted Sterling Silver Havdalah Sets from Jerusalem

Havdalah (in Hebrew, "separation") is the ceremony that ends Shabbat, recited just after three stars are visible in the Saturday night sky. The ceremony marks the boundary between the holiness of the Sabbath and the ordinary week to come, and the three sensory elements (the taste of wine, the smell of spices, the sight of the braided candle's flame) heighten the moment. The objects used in Havdalah are therefore among the most cherished pieces of personal Judaica.

Our Havdalah set collection covers all three components. The Kiddush cup (sometimes a smaller dedicated Havdalah cup, sometimes the same cup used for Friday night) holds the wine over which the blessing is recited. The spice box (besamim box, often shaped as a small architectural form, sometimes with a flag, sometimes as a small tower) contains fragrant cloves, allspice, or rose petals; the lid opens and the spices are inhaled as the spice blessing is said. The candle holder is designed to hold a braided multi-wick Havdalah candle (taller and thicker than a Shabbat candle) which is lit and held up so its flame catches the light at the moment of separation.

Sets are sold as three-piece matched configurations (cup, spice box, candle holder) for those who want a complete kit, or as individual components for those who already own one or two of the pieces. Designs include classical Yemenite-filigree silver, contemporary modern forms with brushed finishes, hand-painted ceramic spice boxes paired with silver cup and holder, and Jerusalem stone or Eilat stone combination pieces. Sterling silver components are hallmarked with the .925 stamp. Wedding Havdalah sets, often engraved with the couple's names and the Hebrew wedding date, are a popular gift commission. Every set ships worldwide from our Jerusalem workshop with a certificate of authenticity.