Havdala After Yom Kippur — What’s Different?

No spices, and sometimes no freshly-struck flame — the rules change depending on the day of the week.

Q. What’s different between the havdala after Yom Kippur and a regular Sat. night?

In a year when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, the havdala is just like a regular Motzai Shabbat (with spices, fire and introductory verses). But when during the week, we don’t smell the spices after Yom Kippur for that special soul-pleasure is reserved for after Shabbat. Also, there are 2 reasons given for blessing the fire: a. because fire was revealed to Adam on the 1st Sat. night, and b. to differentiate between fire which was kindled before Shabbat and “rested” (wasn’t used), as opposed to a new flame which is only allowed after havdala.

On a regular weekday Yom Kippur, only the 2nd reason applies, and therefore one must bless on a fire lit from a pre-lit 24-hour candle (the custom is to light a special 24-hour candle which will be used for havdala, whose fire/light existed in the world over Yom Kippur but “rested”. In short, one cannot bless on a weekday Yom Kippur on a flame newly lit from scratch from a match, nor on spices, and we don’t even begin with the opening verses (Hiney…)- just start with “Baruch Ata…. Boreh Pri HaGefen” on wine and then the “Baruch Ata… Hamavdil” blessing. But when Yom Kippur finishes on a Sat. night, havdala is identical (!) with a regular Sat. night havdala.