In the previous Halacha, we have discussed that one must recite “Ata Chonantanu” during the Amida prayer of Arvit of Motza’ei Shabbat. If one omitted “Ata Chonantanu,” one need not repeat the Amida prayer. However, if one omitted “Ata Chonantanu” and then eats before reciting Havdala on a cup of wine, one must then repeat the Amida while reciting “Ata Chonantanu” and only then recite Havdala on a cup of wine.
Erring and then Performing Work
The next issue we must discuss is another kind of mistake. What is the Halacha regarding someone who omitted “Ata Chonantanu” from the Arvit prayer and then did work, such as driving a car, before having recited the words “Baruch Hamavdil Ben Kodesh Le’Chol”? Must one repeat the Amida similar to the law of one who forgot “Ata Chonantanu” and then ate before Havdala or is this case different?
Although this Halacha is not delineated in Shulchan Aruch, the Rashba (in his commentary on Berachot 33a) writes that the law regarding one who omits “Ata Chonantanu” and then eats or works before reciting Havdala is the same and one must repeat the Amida prayer in both cases.
Hagaon Rabbi Akiva Eiger rules in accordance with this Rashba. This is indeed the Halacha, however, in order to avoid all doubt, if one forgets “Ata Chonantanu” and then performs work before reciting Havdala, before repeating the Amida prayer, one should stipulated voluntary prayer, as follows: “If I am obligated to repeat the Amida, this should be considered an obligatory prayer and if not, this is a voluntary prayer.” Yalkut Yosef (Ch. 268) rules likewise.
A Woman Reciting Havdala
Women are just as obligated to recite Havdala as men are. If a woman needs to recite Havdala herself, she should do so without any concern.
After Havdala, some have the custom that the other members of the family drink from the Havdala wine. Some, however, have the custom that women do not drink from this wine and while there is some basis for this (see Shelah and others), it is not considered a firmly-based custom. On the contrary, the Sefer Me’orei Ohr writes that this is a nearly baseless custom. In any event, if a woman is reciting Havdala on her own, she must drink the wine as a man would and she should not be concerned in the least about this. Maran zt”l rules likewise (Chazon Ovadia- Shabbat, Vol. 2, p. 408)
