הַבְדָּלָה

Separation

hav-da-LAH

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Meanings

SeparationDistinctionHavdalah ceremony

About “Separation” in Hebrew

Havdalah is the beautiful ceremony marking the end of Shabbat, using wine, a braided candle, and fragrant spices. The word means 'separation,' distinguishing between the sacred (Shabbat) and the ordinary (weekday). The multi-wicked candle is held high, spices are inhaled to comfort the soul as the 'extra Shabbat soul' departs, and the candle is extinguished in the wine—a multisensory farewell to the day of rest.

Example

עָשִׂינוּ הַבְדָּלָה בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת.

We performed havdalah at the end of Shabbat.

Gematria of “Separation” (הבדלה)

In Hebrew numerology (gematria), each letter has a numerical value. The word הבדלה (hav-da-LAH) has a gematria value of 46.

5ה+

2ב+

4ד+

30ל+

5ה

total46

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“Separation” in the Bible

Verses from the Torah and Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) mentioning “separation”.

I Samuel 23:28שמואל א 23:28

וישב שאול מרדף אחרי דוד וילך לקראת פלשתים על כן קראו למקום ההוא סלע המחלקות

Saul gave up his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place came to be called the Rock of Separation.

Leviticus 12:2ויקרא 12:2

דבר אל בני ישראל לאמר אשה כי תזריע וילדה זכר וטמאה שבעת ימים כימי נדת דותה תטמא

Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth , lit. “brings forth seed.” bears a male, she shall be impure seven days; she shall be impure as at the time of her condition of menstrual separation.—

Leviticus 15:19ויקרא 15:19

ואשה כי תהיה זבה דם יהיה זבה בבשרה שבעת ימים תהיה בנדתה וכל הנגע בה יטמא עד הערב

When a woman has a discharge, her discharge being blood from her body, she shall remain in her menstrual separation seven days; whoever touches her shall be impure until evening.

English translation: THE JPS TANAKH, Revised Edition (2023) © Jewish Publication Society, via Sefaria. CC BY-NC 4.0

This word starts with the Hebrew letter he.