If one is eating Melaveh Malka directly after Havdala is he to say an after Bracha on the Havdala wine?[1] If one will not be drinking wine during the meal and does not plan on saying Birchas Hamazon with a Kos Shel Bracha[2], then he is to say an Al Hagafen after Havdala.[3] If one forgot to say the after blessing before the start of the meal, he is to say it during the meal when he remembers.[4]
If however he does plan to drink wine during the meal[5], or to have a Kos Shel Bracha after Birchas Hamazon, he is not to say an after blessing after the wine of Havdala. Nevertheless, initially one is to have in mind not to include the meal wine within his blessing of Hagafen said during Havdala[6], unless he has already set himself on the meal table, and is saying Havdala there.[7] In such a case that he has in mind to not exempt the wine he must say an after blessing after Havdala[8], and Hagafen on any wine he drinks during the meal.[9]
In all cases if he already said Birchas Hamazon, he is not to say an after blessing over the wine he drank for Havdala.
Not to bring the bread to the table:[10] If one desires to eat a meal immediately after Havdala he is to beware not to bring bread to the table until after Havdala. In the event that bread was brought to the table before Havdala it is to be covered.[11] If however one does not plan to eat the meal right away there is no need to cover the bread.
Q&A
If one has Mezonos foods on the table when he says Havdala, are they to be covered?[12]
If one desires to eat the Mezonos directly after Havdala then the Mezonos are to be covered. This especially is relevant on Motzei Yom Kippur and Motzei Tishe Beav that falls on Sunday, in which case many already have the Mezonos on the table prior to Havdala. If however one does not plan to eat the Mezonos right away there is no need to cover it.
If one had drinks on the table while saying Havdala is he to say a blessing prior to drinking them after Havdala?[13]
The person who said Havdala and drank the wine is exempt from saying a blessing on any of the drinks that were in front of him during Havdala, or that he had in mind to drink after Havdala. However those that did not drink from the wine are to say a Bracha prior to drinking the beverages that were on the table.
[1] 174/6; 176/2; 299/13
[2] 176/2 Vetzaruch Iyun why Admur omitted this in 174/6.
[3] This is different than Kiddush as Kiddush is connected to the meal, as one may only say Kiddush in Makom Seuda. However Havdala has no connection to the meal and hence requires an after blessing. [Taz 299/7]
[4] If however he has already Bentched he is not to say Al Hagafen on the Havdala wine, as Birchas Hamazon exempts wine Bedieved. [Seder 1/17; 4/12; Unlike the ruling of Piskeiy Teshuvos 299 footnote 94 in Admur, seemingly he forgot the ruling of Admur in the Siddur.]
[5] This ruling of Admur follows the ruling of Taz 299/6 and M”A 299/10 Similarly in 176/2 and Seder 4/12 Admur writes “he did not have in mind at all to drink wine during the meal” hence implying if he had in mind to drink wine during the meal, he does not say an after blessing
Other Opinions: The Rama [299/7] rules one is to say an after blessing after Havdala even if he plans to drink wine during the meal.
[6] 174/5
Admur there brings a dispute as to whether the blessing over Havdala exempts the blessing over wine during the meal. Thus to avoid the dispute one is to have in mind to not exempt the wine and hence say a blessing over the meal wine according to all.
[7] 174/5 According to all when one is already sitting for his meal, he exempts the wine with the Hagafen recited during Havdala.
[8] 174/6
If however he plans on having a Kos Shel Bracha, then he does not say an after blessing after Havdala. [176/2]
[9] 174/5
[10] 299/14
[11] So the bread does not see its shamefulness of being preceded by the wine, as from the laws of precedence of blessings, Hamotzi precedes Hagafen. However now one cannot precede Hamotzi and it is hence an embarrassment for the bread, and is therefore to be covered. [ibid]
[12] Levushei Mordechaiy 1/46
[13] Admur 174/4
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