DIY: Havdalah spice bag
Lift your spirits at the beginning of a new week with fragrant besanim (spices)
One of the four blessings of Havdalah (the ceremony at the end of Shabbat on Saturday night to begin a new week) is for besanim (fragrant spices). Spices can be kept in a beautiful besanim box, but we love the simplicity of creating our own spice bags. The experience is fun for children too, as they get to touch and breathe in a variety of aromatic spices, and then create their favorite combination.
To make your own spice bags, you will need:
A small drawstring muslin or linen bag
A variety of spices, such as cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, dried lavender, cinnamon sticks and orange peel (to name a few)
Permanent markers and / or small alphabet stamps and ink pads
Making the spice bags is a wonderful sensory experience. Invite your child to pick up each spice. Some are soft (like lavender) and some are prickly (like cloves). Have them close their eyes, and breathe deeply. Ask them what it smells like? A flower, an orange, or something warm and spicy?
Next, take the small muslin bag. Before filling it with the favorite spice combination, the bag can be decorated with markers or a special message or word stamped on the bag - the bags are beautiful left plain too. Afterwards your bag is ready to be filled with your special Havdalah besanim. If you’d like, you can say a special blessing for a variety of spices:
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei minei v'samim.
You can also tell children that when they breathe in their spices during the week, it will remind them about Shabbat too - that Shabbat smells sweet - just like their spice bag!
Let us know your favorite spice combination in the comments below! To learn more about Havdalah and to make your own DIY Havdalah candle, click here, and to fill your home with the sweet scent of mini Challah, click here!
Click here to learn how to make Havdalah candles!
~Jennifer
Make your own Havdalah candle by clicking here!
