Episode 14: Goodbye and Hello

Welcome to Episode 14 of "Mystery Mirror: A Jewish Guessing Game for Kids" with Sari Kopitnikoff from That Jewish Moment.

In each episode of Mystery Mirror, you’ll become a mystery person, place, or thing from the Jewish world. This week, you’ll become something that helps mark a change in time. Can you figure out what you are before the big reveal?

In three fun rounds of clues (from tricky, to getting closer, to almost there), you’ll guess who or what you’ve become. Will you get it before the mirror reveals the answer?

Sign up for updates and coloring pages for each episode here: https://www.thatjewishmoment.com/podcast

Please send in your feedback, ideas, as well as your Mystery Mirror Mission responses to mirror@thatjewishmoment.com! 

Transcript

0:01

Listen closely, clue by clue, solve the mystery. Who are you? Welcome to Mystery Mirror, a Jewish guessing game for kids. I'm sorry from that Jewish moment, and in each episode of Mystery Mirror, you will become a mystery person, place, or thing from the Jewish world. I'll give you clues in three rounds. Round one, tricky clues, round two, getting closer, and round three, almost there. Your mission is to guess who or what you are before the big reveal at the end. Are you ready to look in the mystery mirror? Alright detectives, let's begin. Round one, you are a thing. You are connected to a certain time. You're used and then you're put away till the next time. When you are used, people often gather together quietly. You bring a feeling of something ending and something beginning. Do you know what you are yet? Round two. You are used in Jewish homes. Sometimes you're kept in a drawer, or if you are a standing and decorative type, you may be put on display on a shelf. You are held up high. People look at you. Now do you have any idea of what you could be? Round three. Sometimes you are braided or twisted. You are made of wax and wicks. People use you together with sweet smelling spices and a cup of grape juice or wine. Your flame is used to show that Shabbat or Shabbas is ending, but the holiness and the light will carry into the next week. Now do you know what you are? Are you ready for the reveal? Look in the mirror. You are a Havdella candle. Mazl Tove Mystery Solved. Did you know we use a candle to make a formal separation between Shabbat and the weekday? It's also a way to show we hope to begin the week with light instead of with darkness. And the Havdullah candle often has multiple wicks twisted together so that it creates a stronger, brighter flame for the blessing. The light from the candle is strong enough that people can actually see little details on their hands, like the shape of their fingernails and the spaces between their fingers. After the blessing on the candle, many people look at their fingernails in the light. And the idea is that the flame should be bright enough to help you tell the difference between your nails and your skin. And fingernails are also a symbol of blessing because they keep on growing all the time. So looking at them is a nice way to begin the new week. Noticing something always growing on you. And when Havdala is over, many people put out the flame by dipping it into spilled grape juice or wine. Get ready for game time! Let's play Havdella or not Havdella. I'm going to say something that either is connected to Havdella or totally is not. And remember, different Jewish communities have different customs. So some people may do things a little differently. Ready? Let's go. Rain boots. Not Havdella. Laughing. Yes, Havdella. In some Sephardic communities, people laugh during Havdella as a happy way to begin the new week. Braids. Yes, Havdella. Many Havdella candles are braided with several wicks twisted together. Cinnamon sticks. Yes, Havdella. Some people use cinnamon or other sweet smelling spices for the bisum. A soccer ball. Not Havdella. Grape juice in your pockets. Yes, Havdella. Some people place a little leftover wine or grape juice on their pockets or in their pockets as a symbol of blessing and hope for a good week ahead. Looking at your fingernails. Yes, Havdella. People use the candlelight to look at their fingernails after the bracha, the blessing. Spaghetti. Not Havdella. A flashlight. Not usually Havdella. The special light is supposed to come from a flame. Singing. Yes, Havdella. Many people sing together during or after Havdella. And last but not least, pickles under your pillow. Definitely not Havdella, and that would smell really strange by the morning. Now it's time for your mystery mirror mission. Design your own Havdella candle. What colors would it have? What shape would it be? Write about it or draw a picture and ask a grown-up to send it to mirror at that JewishMoment.com. Thanks for listening. And if you color in the coloring page, please send a picture. I would love to see how yours comes out. Until next time. Keep your minds sharp, detectives.