Melacha Before Havdalah - Baruch Hamavdil; Lighting Candles Before Kedusha D’Sidra (Klal 8 Siman 23) Hilchos Shabbos - S0240

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Melacha Before Havdalah - Baruch Hamavdil; Lighting Candles Before Kedusha D’Sidra (Klal 8 Siman 23) Hilchos Shabbos - S0240

We are continuing in siman 23, where the Chayei Adam is discussing performing melacha before havdalah. We pasken in accordance with the opinion that all melacha is assur until making havdalah, including “lighter” melachos (see yesterday’s shiur).
If a person needs to perform melacha, but they have not yet davened maariv and they are unable to recite havdalah on a kos, the Chayei Adam writes that they should say the words hamavdil bein kodesh lechol. The Mishnah Berurah writes that the correct language is baruch hamavdil bein kodesh u’vein hachol, and the minhag has become to say baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol. Therefore, in a situation where one is not davening maariv, including for a woman who does not have the minhag to daven maariv, they can recite this phrase and then perform melacha.

There are melachos which can be performed on Yom Tov which cannot be performed on Shabbos. When Yom Tov falls out on Motzei Shabbos, if a person wishes to perform melacha before reciting havdalah, they can recite the words baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lekodesh, the same language used in the havdalah recited in kiddush, and can then perform the melachos muttar to perform on Yom Tov.

The Chayei Adam writes that a person must instruct his family to be careful to recite this havdalah before performing melacha. We pasken that women are chayav in havdalah (see shiur 228), so they must perform a form of havdalah before performing melacha.

The Chayei Adam moves on to an interesting halacha. A man who davens maariv and has recited atah chonantanu, or who has recited the phrase baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol is now allowed to perform any melacha. Nevertheless, he should refrain from lighting any candles until after reciting the kedusha d’sidra of Motzei Shabbos (in vihi noam), for kabbalistic reasons. Moving a candle which is already lit is not a problem.
The Mishnah Berurah points out that the neiros lit in the shul as part of the kavod of the davening is muttar, and the kabbalistic concerns do not apply. This kabbalistic concern is brought in halacha, and would apply to turning on lights as well.

Summary
If one needs to perform melacha before davening or reciting havdalah on a kos, they must recite the words baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol and then they may perform melacha.
On a Motzei Shabbos which goes into Yom Tov, they recite baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lekodesh.
Even if a man recites baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol, for kabbalistic reasons, they should not light candles or turn on lights until after kedusha d’sidra.