Q. At the end of the fast of Tisha Beav, there is a Tikun offered in shul and Havdalah is said first before eating. The women at home don't want to keep on fasting until their husband returns. Can they make Havdalah for themselves?
A. On question 847 regarding a woman that can't fast, if her husband says Havdala for her during the day, and she drinks the cup, we wrote:. "Poskim rule that an ill person who has to eat on Tisha Beav (on Sunday) should recite Havdala before he eats.(Knesses Hagedola 71, Shaarei Teshuva 556:1) In Regard to women who have to eat Poskim disagree. Some maintain that they may wait to hear it at the end of the fast. (Nitey Gavriel – H. Ben Hametzorim 2; 95; 6, quoting also Orchos Rabenu).
Mishne Halochos (7: 39) maintains that it is better on the onset that the husband should recite Havdala for her and give a minor to drink the grape juice.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that, she should recite Havdala for herself."
Similarly, in our case she can recite Havdalah for herself. See also question 3273 where we mention the Rov's Shlit’a opinion that women on this occasion should daven Maariv at the end of Shabbos (not necessarily in shul) so they can recite Havdalah when saying Shemone Essre, and be permitted to do work, since we do not recite the usual Havdalah until the end of the Taanis, Sunday night.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit'a.
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