Besamim
The fragrant spices smelled at Havdalah, the ceremony that ends the Jewish Sabbath.
Also: besamim box, Havdalah spices, hadas, spice box of Havdalah
Besamim, Hebrew for spices, are sniffed during Havdalah, the short ritual at the end of Shabbat on Saturday night. Participants bless the spices, smell them and then bless the flame and the wine, marking the separation between the holy day and the ordinary week. Common choices are cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay and myrtle, kept in a decorated container that may take the form of a tower, a fruit or a small silver box. A common explanation is that the scent comforts the soul as the extra spirit of Shabbat departs. Customs vary between Ashkenazi, Sephardi and Mizrahi communities, with some using rose petals or citrus peel.