Pesachim 207:1

והא מר לא תלתא אמר ולא שבע אמר א"ל איברא בין יום השביעי לששת ימי המעשה מעין חתימה היא ואמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל המבדיל צריך שיאמר מעין חתימה סמוך לחתימתו ופומבדיתאי אמרי מעין פתיחתן סמוך לחתימתן

But you said neither three nor seven? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But four.');">¹</span> 'It is true,' answered he, '"between the seventh day and the six working days" is of the nature of the conclusion,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Habdalah ends with, 'Blessed art thou, O Lord, who makest a division between holy and non-holy'. This phrase, 'between the seventh day' etc. is similar in meaning, and forms a natural bridge to the conclusion, as it were; hence it is not counted. - All benedictions commence with the formula, 'Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe'; if lengthy, they conclude with the formula, 'Blessed art thou, O Lord, who 'etc. It is this latter formula which is referred to as the conclusion.');">²</span>

מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו יום טוב שחל להיות אחר השבת דחתמינן בין קודש לקודש

and Rab Judah said Samuel's name: He who recites habdalah must say [something] in the nature of the conclusion near to its conclusion. While the Pumbeditheans maintain: [He must say something] in the nature of the commencement just before its conclusion.

מ"ד מעין פתיחתן סמוך לחתימתן לא בעי למימר בין קדושת שבת לקדושת יום טוב הבדלת ומאן דאמר מעין חתימתן סמוך לחתימתן בעי למימר בין קדושת שבת לקדושת יום טוב הבדלת

Wherein do they differ?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Seeing that in most blessings the' opening and the conclusion are similar in subject. Habdalah itself commences with 'He who maketh a distinction between holy and non.holy', while the passage preceding the conclusion is likewise 'who makest a division between the seventh day');">³</span> - They differ in respect of a Festival which falls after the Sabbath [i.e., Sunday], when we conclude with '[Who makest a distinction] between holy and holy.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since both are holy, save that the holiness of the Sabbath is greater.');">⁴</span>

גופא אמר רבי אלעזר אמר רבי אושעיא הפוחת לא יפחות משלש והמוסיף לא יוסיף על שבע

On the view that something in the nature of the commencement [must be repeated] immediately before the conclusion, it will be unnecessary to say, 'Thou didst make a distinction between the sanctity of the Sabbath and the sanctity of the Festival';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the opening phrase is 'Who makest a distinction between holy and non-holy'.');">⁵</span> but on the view that [a formula] in the nature of the conclusion [must be said] immediately before the conclusion, it is necessary to say, 'Thou didst make a distinction between the sanctity of the Sabbath and the sanctity of the Festival.'

מיתיבי אומר הבדלות במוצאי שבתות ובמוצאי ימים טובים ובמוצאי יום הכפורים ובמוצאי שבת ליום טוב ובמוצאי יום טוב לחולו של מועד אבל לא במוצאי יום טוב לשבת הרגיל אומר הרבה ושאינו רגיל אומר אחת

The [above] text [stated]: R'Eleazer said in R'Oshaia's name: He who would recite but few [distinctions] must recite not less than three; while he who would add must not add beyond seven.' An objection is raised: Habdalah is recited at the conclusion of the Sabbath, at the conclusion of Festivals, at the conclusion of the Day of Atonement, at the conclusion of the Sabbath [giving place] to a Festival, and at the conclusion of a Festival [giving place] to the Intermediary Days,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 16, n. 4. - Most of these phrases are in the plural in the original.');">⁶</span>

תנאי היא דא"ר יוחנן בנן של קדושים אומר אחת ונהגו העם לומר שלש מאן ניהו בנן של קדושים רבי מנחם בר סימאי ואמאי קרו ליה בנן של קדושים דלא איסתכל בצורתא דזוזא שלח ליה רב שמואל בר אידי חנניא אחי אומר אחת ולית הלכתא כוותיה

but not at the conclusion of a Festival [leading] to the Sabbath.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' thus habdalah is recited only to mark the passing of a day of higher sanctity than that which follows, but not the reverse.');">⁷</span> He who is well-versed recites many [points of distinction], while he who is not well-versed recites one? - It is [dependent on] Tannaim.

אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי המבדיל צריך שיאמר מעין הבדלות האמורות בתורה מיתיבי סדר הבדלות היאך אומר המבדיל בין קודש לחול בין אור לחושך בין ישראל לעמים ובין יום השביעי לששת ימי המעשה בין טמא לטהור בין הים לחרבה בין מים העליונים למים התחתונים בין כהנים ללוים וישראלים

For R'Johanan said: The son of holy men recited one, but the people are accustomed to recite three.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This 'son of holy men was a Tanna, while the common practice was likewise based on the ruling of a Tanna. Thus we have a controversy of Tannaim.');">⁸</span> Who is the son of holy men? - R'Menahem B'Simai; and why did they call him the son of holy men?

וחותם בסדר בראשית ואחרים אומרים ביוצר בראשית רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה אומר חותם מקדש ישראל ואם איתא הא בין הים לחרבה לא כתיבא ביה הבדלה סמי מכאן בין הים לחרבה

Because he did not look at the effigy of a coin.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. A.Z. 50a. 'Son' is probably used attributively, R. Menahem himself being holy (v. M.K. ');">⁹</span> R'Samuel B'Idi sent [word] to him:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [It is not clear to whom this refers.]');">¹⁰</span>

אי הכי בין יום השביעי לששת ימי המעשה נמי מעין חתימה הוא בצר חדא וליכא שבע

'My brother Hanania recites one.' But the law does not agree with him.

אמרי כהנים לוים וישראלים תרי מילי נינהו בין לוים לישראלים דכתיב (דברים י, ח) בעת ההיא הבדיל ה' את שבט הלוי בין הכהנים ללוים דכתיב (דברי הימים א כג, יג) בני עמרם אהרן ומשה ויבדל אהרן להקדישו קדש קדשים

R'Joshua B'Levi said: he who recites habdalah must recite [formulas] in the nature of the distinctions mentioned in the Torah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As explained anon.');">¹¹</span> An objection is raised: What is the order of the distinctions [recited in the habdalah]?

מחתם מאי חתים רב אמר מקדש ישראל ושמואל אמר המבדיל בין קודש לחול לייט עלה אביי ואיתימא רב יוסף אהא דרב

He recites, 'Who makest a distinction between holy and profane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six working days, between unclean and clean, between the sea and dry land, between the upper waters and the nether waters, between Priests, Levites and Israelites'; and the concludes with the order of Creation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'Blessed art thou, O Lord, who settest the Creation in order'.');">¹²</span> Others say, with 'he who formed the Creation.'

תנא משמיה דרבי יהושע בן חנניא כל החותם מקדש ישראל והמבדיל בין קודש לחול מאריכין לו ימיו ושנותיו

R'Jose B'R'Judah said: He concludes, 'Who sanctifiest Israel.' Now if this is correct, surely no distinction is mentioned [in the Torah] between the sea and the dry land?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., no phrase with the express term 'distinction');">¹³</span> - Delete 'between the sea and the dry land' from this. If so, [you must] also [delete] 'between the seventh day and the six working days'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For no phrase states that God made a 'distinction' between the seventh day etc.');">¹⁴</span> - That corresponds to the conclusion,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And is therefore not counted.');">¹⁵</span> Then there is one less' so there are not seven?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereas the purpose of this Baraitha is to enumerate the seven formulas of distinction referred to above.');">¹⁶</span> -I will tell you: [who made a distinction between] Priests, Levites and Israelites is two formulas. between Levites and Israelites [is one], as it is written, At that time lord made distinct the tribe of Levi.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. X, 8.');">¹⁷</span> Between Priests and Levites [is another], as It is written, The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was made distinct that he should be sanctified as most holy.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Chron. XXIII, 13.');">¹⁸</span> How does he conclude it? - Rab said: 'Who sanctifiest Israel.' While Samuel said: 'Who makest a distinction, between holy and non-holy,' Abaye, - others state, R'Joseph - denounced<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'cursed'.');">¹⁹</span> this [ruling] of Rab. It was taught in the name of R'Joshua B'Hanania: When one concludes, 'Who sanctifiest Israel and makest a distinction between holy and non-holy,' his days and years are prolonged.