A multigenerational family and their guest, a Talmud student, perform the havdalah ceremony, which marks the end of the Sabbath and the return to work. This ritual includes blessings over wine, spices, and light. As the father pours wine into a goblet, his son holds a candle for the traditional blessing. A spice container in the form of a miniature tower, favored by Ashkenazi Jews, stands on the table.
Oppenheim subtly depicts unopened letters on the desk as reminders of the workweek that must wait until the Sabbath concludes.
Source: The Jewish Museum, New York, 2000.