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The Mitzvah of Challah: A Women’s Primer

by Naomi Ross

 (This article appeared under Kallah in the Kitchen in the fall 2006 issue).

In recent times, we have been fortunate enough to see a resurgence of dedication and popularity, if you will, of certain mitzvos. This is not to say that that these mitzvos were not kept in past generations, but there seems to be a new fervor and enthusiasm with which these mitzvos are now being practiced.   Within the realm of women’s mitzvos, I see no greater example of this than the mitzvah of hafrashas challah, the mitzvah of separating and tithing the dough.  While Jewish women have always baked and been mafrish challah, today there are an unprecedented number of women learning to make challah in order to do the mitzvah and reap some of the associated “spiritual fringe benefits.”   If you fear that preparing your own challah will be overwhelming, here is a little primer to guide you on your way.  It is an abbreviated version of the lessons I teach in my classes and challah-making demonstrations.  The halachic statements contained herein are for reference purposes only.  For halachic rulings, consult your rabbi.

Why Challah?

Hafrashas challah is considered one of the three mitzvot entrusted to women (together with lighting Shabbos candles and family purity).   According to Breishis Rabba, when Hashem wished to create man, he mixed some earth and water together to form a dough and shaped Adam.  The Sages thus called him “the challah of the world”.  After Chava sinned by causing Adam to eat the forbidden fruit, she brought death to the world, thereby spoiling the challah.  The mitzvah of elevating the dough through hafrashas challah offers woman a unique opportunity to rectify that transgression.

We take a piece off of our most basic staple of food in order to do a mitzvah, so that while we nourish our bodies, we also contribute to our spiritual growth.  And by establishing our faith that Hashem will continually sustain us despite our sacrificing a portion of our food, we further invite blessing into our lives, as it says in Yechezkel “You shall give to the Kohein the first of your dough, so that a blessing shall rest on your home”.    Many blessings can be merited through the mitzvah of challah, incliuding that of shalom bayis,  peace and harmony in the home, as in the case of Sarah Imeinu’s challah which permeated her tent with its wonderful aroma. 

Another blessing associated with challah is that of children and a safe delivery.  This is derived from a Mishna in Shabbos which is read every Friday night in many shuls, which states that there are three transgressions for which a woman could die in childbirth: for being careless in the laws of niddah, hafrashas challah and hadlakas neiros.  If negligence in these mitzvos has these consequences, then perhaps the reward for careful observance of this mitzvah could have the opposite effect, of bringing life to the world.  This obviously by no means guarantees that a woman will conceive or have an easy childbirth if she conscientiously does this mitzvah.  However, there is a strong mesorah that the mitzvah of hafrashas challah is a segula for having children. 

Further, the moment in which one separates the dough (similar to the moments of lighting Shabbos candles and immersing in the mikvah) is strongly considered to be an eis ratzon, an auspicious time for praying to G-d.  For this reason, it is a custom amongst some to give tzedakah before doing the mitzvah - additional mitzvos fulfilled during an eis ratzon strengthen the impact of the mitzvah as a merit for the person doing the mitzvah as well as for all of klal Yisrael.

Not surprisingly, the benefits of making challah bring out the baker in all of us!

How is the mitzvah performed?

In order to do the mitzvah of separating the dough properly, it is very important to make sure that your dough is “eligible” for tithing.  The halachic criteria are as follows:

• The dough must be made with flour coming from one of the five grains (wheat, barley, spelt, oats or rye).
• The mitzvah of taking challah only applies if you are using more than 2 lbs. 10 oz. flour in your dough.  Additionally, rabbinic authorities differ in opinion as to whether a bracha should be recited if the amount of flour used is between 2 lbs. 10 oz. and 5 pounds.  All opinions agree that you should say the bracha if the weight is at least 5 lbs.  For this reason, many women make large quantities of challah at a time in order to ensure that they can perform the mitzvah with a bracha (Sefer shirurin shel Torah, 19-20, Leket HaOmer, 85, se'if b.).

If these criteria are met, one should follow the following procedure for Hafrashas challah as soon as the dough is kneaded.  

1)      Make sure that any dough that will be tithed is all together in one place.  (If you are combining several batches of dough in order to have the proper amount, they should all be placed together in one bowl).

2)      Separate about 1 oz. of dough (a kezayis) – not more so as not to cause waste.

3)      Recite the blessing:  Baruch Atah Ado-nai Elokeinu Melech haOlam Asher Kidshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu l’hafrish challah (min ha-isah). 

Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us to separate challah (from the dough).

4)      According to Ra’avad (Perek 6 in Hilchos Bikkurim), you should then declare “Harei zeh challah” – This is the challah. 

5)      Place the separated challah in a safe place so as not to be confused with the other dough.

6)      After separating the challah, it is customary to say the “yehi ratzon” that concludes the shmoneh esrei, as we pray that we may rebuild the Holy Temple in which we were able to give the Cohanim the portion of the dough to eat what we now must burn.  There is an additional prayer for righteous and G-d fearing children that is also commonly said.

7)      Burn the dough completely either on top of the stove or in an oven.  Do not burn the dough while baking other items – the separated dough is forbidden to eat and so is  considered to be treif.  Double wrap the dough in foil before placing it in the oven to prevent exposure in the oven.

Here is my own recipe for challah, which is large enough to perform the mitzvah with a bracha. 

Challah

4 cups warm water

2 (2-oz.) bars fresh yeast (also works with 5 packets dry yeast)

1 tbsp. sugar

1 (5-lb.) bag high gluten flour

2 cups sugar

1½ tbsp. salt

5 large eggs

1¼ cups canola oil

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Combine water and yeast in a medium bowl until yeast is dissolved.  Stir in 1 tbsp. of sugar.  Place bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen (on top of a warm oven or even on the open oven door of a preheated 250 degree oven works!).  Let stand for 10-20 minutes.  The mixture will be bubbly and/or foamy.  If nothing is happening after 20 minutes, something is wrong with your yeast and you must start the recipe over again.

Place flour in a very large bowl.  Reserve 2 cups of the flour and set aside for later use.  Stir in 2 cups sugar and salt to blend.  Push the mixture to the sides of your bowl, creating a well in the center.  Pour the yeast mixture, 5 eggs, and the oil into the well.  Mix until you can no longer stir it.  Continue to knead the dough by hand until it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, while slowly adding in small amounts of flour as needed.   The dough should be smooth and elastic.  If the dough is very sticky, add in some more flour (do not exceed using the 2 cups of reserved flour.  If you have used up the 2 cups and the dough is still very sticky, add a little bit of oil). 

At this point, you can do the mitzvah of hafrashas challah (separating the dough) and say the blessing (see above for instructions).

Brush the top of the dough with oil.  Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in bulk.  Punch down, replace towel and let rise for another 1½ hours.  Punch the dough down again, and turn onto a lightly floured surface. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide the dough into 5 to 7 sections (or as many loaves/rolls as you would like to make depending on the size).   Shape each section as desired – for braiding, divide into 3, 4 or 6 balls, roll into strands and braid.  Pinch the ends together and place onto greased baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Brush challos with beaten egg.  Sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds if desired.  Bake challos 23-35 minutes until golden brown and challah sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on wire racks.

 
Yields: 5-7 challos

Just in case you are nervous about bread-making, here are some very helpful tips to get you through!

Tips for Challah (and bread) Making

• Make large amounts at a time and freeze in order to minimize how often you bake and also so that you can do the mitzvah of Hafrashat Challah with a bracha.
• You can freeze unbaked loaves for up to a month.   Take them out as you need them, defrost and let rise for 2-4 hours, then glaze and bake.
• Baked loaves can be frozen up to 3 months.   Loaves may be frozen when completely cool, wrapped in tin foil or in a ziplock freezer bag. 
• Always check the expiration date of yeast.  If it is not fresh enough and does not activate properly, your challah will not rise! L
• Allow yeast mixture and challah dough to rise in a cozy warm place. 
• For a slower rise, place in a cool place (i.e. you can let it rise overnight in your refrigerator).
• The activated yeast mixture should look foamy and bubbly.
• The dough is kneaded enough when it reaches the consistency of an earlobe.
• To tell if bread is done, tap the crust.  If it sounds hollow, it’s done.
• 1 pkg. dry yeast =2 ¼ tsp.
• 1  (2oz). Bar fresh yeast=2 ½  pkgs. Dry yeast
• Glazes include:       beaten egg

beaten egg white

beaten egg or eggwhite with 1 tsp. Honey/sugar

 
Toppings include:    sesame seeds, poppy seeds

Optional Additions: raisins, chocolate chips

Having fresh homemade challah in the home is a gift that a woman can give to her family, an enhancement to Shabbos and an additional way of inviting holiness into her home.  But the acknowledgment of the aforementioned ideas in our times has taken challah-making one step further, providing deep opportunities to connect spiritually with the Creator and taking advantage of an eis ratzon in order to pray on behalf of others.  When women organize to bake challos in order to merit a positive change for someone else, it reflects not a belief that bread somehow has a “magic effect” to answer our prayers, but rather a hope that by engaging ourselves in the mitzvah which represents the restoration of life to the world, Hashem will direct those merits toward restoring the life of an individual in need.

May the delicious smells of challah fill your homes and may the mitzvah of Hafrashas challah be a merit for peace amongst all of klal Yisrael.

 Naomi Ross teaches Cooking Concepts, courses on the fundamentals of cooking and Jewish homemaking. For more information, kitchen troubleshooting, general feedback or to register for upcoming classes, she can be reached at mailto:CookingConcepts@gmail.com. Visit her website at http://www.jewishcookingconcepts.com

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