ing the connection of the Jewish people to the spiritual alive and
present.
Today, we have evolved into a “Sarah,”or feminine, awareness
of the inherent Divinity in all of creation. Our home has become
our temple, we ourselves are the priests in service of the Divine,
and the Shabbat table is the altar upon which we place the chal-
lah. The separation of the challah, the sanctified piece of dough
taken from the whole, is a powerful statement of our awareness
of the Source of our sustenance.
Separating challah is one of the most powerful ways through
which to give tzedakah. Tzedakah, often incorrectly translated
as charity, means justice. When we give of our own sustenance,
we are not doing something that is unusual and out of the ordi-
nary out of the kindness of our hearts; we are simply doing jus-
tice in the system of giving and receiving that is the foundation
of a balanced universe.
Throughout the week, we are in an active “creation” mode,
making things happen with our minds and our bodies. As we
make our challah on Friday, we begin the shift into a “being/
gratitude” reality. In the separating of the challah we begin ush-
ering in the day of Shabbat with the active recognition of the
Source of all our blessings and sustenance.
Challah is a gift, the gift of gratitude and awareness of a high-
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S E P A R A T I N G T H E C H A L L A H
er, ethereal reality that is the source of all we have. In a world
that is simply matter, particles, atoms, and neutrons, there is no
space for this awareness. However, in a world that recognizes
all physical matter as being but a reflection, or manifestation,
of a transcendent reality, acknowledging the Source of our sus-
tenance by removing a piece of dough that was intended for our
own survival is completely natural.
With the separation of the piece of challah, we remember our
essential immortality and our connection with the Infinite light
and potential.
Reaching into Transcendence
In a world of mere particles, cause and effect is king. It is an
“if... then” reality. If a doctor tells a patient that, G-d forbid, the
patient has weeks to live, then the person will indeed not live
much longer. If we put seeds into the ground and it rains, then
the plants will grow; otherwise, they will wither. If we go to
work each day, then we will make the amount of money we have
been promised in our contract agreements, no more and no less.
But we are not mere particles. Cause and effect are only our
reality when we are tied closely to our dense, material form.
There is a spark of life within each of us, and every creation
that has ever existed, that is eternal. It is the nishmat chaim, the
breath of life that is breathed into us from the Source of all life.
We call it our soul. It is the core of our very existence and our
link to eternity.
In removing the piece of challah from our dough, we are rees-
tablishing our connection with the part of ourselves that tran-
scends our bodily form. We are linking to our infinite, formless
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selves and, as such, tapping into the pool of all possibility.
When we reach into that space, we remember that everything
is possible.
This is the space from which we pray. As we recite the bless-
ing upon separating the challah, we are reaching the space of
infinite possibility – the Source of all blessings.
Making Miracles Happen
We start with the words “Baruch atah,” which mean “You are
the Source of blessing,” and the breicha, the reservoir from which
all blessings flow. From that place we connect to the nameless,
“Atah/ You,” the Unity of all that exists, and draw it down un-
til we say the words, “lehafrish challah/to separate the challah,”
when the very blessing becomes embodied within the physical
act of pulling off a piece of dough.
After reciting the blessing, we remove a piece of dough. We
then hold that piece of dough and say, “Harei zu challah/ Behold,
this is challah. ”
The very declaration makes it so. “G-d spoke and the world
came into being.” Speech creates reality. By verbalizing aloud
that this is challah, we acknowledge the sacredness, the other-
ness, of this piece of dough; it is no longer the same as the rest
of the dough and, as we hold it in our hand, feels like the feath-
erweight of eternity.
This deeply meditative and prayerful time is an incredible op-
portunity to reconnect to our deepest, truest self on a weekly
basis and I highly recommend it.
We hear of many miracles that occur as a result of these deep-
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S E P A R A T I N G T H E C H A L L A H
ly connective moments. A quick caveat here: I am not a “miracle”
person per se, by which I really mean that magic tricks annoy
me. I like to see the logic of all things. I was never so uncom-
fortable as when I sat through David Copperfield’s magic hoop-
la—that stuff drives me crazy. Yet, I have seen countless stories
happen before my eyes and I know that they are direct results
of the incredible connection that can occur through the mitzvah
of challah.
I have many of my challah students begging me to put miracle
stories in here. I don’t want to do that – but not because I hav-
en’t seen them. I have. They happened. Babies were created and
birthed, people were healed, and love was found—and I saw it
happen directly from the challah. And yet, I hesitate to enumer-
ate the stories, because it feels too much like “abracadabra.”
Challah is magical but we do not separate challah to perform
a magic trick. We separate challah because it is a mitzvah and
it brings us to a place of connectedness. What can happen from
that place of connection is truly magical. But it is not a trick. It’s
simply a profound time when we connect to infinite potential
and recognize our constant, eternal bond to that place.
What happens afterwards, well . . . maybe you’ll send me
your stories. I can add them to my collection. And, one day, who
knows? Maybe I will write them down in a book, but I have to sit
comfortably through a whole magic show first; I’ve seen bigger
miracles happen.
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R I S I N G
Separating Challah
: a History
Challah, the separation of a portion of dough to be gifted to the
kohen, is among the Torah commandments that are categorized
as t’luyot ba’aretz/directly connected with the physical Land of
Israel.
The Torah states: “Vehaya b’achalchem milechem ha’aretz . . .
. Raishit arisoteichem challah tarimu terumah . . . .” [A]nd it will
be when you eat from the bread of the land . . . the first of your
dough shall be “challah,” separated, and given as a gift (Bamid-
bar 15:19, 20).
This challah gift is among the twenty
-four gifts that we were
directed to give to the kohanim, the priests who served in the
Beit Hamikdash/Holy Temple.
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S E P A R A T I N G T H E C H A L L A H
Some other mitzvot that are t’luyot ba’aretz include bikkurim,
terumah, and ma’aser. Bikkurim/the First Fruits, were brought
to Jerusalem by the landowner as an offering in the Temple and
given to the kohanim. Terumah and ma’aser, portions of pro-
duce, were given respectively to a kohen and a Levite.
These other mitzvot were not applicable until fourteen years
after the Israelites entered the land (seven years to conquer it
and seven years to divide it amongst the tribes). However the
mitzvah to take challah applied from the moment that the Isra-
elites crossed the Jordan River into the promised Land.
By Torah law, challah is taken only within the boundaries of
the Land of Israel. However, the sages instituted the taking of
challah outside the Holy Land so that people living in the Dias-
pora would not forget the mitzvah.
In order for the mitzvah of challah to have the force of a mitz-
vah d’oraita/a Biblical commandment, all (or a majority, accord-
ing to the Sefer HaChinuch) of Jews must be living in Israel. Ever
since the forced dispersion of the Jews at the end of the First
Temple era, this criterion has not been met. Therefore, challah
today, both inside and outside of the Land of Israel, is a rabbinic
rather than a Biblical mitzvah.
The word challah, though used to connote the bread we eat on
Shabbat, is really the word for the piece of dough that is sepa-
rated and given to the kohen, or, in our day and age, burned to
be rendered inedible. This can be confusing, as the piece that is
separated is actually dough, not the baked challah. Yet it is called
“challah” as per the directive in the Torah.
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The Laws of Hafrashat Challah
: a Digest1
The grains upon which a blessing and separation of chal-
lah is required:
Wheat, barley, oat, spelt, and rye. These are also the only
grains from which a bread that requires the blessing of Hamotzi
can be made.
Who may separate challah?
The mitzvah of challah separation applies to any Jew over the
age of bar or bat mitzvah who makes a dough that meets the
requirements for separation (see below). However, this mitzvah
has become known as one that is specifically woman-centric
and one of the three mitzvot unique to women. As part of her
preparation of food for her family, the mitzvah of challah be-
comes symbolic of the practice of keeping kosher, a practice in
which the woman of the house plays a pivotal role. If there is
no woman available to separate the challah, a man may perform
this mitzvah. If, however, a man and woman are both available,
the mitzvah should be performed by the woman.
1 For a complete overview of the laws of hafrashat challah (the separation of
challah), please see Kitzur Shulchan Aruch , Chapter 35.
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S E P A R A T I N G T H E C H A L L A H
Flour requirements for separation of challah
• Less than 2 lb. 11 oz. (1230 grams) of flour: no separation of
challah is required.
• Between 2 lb. 11 oz. and 3 lb. 11 oz. (1666.6 grams) of flour:
challah is to be separated but without reciting the blessing.
• Over 3 lb. 11 oz. of flour: challah is separated with a blessing.
Liquid requirements for separation of challah
To separate challah with a blessing, the majority of the liquid
content must be water.
If the majority of the liquid is not water (i.e. honey, oil, eggs,
milk, juice, etc.), challah is to be separated without a blessing so
long as there is at least one drop of water in the dough.
Burning the challah piece
The piece of challah that was separated should be burned un-
til it is rendered inedible. It should be wrapped in aluminum
foil, or the like, and may then be burned in your oven or in any
fire. However, the challah should not be burned while anything
else is being baked in that oven.
Once the piece of challah has been burnt, it should be discard-
ed but does not need to be disposed of in any particular manner.
If it is not possible to burn the piece of dough, it is also accept-
able to discard it in the garbage. Care should, however, be taken
to ensure that the piece of dough is properly wrapped—prefer-
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R I S I N G
ably double-wrapped—so that it doesn’t come in contact with
anything else in the trash.
Combining Doughs
If you are simultaneously making multiple doughs that are
each too small to require challah separation (such as if your
mixer is too small to contain a large batch of dough and you are
therefore making multiples of the same recipe), the doughs may
be combined once kneaded to allow for the separation of chal-
lah. Simply place all the small doughs into one container and
cover the container with a cloth. Separate the challah from one
of the dough pieces and make the blessing as usual.
If, however, you are making many small doughs at once but
they will each be baked in another person’s oven (such as if a
group of friends gather to bake challah together but each par-
ticipant makes a small batch of dough and will take it home to
bake), the doughs cannot be combined to separate challah with
a blessing.
Separating the challah after baking
If one forgot to separate challah before baking the dough, or
the dough was too “runny” to separate while it was raw (such
as in a gluten-free oat challah batter), or one baked cakes that
require challah separation, challah may (and should) still be
separated after baking.
Combine all the baked challahs or cakes together in a contain-
er and cover them with a cloth. Remove a small piece from one
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S E P A R A T I N G T H E C H A L L A H
of the loaves and make the blessing as usual.
once Shabbat began, the challah may still be eaten on Shabbat,
provided that this took place outside of the Land of Israel. A slice
of the challah loaf from which challah can be separated after
Shabbat should be set aside. This slice should be large enough
for the challah to be separated from it while still leaving over a
portion of challah to be eaten thereafter.
Separating challah from dough that is not being used for
bread
For large quantities of cakes, cookies, and desserts that meet
the requirements for challah separation, the laws of separating
challah apply. However, since the water content in baked goods
is generally the minority of the liquid, challah should be separat-
ed without a blessing.
When the dough is intended for cooking or frying (rather than
baking), such as donuts or dumplings, challah should be sepa-
rated without a blessing. However, if even a small portion of the
larger dough will be baked, a blessing may be made over the
separation.
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R I S I N G
a visual guide to the
challah separation requirements:
the grains upon which a
the amount of flour that is
blessing and separation of
required for separation of
challah is required.
challah.
These are also the only grains
There are three categories in
from which a bread that requires the separation of challah:
the blessing of hamotzi is made.
1. Separation with a blessing
2. Separation without a blessing
rye
3. No separation required at all
spelt
wheat
barley
oat
3 lb. 11oz / 1666.6 grams
1. When using the above amount
or more, challah is separated
with a blessing.
2. In between the bottom and top
amounts requires separation
of challah without a blessing.
2 lb. 11oz / 1230 grams
3. If using less than the
above amount of flour
no separation of
challah is required.
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S E P A R A T I N G T H E C H A L L A H
The Blessing of Challah1
1 For meditations and intentions during the blessing please see meditations be-
ginning on page 155
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R I S I N G
Separate a portion of dough—challah—from dough that has
been made with at least one of these five grains: wheat, barley,
oat, spelt, and rye. Separate it after the dough has been kneaded
but while the dough is still whole, before dividing and shaping
into loaves. (See page 128 for a digest of all details pertaining to
this mitzvah.) Before separating the piece of dough, recite the
following blessing:
o¨k«ug¨v L®k ®n Ubh¥v«k® ±t ¨h±h v¥¨T©t LUr¨C
.v¨K©j a«h°r§p©˙v§k UbÜ°m§u uh¨,«˙u§m°n§C Ubä§S°e r®a£«˙©t
Ba-ruch A-tah A-do-nai Elo-heinu Me-lech ha-o-lam a-sher
kid-sha-nu b’mitz-vo-tav v’tzi-va-nu l’haf-rish challah.
You, Ado-nai, are the Source of all blessings, our G-d,
Master of the universe, who has sanctified us with His
commandments and commanded us to separate challah.
Then, remove a small piece, approximately one ounce, from
the dough. Immediately after doing so, hold the piece of dough