challah

Jewish

sabbath | shabbat

baking

dad joke

Hanukkah

is an an embodiment of the concept of taking something physical and elevating it to the spiritual through the process of its preparation.

Challah embodies the concept of taking something physical and elevating it to the spiritual. Not only are we giving physical nourishment to the people that are eating our challah, they are also being nourished spiritually with the ideas and blessing that we are thinking of and praying for while we are making our challah.

is covered on the table by decorative challah cover or a white napkin, which represents the dew that collected on the manna in the morning.

The breads are covered on the table by a decorative challah cover or a white napkin, which represents the dew that collected on the manna in the morning. Poppy and sesame seeds sprinkled on the bread also symbolize the manna that fell from heaven.

is derived from the Hebrew word used for portion because, harkening back to the biblical commandment to give unto the Lord a portion for a gift throughout your generations, the baker is supposed to separate and burns a 24th portion of the dough as an offering.

The name challah is derived from the Hebrew word used for portion in the biblical commandment of the first of your dough you shall give unto the Lord a portion for a gift throughout your generations. Jews were biblically commanded to separate from their doughs one twentyfourth and give it to the priests every Sabbath. In post-Temple times the rabbis ordained that a challah (portion), which had to be at least the size of an olive, must be separated from the dough and burned. It is still a tradition for Jewish bakers and observant homemakers to tear a tiny lump of risen dough from any type of bread and to burn it (usually wrapped in foil) in the oven or fire while making a blessing.

is made of seven basic ingredients (water, yeast, sugar, eggs, oil, flour, and salt), and the special eighth ingredient is our own souls.

There are seven basic ingredients in a challah recipe; water, yeast, sugar, eggs, oil, flour, and salt. There is a special eighth ingredient that is unique to each and every one of us, and that is our souls. When we are making the challah we are putting our personal energy into the dough.

is made with water, which brings life and nourishment to all things, yeast, which represents growth and expansion, eggs, which represent renewal and potential, oil, which represents anointing, sugar, which represents sweet blessings, salt, which represents criticism and discipline, and flour, which represents sustenance.

Water: Water represents Torah. Just as we cannot live without water we also cannot live without Torah. Water brings life and nourishment to all things, so it represents the attribute of chessed (kindness). As we add the water, we can think of something in our lives that we want G-d to bless us with in abundant kindness. It should flow down into our lives, just as water flows. Yeast: Yeast is what enables our dough to rise. Yeast represents growth and expansion. So as we add the yeast, we can think of each one of our family members and friends and pray that they grow and expand in their emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Yeast also represents rising, rising to our full potentials. We ask that God help all of us rise to who we are meant to be in our fullest potential. Yeast in Hebrew is shmarim which comes from the same root shomer, which means protection. As we add the yeast, we should pray for protection for ourselves, our families, Israel, the IDF, and all of the Jewish people. Eggs: Eggs represent the renewal of the lifecycle and the potential of what is about to “hatch.” Again, while making the dough, we pray for life, children, and anything going on in our lives that we want God to reveal to us. Oil: Oil represents anointing. Oil was used to anoint the Jewish kings. When adding your oil pour a little at a time “anointing” each one of your loved ones by name and pray for their specific needs. Sugar: Sugar represents anything sweet in our lives, all the revealed good. We ask G0d for open blessings and open good at this time. Sugar also represents emunah (faith). When we have the proper faith then everything becomes sweet. Even the challenges in our lives we realize are all from G-d and all for the best. Salt: Salt represents discipline or criticism. It is important to have this, but in smaller measure. When adding the salt we should shake a little off the top. As much as we feel we need to rebuke others, we could always give a little less rebuke than we feel is necessary. Salt also represents purification. We pray that anything that is toxic in our lives, minds, souls, and bodies be removed. Flour: Flour represents sustenance, not only our livelihood, but also our relationships with others. We pray that G-d should bless us with a livelihood that we should use for the right reasons, and that He helps us sustain a relationship that might need some assistance, and thank Him for the relationships we do have that sustain us.

is served in two loves over which the blessing is said in order to symbolize the two portions of the manna that was distributed on Fridays to the children of Israel during their Exodus from Egypt.

is surrounded by folklore and tradition and loaded with symbolism. On festive occasions a blessing is said over two loaves, symbolizing the two portions of the manna that was distributed on Fridays to the children of Israel during their Exodus from Egypt.

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