Bread that is not obviously pet food

Hi,

We have said that we do not separate Challah from dough which is designated for animal consumption. However, if the product looks like it could just as easily be for human consumption, we are required to separate Challah, without reciting a berachah; we are concerned about appearances.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 330:9; Pitchei Teshuvah 330:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Separating Challah from pet food

Hi,

We do not separate challah from dough prepared specifically for animal consumption.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 330:8-9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Challah owned by a non-Jew

Hi,

Challah must be separated from dough owned by a Jew-non-Jew partnership, so long as the Jew owns at least the minimum quantity obligated in Challah-tithing. There is no distinction between dough physically prepared by a Jew and dough physically prepared by a non-Jew; ownership is the defining factor.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 330:1-3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Challah with fruit juice?

Hi,

Dough that is prepared with fruit juice rather than water is viewed as quasi-bread for several halachic issues. As a result, one who prepares bread with fruit juice should not recite a blessing when separating challah.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 329:9; Shach Yoreh Deah 329:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Haircuts for Lag ba'Omer this year

Hi,

There is an interesting quirk in this year's calendar: Lag ba'Omer occurs on Motzaei Shabbat and Sunday.

The Rama mentioned an Ashkenazi practice of taking haircuts on the Friday preceding Lag ba'Omer when Lag ba'Omer is a Sunday, in honor of Shabbat. (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 493:2) [Note that this would not affect any of the other mourning practices associated with the first part of the omer, such as listening to musical performances.]

As always, please consult your community's rabbinic authorities in determining your practice.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Which type of dough requires Challah?

Hi,

My most recent post, regarding the type of dough that requires challah, was incomplete; I have now deleted it from the website archive. Here is a more complete, and accurate, description of the law:

Grain-based dough which is baked in an oven requires challah separation, whether it is solid dough (as in bread dough) or more of a liquid batter (as in cookies, brownies or cake). Grain-based dough which is boiled in water or fried does not require challah separation, whether it is solid dough or more of a liquid batter.

The only exception to these rules is a solid dough which was intended for baking at the mixing stage, but was then boiled or fried. Because this dough was intended for baking at the mixing stage, one must separate challah.

Note that for a liquid batter, one separates challah after the baking solidifies it, according to the Star-K here.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 239:1-5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When is challah separated? Part III

Hi,

If challah was not separated from dough in its earlier stages, and the dough was baked into bread, one should separate challah from the baked bread itself.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 327:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When is challah separated? Part II

Hi,

The ideal point at which to separate challah today is once the dough has been formed, but before it has been divided into individual loaves.

In times when people were careful to keep their dough from becoming tamei [ritually contaminated], one would separate challah earlier in the process, right after the flour had become fully mixed with water, lest it become impure during the mixing and kneading process.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 327:2-3; Shach Yoreh Deah 327:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When is challah separated?

Hi,

One may not separate challah at the flour stage, but one may separate flour and declare that it will become the challah tithe once the rest of the flour is made into dough.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 227:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Preparing minimal quantities of dough

Hi,

We have learned that one is not obligated to separate challah from small quantities of dough.

Making deliberately small quantities [and compensating by baking more frequently] in order to avoid separating the dough tithe is prohibited. However, one who simply does not need more dough need not be concerned.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 324:14; Shach Yoreh Deah 324:25)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Minimum amounts of dough, to separate Challah

Hi,

One is only obligated to separate challah from a significant amount of dough, but there is some debate as to how we translate the talmudic measures of significance into our own measurement system.

For guidance on this, please see a rabbi. For background, you might read the Star-K's summary here.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 324:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What requires challah?

Hi,

Only the five grains identified talmudically require separation of Challah. We normally identify those grains as Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats and Spelt.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 324:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Burning challah

Hi,

We have said that today the kohen does not eat the challah tithe, because of tumah [ritual contamination]. On the other hand, the owner of the dough is not permitted to benefit from that tithe. Therefore, the owner separates the challah and then burns it.

We may burn the challah tithe in a regular oven, but we don't do it while the rest of the dough is baking, to avoid any benefit that might come from having the extra dough in the oven.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 322:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How much dough does one separate for Challah

Hi,

Biblically, no amount is specified for the Challah dough. The Sages stipulated that it should be 1/24 of the dough, or 1/48 for commercial bakers in order not to eliminate their livelihood.

As of today, due to ritual contamination (tumah), kohanim do not eat the challah. Therefore we revert to the biblical baseline; our practice is to separate just an olive-sized amount of dough.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 322:1, 322:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Separating Challah

Hi,

Today we begin a new set of laws: Separating Challah.

"Challah" is a biblical term for the piece of dough one separates when preparing bread. This piece of dough is supposed to be given to a kohen; only kohanim may eat it, and only when both the kohanim and the dough are tahor (pure from ritual contamination).

The biblical mitzvah applies specifically in Israel (see Bamidbar 15:17-21), but outside of Israel there is a rabbinic mitzvah to separate challah. Certain types of impurity only disqualify a kohen from eating the biblical challah, but for all practical purposes, no kohen today may eat biblical or rabbinic challah.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 322:1, 2, 3, 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Making sure utensils can become fully wet

Hi,

We have said that one must immerse utensils fully in the mikvah. This means that one must make sure that every internal and external surface is exposed to water.

One must take extra care with receptacles that have narrow openings, to ensure that they are in a physical position in which water can enter every part, and to allow enough time for the water to do so.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 202:6-8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Immersing utensils with temporary attachments

Hi,

Attachments which one expects to remove from the utensil, such as handles which were installed in a defective way, must be removed before immersion.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 202:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Immersing utensils with stickers on them

Hi,

The surfaces of utensils must be clean when the utensils are immersed in the mikvah. However, foreign materials that are on the surface do not disqualify the immersion, if:

1. People normally do not mind leaving there, and
2. The material does not cover the majority of the surface.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 202:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Immersing utensils on Shabbat and Yom Tov, Part II

Hi,

We have said that there is some debate as to whether one may immerse utensils on Shabbat or Yom Tov.

Our chief concern is the appearance of 'fixing' the utensil, by making it usable for Shabbat / Yom Tov. Therefore, one who needs to immerse a pitcher, cup or similar utensil may dip it in the mikvah to draw water, and thereby fulfill the immersion requirement as well, so long as the mikvah water is potable.

Note that one would not recite a berachah, lest he make the immersion element obvious - which also means that he should not use this method unless absolutely necessary, since this method eliminates the opportunity to recite a berachah for the mitzvah.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 323:7; Mishneh Berurah 323:36; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 323:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Immersing utensils on Shabbat and Yom Tov, Part I

Hi,

There is some debate as to whether one may immerse utensils on Shabbat or Yom Tov. Therefore, one should give the utensil to someone who is not Jewish, and simply borrow it back; utensils borrowed from people who are not Jewish may be used without immersion.

Ordinarily, one may not give a gift on Shabbat or Yom Tov, but this is permitted because the gift is for the sake of Shabbat/Yom Tov itself.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 323:7, Yoreh Deah 120:16; Mishneh Berurah 323:34)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Intent for immersing utensils

Hi,

Immersion of utensils in a mikvah does not require intent. Therefore, a child's immersion of a utensil is also valid, so long as an adult observes it and sees that it was done properly.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 120:14; Shach Yoreh Deah 120:28; Biur haGRA Yoreh Deah 120: 37)

Good moed,
Mordechai

Immersing the handle of a utensil

Hi,

Even though the law of immersing food-related utensils is tied to their use with food, one must also immerse the handle of the utensil.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 120:12)

Moadim l'simchah,
Mordechai