Challah, the plaited white loaf that we eat at Shabbat meals, is among the best known Jewish religious objects. Last time I was in New York, I passed a café on Broadway advertising bacon and eggs with challah rolls. As usual the US is far ahead of us in catapulting cultural Judaism, shorn of its religious roots, into the mainstream.
In the Bible, challah is the portion of bread that is set aside and given to the priests to eat (Numbers 15:19-20). The mitzvah of separating challah applies to the five grains, wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye. The rabbis calculate that more than 1.75 kg of dough baked at one time must have challah taken from it.
According to the Torah, the mitzvah of challah is relevant only in the Land of Israel. However, the rabbis instituted it outside Israel as well, so that the mitzvah should not be forgotten. Nowadays, the custom when baking a sufficiently large amount of bread is to break off a small piece of dough the size of an olive and burn it.
According to the Encyclopaedia Judaica, one derivation is from the Hebrew root challal, meaning "hollow," suggesting a rounded loaf; another possibility is that it comes from the Akkadian ellu, meaning "pure," referring to the bread's sacred use.
The medieval compendium, Sefer Hamitzvot, says that the reason for challah, aside from the obvious one of supporting the priests, is that since our lives depend on bread, God gave us a mitzvah to fulfil whenever we bake, so that our bread may be blessed continuously.
FAQs
Challah is almost always pareve (containing neither dairy nor meat—important in the laws of Kashrut), unlike brioche and other enriched European breads, which contain butter or milk as it is typically eaten with a meat meal.
Why is challah not kosher? ›
In halachic terms, challah is a mitzvah in the Torah to separate a portion of dough from the baker's batch. Any dough meeting the requirements for hafrashat challah , taking challah, must have this portion removed, or the bread baked from this dough is not considered kosher.
Why do Jews use challah? ›
The term “challah” is applied more widely to mean any bread used in Jewish rituals. On the eve of Shabbat, two loaves are placed on the table to reference the Jewish teaching that a double portion of manna fell from heaven on Friday to last through the Saturday Shabbat.
What do you eat challah bread with? ›
Top with honey or jam: Drizzle a slice of challah with honey or spread on a dollop of fresh jam. Toast it: You can slice up challah just like a regular loaf of bread and toast it for breakfast or use it for a sandwich.
Why is challah so delicious? ›
Challah is soft and full of flavour. It's a bit like brioche, but made with oil, not butter, so is basically your dream white bread, especially if you don't do dairy. It makes the most incredible french toast.
Why do we burn a piece of challah? ›
Today, since the kohanim are not clean from such spiritual impurity, the challah is not given to the kohain. The dough, however, is forbidden to be eaten until the challah is separated. Therefore, challah is separated and burned, to assure that it will not be eaten.
Why does challah have to be braided? ›
The Twelve Loaves of the Temple
But most of us have just two loaves—so how do we arrive at the number 12? Since the 12 showbreads were replaced every week on Shabbat, the custom to use oblong or braided challahs applies to Shabbat, whereas during the holidays, there are various different customs.
What does the Bible say about challah bread? ›
Challah bread has a Biblical history from the time of Moses in Exodus 16, where God instructed Moses to set aside a portion of each loaf and use it as an offering to local Jewish priests. Today this tradition is still upheld where a piece of bread is burnt inside the oven before the other bread is baked.
What do the three strands of challah mean? ›
Challah loaves are often braided. The three strands of the braid may represent truth, peace and justice. Another interpretation is that having two loaves of three-stranded braids equals six total strands, which symbolize the six work days of the week aside from Shabbat.
Why does challah have to be covered? ›
However, in the hierarchy of blessings mandated by the Sages, the blessing over bread should precede the blessing over wine. In order to preserve the priority of the wine, and not to "shame" the bread which should be blessed first, the bread is “removed” by concealing it from view with the challah cover.
Typically, it is best to eat or freeze challah within its peak freshness of 5-7 days.
Are brioche and challah the same? ›
Challah and brioche, while similar, are not the same bread at all. The most important difference has to do with the fact that challah is part of Jewish tradition, and is kosher to eat with all meals—so it is not made with dairy, i.e. butter. Brioche, on the other hand, is French, so of course it is made with butter!
What is challah bread taste like? ›
Challah is a slightly sweet, eggy bread with a consistency and taste similar to brioche. According to Jewish tradition, challah refers to a section of dough which is separated after kneading to be given as an offering at the Temple.
Can you eat challah for breakfast? ›
Challah could be your best friend when looking to feed brunch to a crowd. Just let it soak overnight with some sweet Italian sausage, onions or shallots, and cheese, then pop it in the oven the next morning for a stove-less recipe that makes more than enough to go around. Get the Challah Breakfast Casserole recipe.
What are the two basic differences between a sweet dough and a challah? ›
Traditionally, the delicious kalács, other Eastern European sweet breads, and tsoureki are made with butter and milk. Challah, however, is often parve, in keeping with the laws of kashrut, and made with oil (or margarine) and water, instead. All require two risings.
What bread is closest to challah? ›
Yes, challah bread is similar to brioche. Challah bread is typically a Jewish bread that is kosher with no dairy in it. On the other hand, brioche is a french bread made with similar ingredients and it included butter rather than an oil such as vegetable oil. Overall, they taste pretty similar.
Is challah bread lean or rich dough? ›
Challah bread is made with enriched dough. This means that the dough is made with fat, sugar, and eggs, as opposed to lean doughs that do not have any fat present.
What is the difference between challah and brioche bread? ›
Challah and brioche bread are similar as both are enriched with eggs and fat, making them richer than other bread recipes. The main difference between the two recipes is that challah uses more eggs and less fat than brioche bread.
