Mitzvah of Taking Challah

For most, the first thing that comes to mind after hearing the word challah is the sweet and delicious braided loaf eaten at Shabbat meals. The Halachic definition of challah involves setting aside a piece of the dough before baking for the Kohanim, this piece of dough is called "challah”. Any dough which is made from the five species of grain (wheat, barley, spelt, oat or rye) and then baked in an oven or pan, is required to have “challah” taken from it.

The Torah states: “And it will be when you eat of the bread of the land, you should bring an offering to G-d, The first of your kneading bowl you shall donate to G-d as an offering…” (Numbers 15:19, 20)

The mitzvah of baking challah is one of the three mitzvahs that are assigned primarily for women; the other two are candle lighting, and family purity. There are a number of reasons why we were given the mitzvah of taking challah. Like the Kohanim, we depend on Hashem for physical sustenance in order to perform work on His behalf. When we take challah we transform baking into a spiritual act, which is a way to connect Hashem to the mundane. The laws of challah instruct us that when beginning an activity, the first thing is to remember to acknowledge Hashem, and to acknowledge that our sustenance comes as a gift. by separating the piece of dough, consecrating it to Hashem every time we bake bread, we remember that whatever we are given is not for our use alone.

How to separate challah:
1. Some have the custom to give charity or wash hands (netilat yadayim) without a blessing before fulfilling this mitzvah.
2. Make dough for challah loaves
3. When the dough is ready to be shaped into loaves, place in a single pan or bowl and recite the following blessing:

"Baruch ata Hashem, Elokeinu melech ha-olam, asher kidishanu bimitzvotav, vitzivanu l'hafrish challah."

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to separate challah.

4. After saying the blessing, separate a piece of dough, approximately one ounce, and say "This is challah."
5. Wrap the separated piece of dough in foil and burn it in the oven, or by any other method. The separated piece of challah should be burned so that it is no longer usable.

Notes

• Challah is taken from wheat, rye, barley, oat or spelt batches that use at least 59 ounces of flour. If you use less than this but more than 43 ounces, take challah, but don't recite the blessing.
• The liquid you mix with the flour should be mostly water. If not, add a drop of water and then take challah without reciting a blessing.