What is the mitzvah of hafrashas challah?
The Torah (Bamidar 15:19-20) commands us to separate challah:
“והיה באכלכם מלחם הארץ תרימו תרומה לה’ ראשית עריסותיכם חלה תרימו תרומה…”
When making at least an amount of an “Isaron” of dough from the Five Species of Grain with the intention of baking it in the oven, we are required to separate challah and give it to the kohen (in the times of the Beis HaMikdash, when the kohanim were tahor).
How Do I Separate Challah?
Who Should Separate the Challah?
The mitzvah of hafrashas challah is incumbent on the owner of the dough, whether a man or a woman.
The custom is for women to separate challah. If a husband wants to separate challah, ideally he should ask permission from his wife, but if he separated challah without permission the mitzvah is still valid.
How Much Do I Separate?
According to the Torah, there is no minimum amount that must be separated, and even a small piece is enough. The Sages provided amounts for this mitzvah, but nowadays, when the kohanim are tamei and they cannot eat the challah, we separate just a small piece. The custom is to separate a k’zayis.
When Do I Separate the Challah?
Ideally, challah should be separated after kneading the dough, before it is baked. If challah was not separated before baking, it should be separated after baking.
The Order of Hafrashas Challah
There are two ways to separate challah:
Option 1:
1. Separate a piece of dough from the batch. When separating the piece, have in mind that you are not yet fulfilling the mitzvah of hafrashas challah.
2. Place the separated piece near the rest of the dough, but do not let them touch.
3. Recite the blessing:
“ברוך אתה ה’ אלוקינו מלך העולם אשר קידשנו במצוותיו וציוונו להפריש חלה”
(“יש אומרים : “להפריש חלה מן העיסה” ויש אומרים “להפריש חלה תרומה”)
Baruch ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam, asher kideshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu l’hafrish challah.
Some say “l’hafrish challah min ha-isah,” and some say “l’hafrish challah terumah.”
4. Holding the piece that you separated, say:
הרי זו חלה
“Harei zo challah”
(This is challah)
Option 2:
1. Recite the blessing on hafrashas challah (as above).
2. Separate a piece of the dough.
3. Holding the piece that you separated, say: “Harei zo challah” (This is challah).
What Do I Do With the Piece I Separated?
It is forbidden to eat the piece of dough that you separated for hafrashas challah, and it is a mitzvah to burn it. (It should not be burned in the oven, but it may be burned on the stovetop.)
Some people keep the separated challah in the freezer and burn it on Erev Pesach with their chametz. If you do this, you must be very careful not to inadvertently eat the dough.
If you cannot burn the challah, wrap it in a plastic bag and throw it in the garbage in a respectful way.
What Kind of Dough Requires Hafrashas Challah?
Before separating challah, make sure the dough actually requires it.
Dough that requires hafrashas challah is dough that is made from one of the Five Species of Grain and is going to be baked in the oven.
What Are the Five Species of Grain?
The Five Species of Grain are wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt.
How Much Is an “Isaron”?
The Sages say that an Isaron is the volume of 43 and 1/5 eggs. (This is hinted to in the numerical value of the Hebrew word חלה, which is 43.) In contemporary terms, there is a difference of opinion as to how much this is and how much flour you must use in order to separate challah. Bear in mind that the amount varies according to the type of flour. The amounts listed here are approximate.
Weight Chart for Types of Flour
When separating challah with a blessing, it is highly advisabe to be stringent and add an extra 50-100 grams (2-4 ounces) of flour to the amount listed above.
When using less flour than listed here, Ashkenazim have the custom to separate challah without a blessing. See the “without a blessing” column in this chart. Sephardim do not separate challah at all from smaller batches of dough.
Which Type of Dough Requires Hafrashas Challah?
Dough only requires hafrashas challah if it is going to be baked. If you intend to cook or fry the dough, such as when making doughnuts, challah is not separated. Ashkenazim separate challah without a blessing.
Even if most of the dough is going to cooked, but a small piece of it is baked, it requires hafrashas challah with a bracha.
The Liquid in the Dough:
In order for the dough to require hafrashas challah, it must be made with one of the Seven Liquids. The Seven Liquids include : wine, honey, oil, milk, and water.
If the dough was made using only fruit juice, such as orange juice or apple juice, and none of the Seven Liquids were used at all, it requires hafrashas challah. According to some poskim challah should be separated without a blessing.. (It is recommended to avoid making dough like this, but to add a little water to the dough.)
Dough Intended for Distribution:
If the dough is divided among a number of people before it is baked, and each person receives less than an amount that requires hafrashas challah, challah must not be separated.
If the dough is divided among a number of people after baking, challah must be separated
What Else Should I Know About Hafrashas Challah?
Does Combining Different Doughs Require Hafrashas Challah?
Yes, combining different doughs can require Hafrashas Challah, depending on how they are combined and their characteristics. If different types of flour are mixed to create one large batch, challah is required. However, if separate batches are made and then put together, they may or may not combine. For instance, if two different-tasting doughs are kept separate, they do not combine. Conversely, if small batches of similar doughs or baked goods are placed together in a container (like a bag or even a freezer, according to some opinions) and their combined amount is sufficient, challah must be separated.
How Old Do You Have to Be to Separate Challah?
A boy younger than 12 and a girl younger than 11 may not separate challah. If they did, challah should be separated again.
A boy aged 12 and a girl aged 11 ideally should not separate challah before they reach the age of bar or bas mitzvah. If they did separate challah, according to some opinions the mitzvah is valid, and acording to others challah should be separated again.