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 do Jews eat 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.
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.
What does challah 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.
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 good? ›
There are so many more.) 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 does challah have to be braided? ›
Challah loaves are often braided. The three strands of the braid may represent truth, peace and justice.
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.
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 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.
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.
How healthy is challah bread? ›
Challah Bread Nutritional Facts and Calories
| Amount Per Serving | % DV |
|---|
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Proteins | 3g | 4% |
| Cholesterol | 16mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 206mg | 9% |
7 more rowsShulchan Aruch (OC 167: 5) writes that one should not recite Hamotzi until condiments or salt are brought to the table, so the challah can be dipped right after hamotzi. Mishnah Berurah (167:27) explains that dipping in salt or condiments makes the first bite tasty and adds honor to the beracha.
What do you say when taking challah? ›
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us to separate challah. Hold the piece of dough and say “harei zo challah” (This is challah).
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.
Is challah bread lean or rich? ›
Challah. Beautifully braided into a loaf or round, this enriched yeast bread is slightly sweet and is rich with eggs and oil.
Why is it called challah? ›
Even 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.
How long does challah last? ›
Storage information: Store any leftover challah, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage. While challah does tend to dry out after a day or so, it's always good toasted, or made into grilled sandwiches or French toast.
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.
Is Challah bread unhealthy? ›
Depending on the ingredients that are used, challah can either be very nutritious, or high in fat, refined carbohydrates, and sugar. It is made without butter, but many recipes call for oil, which can increase the amount of fat in the bread. To make it healthier, you can make challah with whole wheat flour.
Since that time Jews have had a vague conception of what constitutes challah — usually it's a sweet, often white, bread that contains eggs, and is braided. But there isn't any definitive challah recipe or definition provided by the authors of the Talmud.
