A Complete Guide to Separating Challah


>  When Is Challah Separated

>  How to Separate Challah

>  Prayers

>  Customs & Segulot


The Meaning of Separating Challah

>  Challah Baking: A Divine Experience

>  A Blessing in the Home





How to Separate Challah

1.  Place the dough in front of you, before it has been formed into any sort of shape.

If you are separating challah from a loose batter, or if you forgot to separate challah before baking, see “Separating Challah After Baking.”

2.  Some have the custom to give charity or wash hands (netilat yadayim) without a blessing before fulfilling the mitzvah.

This is a favorable time for personal requests and prayers (see prayers).

3.  Recite the blessing.

It is the custom to stand while performing this mitzvah.

Ashkenazim:



Sephardim:



4.  Remove a small piece from the dough, lift it, and say:



The piece of dough can be of any size. The custom is to separate a kazayit – 28 grams (approximately one ounce), or the size of a ping-pong ball.


5.  Burn the separated dough or wrap it in two layers and discard it.

It is preferable to burn the piece of dough that has been separated, but not in the oven. If the challah is burned on the gas range, it should first be well wrapped in aluminum foil so that the dough does not touch the grate. Another option is to place the piece of dough inside a tin-can and burn it on a lit gas range.

If burning the challah cannot easily be done, it may be wrapped in two layers of a material such as aluminum foil or plastic bags and discarded.
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Challah Recipe:

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Separating Challah
A step-by-step guide to hafrashat challah, excerpted from the book. Click Here!

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