What is challah bread and why is it eaten on Shabbat?

The mitzvah of challah

“Of the first of your dough you shall set apart a cake (challah) as a gift” (Numbers 15:20). Today a piece of dough the size of an olive is separated and burned, or wrapped and discarded, since it may not be eaten. The blessing (“lehafrish challah”) is said when the dough was made from about 1.2–1.7 kg of flour or more, depending on the measure one follows; with smaller amounts the piece is taken without a blessing. Separating challah is one of the mitzvot traditionally associated with women.

Two loaves

When the manna fell in the desert, a double portion fell on Friday for Shabbat (Exodus 16:22). So the sages instituted lechem mishneh – blessing over two whole loaves at each Shabbat meal. The loaves are covered with a cloth during kiddush, the blessing hamotzi is said, and the bread is dipped in or sprinkled with salt, recalling the salt on the altar offerings.

Shapes and recipes

The braided egg bread is an Ashkenazi tradition from Central Europe; Sephardi and Middle Eastern Jews often use pita-like or round loaves, or a simpler bread. On Rosh Hashanah round challot symbolise the cycle of the year, often with raisins. Any kosher bread can serve as lechem mishneh, as long as it is whole.

Is it dairy?

Most challah is pareve (made with oil, not butter), so it can be eaten with meat. Bread may not be baked dairy without a distinctive shape or mark, so it is not eaten with meat by mistake.