The Torah states, “As the first yield of your dough shall you set aside a loaf as a gift; you shall set it aside like the gift from the threshing floor.” This means that just as there is an obligation to set aside tithes from produce grown in Israel, such as wheat, grapes, and olives, there is also an obligation to set aside a portion of any dough one makes. This Mitzvah applies both in Israel and abroad (see Berachot 27a).
When this is Done
This Mitzvah applies when one prepares a dough for baking purposes, such as for bread, cakes, cookies, and the like, at which time one must separate a small amount of dough, as we shall explain further.
What to Separate Challah From
The Mitzvah to separate Challah applies only to doughs made from the five types of grain (Mishnah Challah, Ch. 1), which are: Wheat, barley, spelt, oat, and rye.
Once the flour from the aforementioned grains is mixed well with water and becomes dough (see Rosh, Hilchot Challah, Ch. 3), Challah should be separated.
The Order of Separating Challah
Before separating Challah (the small amount of dough from the bigger dough), one should recite the following blessing: “Baruch Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Ve’tzivanu Le’Hafrish Challah Terumah.”
Although there are varying versions of this blessing (especially among Ashkenazim), the above has been the customary text for this blessing according to the Sephardic and Middle Eastern rite for many generations. Ashkenazim, however, conclude this blessing with the words “Le’Hafrish Challah Min Ha’Issah.”
After concluding the blessing, one should remove a small piece of dough and proclaim, “This is Challah Terumah.”
What is Done with the Separated Challah
During times when people could purify themselves from ritual impurity through the sprinkling of the ashes of the Red Heifer, separated Challah was given to Kohanim who would then eat it during times of ritual purity. Nowadays, however, when we are all ritually impure by means of coming in contact with corpses and we do not have the Red Heifer to purify ourselves, the separated Challah should be burned so that Kohanim (or others) do not eat it inadvertently, since eating impure Challah is a grave sin. When burning the Challah is not possible or impractical, one may place the Challah in its own plastic bag and then discard it gently in the trash.
In the next Halacha, we shall explain the amount of flour necessary to obligate one to separate Challah.
