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In Judaism, the dough offering (or separation of challah, ) is an positive commandment requiring the owner of bread dough to give a part of the kneaded dough to a kohen (Jewish priest). The obligation to separate the dough offering (henceforth: challah) from the dough begins the moment the dough is kneaded, but may also be separated after the loaves are baked., mitzvah # 385 This commandment is one of the twenty-four priestly gifts. Bava Kamma 110b By biblical law the commandment is only obligatory in the Land of Israel, but rabbinic law applies it also to bread made outside the Land of Israel.Jerusalem Talmud ( Orlah 3:7); Maimonides, Mishne Torah ( Hil. Bikkurim 5:7); Jacob ben Asher, Arba'ah Turim ( Yoreh Deah 322:3); Shulhan Arukh ( Yoreh Deah 322:3).
The common modern practice in Orthodox Judaism is to burn (although simply throwing away the dough in a double-wrapped container is allowed) the portion to be given the Kohen, although giving the challah to a Kohen for consumption is permitted—even encouragedIgud HaKohanim, The Torah of Challah; Giving Challah To The Kohen, 2nd ed. 2016, p. 6-24,.—outside Israel (permitted with restrictions, see article below for detail).
In the above passage "cake" is () while "of dough" is (עריסה).
The return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile marked a renewal in adherence to numerous commandments, and the dough offering, "the first fruits of our dough," is listed as one of them ().Shaye J. D. Cohen From the Maccabees to the Mishnah 1987 Page 141 "dealings with "the peoples of the land" on the Sabbath: to observe the seventh year ("the year of release"); and to support the temple and its priesthood through a wide variety of offerings (money, wood, first fruits, firstborn, dough,"
Certain preparations of dough were exempt from the duty of separating the dough-offering, such as Zalabiyeh dough that was made with a thin-batter, variously mixed with spices or milk-products, and deep-fried in oil to be made into fritters., Hallah 1:4, s.v. וסופגנין ודובשנין ואסקיטין: " Sūfgenīn, etc. Different types of bread which from the start of its kneading they mix therein oil or honey or spice and are cooked by different methods prescribed in cooking, and are so-called according to their ingredients and also according to the manner in which they are cooked.") Included in this exemption is dough that has been kneaded with milk and honey to be deep-fried over a stove into honey-cakes (Hebrew: dūḇshanīn). Although exempt from the dough-offering, they still require the separation of regular tithes.Mishnah Hallah 1:4 (p. 83) The Jerusalem Talmud Hallah 1:4 - end makes the exemption of separating the dough-offering contingent upon breadstuffs that have been cooked in a frying pan or pot over a stove, rather than baked in an oven. If these were baked as bread in an oven, they would still require the separation of the dough-offering. (END QUOTE); cf. , mitzvah # 385; cf. Babylonian Talmud ( Pesahim 37a) A quantity of dough equalling 1.6 kilogram or more which was prepared to make hardened biscuits (Hebrew: qanūḇqa’ot) requires the separation of the dough offering.Mishnah Hallah 1:5; cf. , s.v. Mishnah ( Hallah 1:5), who explains qanūḇqa’ot as ka'akin and which were traditionally baked in an oven.
The Torah does not specify what quantity of dough must be given to the kohen. This is discussed in the Talmud; the rabbinical stipulation is that 1/24 is to be given in the case of private individuals, and 1/48 in the case of a commercial bakery.
If no separation is done while cooking, it can be done after baking without a blessing.
With this in mind, the Tosefta,Tosefta, Challah 4:4 followed by the Rishonim, encouraged the act of separating "Challah" in order that the Mitzvah not be forgotten entirely, along with the full recitation of a blessing before the dough is separated. The blessing recited is "asher kiddeshanu bemitzvotav ve'tzivanu le'hafrish challah." Shulhan Arukh ( Yoreh Deah 328:1)
The common practice of Diaspora Jewry is to burn the Challah; home bakers fulfill this by tossing the Challah to the back of the oven.Meir Abulafia to Yoreh Deah 322:5 However, it is Halacha permitted in the Diaspora to give the separated Challah to a Kohen for consumption,as the Mitzvah of giving Trumath Challah outside Israel is only Rabbinic and not D'oraita and even encouraged by some Rabbinic authorities,Tosefta, Challah 4:4. Nahmanides with the provision that the Kohen has immersed in a Mikvah.(rior to consumption) – And no Tumah is being excreted from his Body – Shulchan Aruch HaRav 457:20 The Kohen is also required to recite the required Berakhah thanking God for sanctifying the Kohanim with the sanctity of Aaron.Meir Abulafia to Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 322:5 (quoted from the Rambam) : " ברוך את ה' אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו בקדושתו של אהרן וצוונו לאכול תרומה" In Yemen, whenever baking a quantity of dough which required the separation of the dough-offering, one small loaf of flatbread was removed from the batch and designated as Challah and burnt, while another small loaf of flatbread from the same batch, being non-consecrated bread, was given to a small child of the priestly stock and eaten by him, so that the practice of giving the Challah would not be forgotten amongst Israel.See for a comparison ; cf. Halakhot Gedolot, vol. 3 of the Makitzei Nirdamim edition, ed. Ezriel Hildesheimer, "Hilkot Ḥallah", Jerusalem 1987, p. 400
The commentators to the Shulchan Aruch record that it is the Minhag of some Diaspora Jews to give Challah (in this case fully baked Passover matzah) from the dough used for baking "Matzot Mitzvah" (the Shmurah Matzah eaten during Passover) to a Kohen minor to eat.Be'er Hetev to Yoreh Deah 322:7; Sha"ch to above chapter
The requirement applies in Israel even during the Shmittah (Sabbatical) year.Talmud Bavli, Bechorot 12b Even the pauper who is entitled to collect Peah and would be exempt from giving Ma'aser (Tithe) is obligated to give Challah from his dough portion. The dough from Maaser Sheni is likewise not exempt from Challah giving.Sifri to Bamidbar 15:21
The mitzvah of separating challah is traditionally regarded as one of the three Mitzvot performed especially by women.Mishnah, Shabbat 2:6
Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno reasons that God wished to negate the negative effect of the sin of The Twelve Spies by establishing this Mitzvah in order that bracha ("divine blessing") should rest in the homes and on the dough products of the Jews.Sforno to Numbers 15:20
In Shlomo HaKohain of Greece's Kabbalah commentary on the Zohar, the performing of this commandment by women, who traditionally did the cooking, uplifts the dough from a state of tevel (spiritual non-readiness) and brings it to a state of khullin (mundane and permitted to its owner), thereby correcting the action of Eve who gave of the forbidden fruit to her husband.Shlomo HaKohain of Greece שעת רצון על הזוהר Sha'at ratzon al ha Zohar vol. 1 p. 36b
The Jerusalem Talmud implies that the commandment was given before the sin of the Twelve Spies, even though it is recorded (immediately) afterwards.Jerusalem Talmud ( Taanit 23b)
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