Chapter 35: The Separation of Challah

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§1

Dough which is made of the five grains require the separation of challah. Before separating challah the following berachah is said: Baruch ata Adonoy, Elokeinu, Melech ha'olam asher kideshanu bemitzvosav vetzivanu lehafrish challah [min ha'isah.] A kazayis of dough is then taken and burned in fire. The custom is to burn it in the oven in which the bread will be baked.

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§2

What is the minimum amount of dough from which you must separate challah? An amount containing 5 quarters of flour, which is equivalent [to the displacement of] 43 and 1/5 eggs.

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§3

Matzos which are baked for Pesach, even though each individual batch does not have the required amount of flour, nevertheless, since the matzos are placed in one container, the container combines them into one unit and you must separate challah. You must be careful that all the matzos are inside the container. Even though part of a matzoh is inside the container and some of it protrudes out of the container, it is, nevertheless, considered as one unit. But if whole matzos are lying above [outside] the container and are not [at all] inside the container, they cannot be considered joined to the rest; and even if they are covered by a cloth, it is not sufficient.4 But if you place the matzos in a sheet and you cover them with this same sheet, the sheet is considered like a container and it combines all the matzos into one unit, even though in the middle some of the matzos are uncovered. But be careful that a whole matzah does not protrude outside of the covering.

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§4

Leaven taken from dough for the purpose of fermenting other dough, must be removed before separating challah. But leaven which is taken for fermenting liquids called borscht, should be removed after you have separated challah.

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§5

After Pesach when you buy leaven from a non-Jew to ferment dough, be careful to separate a piece of dough for challah which is greater in size than the leaven [bought from the non-Jew].

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§6

When you make dough for cooking or frying, separate challah without reciting the berachah. But if you intend baking some of the dough, even a small portion, separate challah with a berachah.

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§7

If the dough is kneaded with eggs or fruit juices, many questions arise [concerning the requirement for challah], therefore you should add some water, milk, bee honey, wine or olive oil when kneading the dough. Then the challah may be separated with a berachah.

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§8

The mitzvah of separating the challah is the province of the woman of the house. But if the woman is not home, and there is concern that by the time she returns the dough will be ruined, then the maid [obviously a Jewish maid] or someone else may separate the challah.

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§9

If you forget to separate challah on Friday, [from the bread to be eaten on Shabbos], in countries outside the land of Israel you may eat it on Shabbos, but you must set aside one piece, and separate challah from it after Shabbos is over. The piece should be large enough for the separation of challah with some remaining dough unsanctified, for there must be a noticeable remainder. If the day before Pesach occurs on Shabbos and you forgot to separate challah, from the challos baked for Shabbos5 there is a great controversy [as to the best procedure to follow.] Therefore, be especially careful on the day preceeding Shabbos, to remember to separate challah.