Challah
Making challah is more than just baking bread. “Taking” challah is one of the three special mitzvos reserved for the Jewish woman. The other two are to light Shabbos candles and to keep the laws of family purity. The first Jewish woman was Sarah, Avraham’s wife. Since she was meticulous in the observance of these three mitzvos, she merited three miracles. They were that the candles that she lit for Shabbos stayed lit until candle-lighting time of the next erev Shabbos; her dough was blessed so that it always provided for the needs of her family and guests and a cloud rested over her tent indicating that the Divine presence was always present in her home. May we also merit such great blessings!
To see how to make a six-strand braided challah, watch this video:
“Taking Challah”
When to separate challah
How to separate challah
How much to separate
Halachos of Hafrashas Challah
Braiding Challah
For instructions on how to make a four-strand braided challah, click here.
Challah, The Spiritual Bread
Aliza Bulow “Why Round Challah”
Rebbetzin Leah Cohen “Bread Larger than Life”
Rebbetzin Tzipporah Heller on “Unleashing the Holiness of Bread”
Leah Kotkes: “Holy Work: A Challah Memoir”
The Secret of Challah, “Blessing in the Home”