Question:
Someone mentioned that i must have two challa rolls at my meals on Shabbos. Is this correct? What other halachos pretain to reciting hamotzi on shabbos?
Answer:
For the Shabbos meals one should have Lechem Mishna meaning that one needs to make Hamotzei over two loaves of bread on Shabbos and Yom Tov in commemoration of the double portion of manna that fell before Shabbos and Yom Tov.
Women are also obligated in Lechem Mishneh. Some say that the women should hear the Bracha from the one making HaMotzei on the two loaves, while others say that it is sufficient HaMotzei on the piece given to them.
One should wait for everyone to sit before reciting Hamotzei in order to fulfill Lechem Mishna.
There are multiple reasons for covering the challah. Some say that it is in commemoration of the manna which was covered with dew. Others say that it is so as not to “embarrass” the bread as we are reciting the Kiddush before HaMotzei.
Some say that it isn’t necessary to cover mezonos while reciting kiddush, while others disagree and hold that mezonos must be covered.
It isn’t obligatory to cover the challah during Seudas Shelishis, however, some have the minhag to do so.
There is a dispute if a clear covering of the challah is sufficient according to the reason that the challah’s are covered so as not to be embarrassed by the wine that takes precedence over it.
During the daytime meal everyone agrees that one could have the challah on the table covered before kiddush.The Kaf HaChaim 274:12 writes that one should continue to hold both loaves of bread while he breaks the first loaf. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav 274:2 argues that one may place one of them down after the bracha and then break the other loaf.
The loaves should be at least the size of a Kezayis
Before eating the challah, one should dip it in salt. If one does not have salt, The Beit Yosef 167 brings from the Shibbolei Haleket that this is because one’s table is compared to the mizbeach, and salt was used with every sacrifice in the beis hamikdash. If there is no salt he should dip it in something else which has salt or in it e.g a bowl of pickles or even into sugar according to some poskim.
The halacha is that Both challahs should be complete. Even if part of the challah is burnt according to the Mishna Brurah 274:2 it is still considered whole.
Preferably, both loaves should be fresh but if one is frozen it may still be used,according to most opinions. The Shmiras Shabbos K’hilchasa 55:12 says that since the bread will soon become edible it is considered that you have two loaves. The opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein was that one may use frozen challah as Lechem Mishnah. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach held that it might only be permissible if the bread will defrost by the end of the meal.
The challahs should not be in a bag or wrapped up during the brocha. If two loaves of bread stuck together in the oven and then were separated gently each one is considered whole for the mitzvah of Lechem Mishna.
If one only has one loaf of bread one may use Pas habah BeKisnin for the second loaf to fulfill Lechem Mishna.
Preferably pas yisrael should be used, meaning bread that was baked by a Jew, but if this isn’t possible then any kosher bread can be used.
If one doesn’t have even one whole loaf, it is still preferable to use two slices than just one.
When passing out the challah, one should not give the challah directly into the hands of someone else but rather one should place it down on a plate or the table. One should not throw the challah across the table.
It is preferable to eat slightly more than a Kebeitza of bread for the meals, however, many hold that one fulfills the obligation by eating only a kezayis. However, if one only eats a kezayis, according to many opinions he should not say the Bracha of Al Netilas Yadayim when washing beforehand.One should make sure to eat a kezayis of bread for the meals of Shabbos within Shiur Kedi Achilas Pras.
On Friday night, one should cut the lower of the two loaves. |