Hilchos Hafroshos Chalah Part 2
- If a person has two portions of dough, neither one of which is large
enough to require taking Chalah, and he would be willing to have the
two portions combined into one, he can incur the obligation of taking Chalah
by placing them together in a single container. Preferably, the two portions
should be placed so that they touch each other, and no part of the dough
should protrude from the container. If it does, the container should be
covered with a cloth. If the two portions belong to different people, they
may not be combined unless it is clear that both of them would agree. - A portion of unbaked dough that is not large enough to require
taking Chalah cannot be combined with baked dough that is also
not large enough to require taking Chalah, to form a larger unit that
requires taking Chalah. Baked dough and unbaked dough are considered
two different types of food. Chalah taken from one is not counted
toward the Chalah that should be taken from the other. - If dough that is large enough to require taking Chalah is divided
into small portions from which Chalah would not be taken, the
portions are exempt from the mitzvah of Chalah only if they were
separated intentionally. - It is preferable to take Chalah after the dough has been kneaded
into a single unit. After Chalah has been taken, a quantity of flour
less than the quantity that requires Chalah may be added to the
dough. A larger quantity may be added only if, when Chalah was taken,
the stipulation was made that the Chalah taken would exempt flour
added later. - It is preferable to take Chalah from the unbaked dough, but Chalah
may also be taken from the baked dough and the blessing may be recited. - Sometimes it is preferable to take Chalah after the dough is baked.
For example, Chalah is taken from matzos only after the dough is
baked to avoid delay that might cause the matzos to become chametz. Chalah
is taken from lekach, which is prepared with a very loose dough, only
after it is baked, and without reciting the blessing.- Chalah
is taken from thick dough that will be cooked rather than
baked (such as noodles or jelly doughnuts) without reciting the blessing.
But if a portion of the dough will be baked, the blessing is recited. - Even though the mitzvah of Chalah pertains primarily to the owner
of the dough, the Rabbis placed this mitzvah upon women because it was a
woman who caused the loss of the “Chalah of the world,” that is,
the death of Adam HaRishon. Therefore a woman should try to prepare dough on
Erev Shabbos in a quantity that requires her to take Chalah, and she
does not need the permission of her husband to take Chalah.
Nevertheless, her husband should take Chalah once in the course of
the year so that he may fulfill the mitzvah with his own hands. - The blessing that is said for the mitzvah of taking Chalah should
be recited while removing the Chalah. After the Chalah has
been removed, it is declared to be Chalah by saying: “This is Chalah.” - It is customary to remove a k’zais of dough as the Chalah.
It is then burned by itself. A Yisrael (non-Kohen) may not
benefit from the burning of Chalah. If it is difficult to burn the Chalah,
it should be tossed away in a respectful manner. It should be wrapped in two
plastic bags before it is discarded. - If a piece of the Chalah falls back into the dough, one should
consult a Rabbi. - On Shabbos, it is forbidden to take Chalah. On holidays, if the
dough was kneaded before the holiday, it is forbidden to take Chalah.
If it was kneaded on the holiday, it is permissible to take Chalah. - If one remembers on Shabbos that Chalah was not removed from the
bread (or any other baked goods from which Chalah must be taken),
then, in Eretz Yisrael, it is muktzah, for it is tevel (untithed
produce), and tevel is muktzeh. Outside of Eretz Yisrael,
where bread may be eaten and the Chalah removed after Shabbos, it is
not muktzah. - Regarding the taking of Chalah on Shabbos bein hashmashos (between
sunset and night-time): In Eretz Yisrael, if there would be nothing
to eat if Chalah were not taken, it may be taken. Outside of Eretz
Yisrael, where bread may be eaten and the Chalah removed after
Shabbos, it is forbidden to take Chalah bein hashmashos.
