Challah Bread: The Recipe's Secret Ingredient, by Dr. Terry Harman

Challah for Shabbat

Challah Bread: Secret Ingredient

The secret ingredient in the recipe for challah bread is not in its shape, number of braids, yeast, or the sprinkling of sesame seeds. Challah’s beauty isn’t only in its golden braids or fragrant crust; it hides a secret meant for the heart, not just the kitchen. In seeking tradition, I stumbled into a deeper mystery, one that speaks to faith and the unseen gifts we bring to our table. If your soul longs for more than flour and yeast, keep reading and discover what truly makes challah holy and how it nourishes the soul.

The Biblical Meaning of Challah?

Bread becomes “challah” not because of a recipe, number of braids, or a shape, but through the act of setting it apart, making it holy, a Jewish sanctification, elevating it from ordinary bread for physical nourishment to sacred, spiritual nourishment for the soul.

The word challah comes from the Hebrew root hll, “to pierce,” and originally meant a thick, round, and perforated cake often made with oil. The Book of Samuel tells us that King David distributed hallat lehem, maybe ring-shaped bread, to the people after they brought the Ark into a special tent (II Sam. 6: 19; I Chr. 16: 3, which calls it kikar lehem, a round loaf). According to the temple ritual, twelve challot (the plural of challah), made of fine flour, were placed at the altar (Lev. 24: 5). Outside of the temple, all Israelites, during the process of baking bread, were required to set aside a loaf (challah) of bread “as a gift to the Eternal” (Num. 15: 20), which the prophet Ezekiel interpreted as being donations to the priests (Ezek. 44: 30). (1)

Numbers 15:17-21 JPS 1917

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye come into the land whither I bring you, then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread [lechem] of the land, ye shall set apart a portion for a gift unto the LORD. Of the first of your dough [ariycah] ye shall set apart a cake [challah] for a gift; as that which is set apart of the threshing-floor, so shall ye set it apart. Of the first of your dough [ariycah] ye shall give unto the LORD a portion for a gift throughout your generations.

Ezekiel 40:30 JPS 1917

And the first of all the first-fruits of everything, and every heave-offering of every thing, of all your offerings, shall be for the priests; ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough [ariycah], to cause a blessing to rest on thy house.

Blessing for Separating Challah

Before separating a small piece of dough (ariycah) from the batch, the following blessing is recited, recalling the priestly offerings in the Temple. This elevates the dough from a physical form of nourishment to spiritual nourishment for the souls of all who partake.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam

asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav

v’tzivanu l’hafrish challah (min ha’eesah).

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe,

Who sanctified us with His commandments

and commanded us to separate challah (from the dough).”​

After separating the piece of dough, the baker says, "Behold, this is challah."​ This is generally followed with a prayer that this challah ("dough offering") be acceptable to the Lord, and there be a spiritual blessing upon oneself and all who eat the challah bread.

Our Tables Altars before the Lord

When we sit down to break bread, the challah isn’t just a loaf of bread; it’s a way of making the ordinary holy. When the table is set and the challah is blessed, that table becomes a symbol of the ancient altar, echoing the sacred offerings (korban) once made in the Tabernacle, as the hearts of the people drew nearer to the Lord. As family and friends gather, whether familiar faces, newcomers, or those simply seeking a place to belong, the meal becomes nourishment for far more than just the body.

Long before the first slice is shared, before the baking begins, the blessing of challah acknowledges the Lord's provision, transforming this simple act of eating into a spiritual moment. The pause for the blessing of challah and wine, the joy of fellowship, and the rhythm of tradition make each Shabbat meal a kind of sanctuary in time. Through this setting aside and making holy the time, the week behind us is set apart, and our hearts are refilled for all that lies ahead.

Concluding Thoughts

Challah is so much more than just something delicious on the table. When we gather for Shabbat and bless this bread, we aren’t just sharing a meal; we’re pausing to say that this time, this table, and these people matter. Saying the blessing over challah bread helps us remember that eating together can be a spiritual moment; the table can become a place of connection and joy, almost like an altar in our own homes.

So, what is challah's secret ingredient? The blessing and setting aside of the small portion to acknowledge the Lord who provides and sustains us. It's a taste of holiness; a reminder that every table can be an altar, enhancing the bonds of family and friendship. Every meal is a chance for spiritual renewal, and every gathering with loved ones a doorway to a deeper, lasting blessing.

How You Can Thank Me

If you enjoyed reading this post and wonder how you can thank me, here’s what I ask: Take the inspiration you’ve found here and pass it on.

Consider donating your time, talents, or treasure to a worthy cause in your community. Maybe there’s a widow who could use help with her yard. Perhaps you know someone who’s recently lost a job and could use a helping hand. Your local community center, homeless shelter, or school program needs mentors; step in and give support.

Look within your own religious or spiritual community. What needs do you see around you? Where can you make a difference?

You don’t need a lot. Just do what you can, with what you have, to make this world a better place. Your kindness will ripple out farther than you can imagine. Thank you for being here, for reading, and for choosing to be a light. Terry

Footnotes

1 "Why Is Challah So Beloved by the Jewish People?" ReformJudaism.org,

https://reformjudaism.org/why-challah-so-beloved-jewish-people. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.

References Consulted

“Challah: The Divine Dough.” Chabad.org, www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/484183/jewish/What-Is-Challah.htm. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

“The Significance of Challah.” Modernist Bread, 20 Sept. 2018, www.modernistbread.com/the-significance-of-challah/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

“What Is Challah?” My Jewish Learning, 14 July 2022, www.myjewishlearning.com/article/what-is-challah/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Why Is Challah So Beloved by the Jewish People?” ReformJudaism.org, 20 Apr. 2020, www.reformjudaism.org/blog/why-challah-so-beloved-jewish-people. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.