Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Judaism -> Halachic Questions and Discussions
Handing out the challah
Previous  1  2



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

myself




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Jan 12 2015, 11:50 am
amother wrote:
When I was young, I often went to a sefardi friend whose father also threw the challah at the Shabbos table. I think he noticed the shocked look on my face because I remember him explaining that they throw it in order to show that they do not have to stretch out their hand to ask for bread because that shows poverty. Like it says in the last paragraph of bentching "Vzaro mevakesh lachem"So they throw it to everyone as a sign of bracha and plenty. I've always thought that was such a beautiful minhag and remembered it for all these years Smile


Thanks for sharing. It always bothered my that FIL throws the challah. DH said it's a minhag and often does it too but knows I don't love the idea. I'm glad to know there's a source!

Obviously he doesn't throw it to those close by. DH cuts two pieces, dips them in salt, gives one to me, then takes a bite of his. We then proceed in child order from oldest to youngest.

How does your DH cut the challa? In straight lines or diagonally?
Back to top

Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Jan 12 2015, 4:23 pm
Modus operandi at chez Bissli:

1. DH makes hamotzi if challah is store bought (90% of the time), but I make hamotzi if I bake mine.
2. If the vast majority are Iraqis (and no one seems down with cold), we pass along the whole challah everyone reciting "poteach et yadecha umasbea lekol chai veratzon".
3. Very light incision on the challah you're cutting first, then bracha, then cut or tear away a piece,
dip in salt 3 times then whoever making hamotzi eats first.
No knife if using pitta or pull-apart challah (the ones that come in small clusters).
4. Then slice or tear, either throw in age order (if majority are Sephardim and/or close friends and/or smaller number of guests), or pass along on a platter (if majority are not familiar with the custom).
5. If there're tossing involved and if we have close friends with good sense of humour, at least one lady would pretend to be offended that she got her bread ahead of another woman...
Back to top

mille




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 10:05 am
I make hamotzi in our house. I cut (or tear) all the pieces, salt them all, then take my piece and pass the tray around the table, no preference really given to anyone in particular.
Back to top

goodmorning




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 11:13 am
sky wrote:

We don't "hand out" challah. We place it in front of the person or pass it out in a tray. I don't know why but my husband's family doesn't hand someone challah.


Shulchan Aruch OC 167:18
Quote:

הבוצע נותן פרוסה לפני כל אחד והאחד נוטל פרוסה בידו ואין הבוצע נותן ביד האוכל אלא אם כן היה אבל. (פרשה ציון בידיה רמז לפרוסת המוציא שנותנין בידו בשעת אבילות) (בית יוסף ואבודרהם בשם רמב"ם פרק ז' מהלכות ברכות ותשובות הרשב"א)

Mishna Brura (90)
Quote:

רמז לפרוסת המוציא - משמע דאין ראוי לעשות כן כשאינו אבל דלא ליתרע מזליה:


The Shulchan Aruch says that we do not place a slice of bread in a hand of one eating it, unless that person is an avel. (The Rema explains that the passuk פרשה ציון בידיה is a hint that the minhag is that the avel is directly handed food.)

The Mishna Brura says that if one is not an avel, it is inappropriate to have bread handed directly to him, lest his fate worsen.
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 11:21 am
I do not bite the challah before everybody gets a piece ... everyone dunks it themselves in salt 3x ... that's it then we eat

on occasion we have been known to rip apart a hot fresh challah without manners
Back to top

myself




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 11:37 am
goodmorning wrote:
The Shulchan Aruch says that we do not place a slice of bread in a hand of one eating it, unless that person is an avel. (The Rema explains that the passuk פרשה ציון בידיה is a hint that the minhag is that the avel is directly handed food.)

The Mishna Brura says that if one is not an avel, it is inappropriate to have bread handed directly to him, lest his fate worsen.


It's refreshing to see sources. I always knew you weren't supposed to hand over but didn't know why.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 12:05 pm
OP here. Thanks for your replies. So interesting so hear all the different minhagim!

So everyone pretty much agrees that after the person making motzi, the spouse gets first... then parents, etc?
Back to top

PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 2:32 pm
amother wrote:
OP here. Thanks for your replies. So interesting so hear all the different minhagim!

So everyone pretty much agrees that after the person making motzi, the spouse gets first... then parents, etc?


No. But YM and minhag MV.
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 2:51 pm
PinkFridge wrote:
No. But YM and minhag MV.


no comprende

although I also say no
Back to top

PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 4:12 pm
greenfire wrote:
no comprende

although I also say no


Translation: no, everyone does not agree that spouse gets before parents or in-laws. Your mileage and minhag may vary.
Back to top

sky




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 4:20 pm
amother wrote:
OP here. Thanks for your replies. So interesting so hear all the different minhagim!

So everyone pretty much agrees that after the person making motzi, the spouse gets first... then parents, etc?


Nope. I know a family where the parents or in-laws ALWAYS got before the spouse.
I could see my DH giving his father before me, accept that his father expressly told him to give me always before himself.
I think this is a family thing.
Back to top

FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 4:25 pm
amother wrote:
When I was young, I often went to a sefardi friend whose father also threw the challah at the Shabbos table. I think he noticed the shocked look on my face because I remember him explaining that they throw it in order to show that they do not have to stretch out their hand to ask for bread because that shows poverty. Like it says in the last paragraph of bentching "Vzaro mevakesh lachem"So they throw it to everyone as a sign of bracha and plenty. I've always thought that was such a beautiful minhag and remembered it for all these years Smile


I love this! What a lovely explanation. I see the "tossing" totally differently now.

My friends are stark Yeshivish, they'd probably be shocked to realize that they were doing something Sephardic! Wink
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 13 2015, 4:26 pm
PinkFridge wrote:
Translation: no, everyone does not agree that spouse gets before parents or in-laws. Your mileage and minhag may vary.


wow I would have never guessed ...

& I agree
Back to top

lfab




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 14 2015, 10:55 am
amother wrote:
OP here. Thanks for your replies. So interesting so hear all the different minhagim!

So everyone pretty much agrees that after the person making motzi, the spouse gets first... then parents, etc?


It's been a long time since we had parents/in-laws over on shabbos but the last time it did happen I believe my husband took challah for himself, then gave me a piece which I passed on to FIL, husband gave me another piece which I passed on to MIL, husband gave me a piece which I kept for myself, then gave to kids.
My husband always takes the first piece for himself to make sure there is no hefsek between the bracha and eating.
Back to top

Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 14 2015, 11:40 am
amother wrote:
OP here. Thanks for your replies. So interesting so hear all the different minhagim!

So everyone pretty much agrees that after the person making motzi, the spouse gets first... then parents, etc?


No, in strict age order (or best estimates). So not necessarily the spouse gets first.
Back to top
Page 2 of 2 Previous  1  2 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Judaism -> Halachic Questions and Discussions

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Challah dough in fridge?
by amother
7 Yesterday at 3:50 pm View last post
Anyone have a healthier challah alternative recipe?
by amother
18 Fri, Mar 22 2024, 3:10 pm View last post
Dessert challah for mishloach manos
by amother
9 Fri, Mar 22 2024, 1:03 pm View last post
How to package a challah roll?
by amother
6 Fri, Mar 22 2024, 12:53 pm View last post
How much should challah rolls weigh?
by tsc3
4 Tue, Mar 19 2024, 3:54 pm View last post