Challah bread
1 2018-09-27T14:11:53-07:00 Zomick's 5678dd50100a0343e84912caabe117f5ba1a9c00 8416 1 plain 2018-09-27T14:11:55-07:00 Zomick's 5678dd50100a0343e84912caabe117f5ba1a9c00This page is referenced by:
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2018-09-27T14:12:29-07:00
Everything About Challah
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2018-09-27T14:12:29-07:00
In its best known usage, the Hebrew word refers to the two loaves of bread that make up the center of the Shabbat meal. But, according to Rabbi Shimon form the bakery, where the delicious Zomick’s Challah Bread is made, in its basic, biblical and static meaning, the word refers to the piece of dough that is traditionally separated and consecrated to G-d every time we cook bread.
Separating the Challah is one of the 613 mitzvot (Divine precepts) that constitute the body and soul of Jewish life. Full of spiritual significance, it is one of the three main mitzvot of the Jewish woman and has a far-reaching effect on the mind and heart of the person who fulfills it, in her family, and in the very nature of her home. For hundreds of generations, Jewish women throughout the world have fulfilled this beautiful and transforming mitzvah.
Rabbi Shimon shares that, every time when the delicious Zomick’s Challah is made, a portion of the dough is separated and burned out.
Why Challa?
When the Jews first entered and settled in the land of Israel, one of the many gifts they ordered to give to the Kohanim, the priestly tributary who served in the Holy Temple, was "challah" -a portion of dough that was separated when they baked the loaf.
From Zomick’s explain that, in addition to its practical function as a gift to the Kohanim, the mitzvah of "separating of the challah" has a deep spiritual meaning. In our life, Challah is the portion for Gd from our bread. It expresses the belief that all our sustenance comes, from His hand. Just as we cannot eat the bread dough unless we have separated a challah, so a portion of our being is always reserved to provide charity.
The Torah refers to challah as reishit, the "first and best" bit of the dough. In the same way, our spiritual persecutions, although they occupy only a small part of our lives, are "the first and the best" of us.
Challah in the present
Today, because the Holy Temple is destroyed and the conditions of ritual purity in which the Kohanim ate together are not available, it is a fact that we don’t give the Challah to the Kohen.
However, in remembrance of this gift and in anticipation of the future redemption and rebuilding of the Holy Temple, we still observe the mitzvah of challah separation. We take the piece of dough, but instead of eating it, we burn it, since its sanctity forbids us to use it in any way.
Who makes the Challah?
From the Zomick’s Challah bakery point out, in a recent post for Twitter, that the mitzvah of separating challah is present in every Jew. However, traditionally, this has been one of the mitzvot especially entrusted to the Jewish woman. As in "akeret abait" (the foundation of the home), the woman not only prepares the physical sustenance for the family, but also nourishes it spiritually.
The woman, so influential in shaping the values and attitudes of her family, brings the blessings in her home through this mitzvah and inspires faith of G-d in those around her.
Jewish women have traditionally cooked their own Challah, in preparation for Sabbath, valuing the opportunity to perform this special mitzvah.
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Shabbat Challah Bread
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2020-12-03T00:10:43-08:00
Challah bread is a very tasty brioche bread, commonly made every Friday for Shabbat (a Jewish religious holiday). The texture of its crumb is really light, mellow and full of flavor. We went to the kosher bakery Zomick’s and were overwhelmed by the taste and quality of their Zomick’s Challah bread.
When we entered the bakery, one of the Zomick’s bakers has had just taken the Zomick’s Challah bread from the oven and offered us a slice of it with a cup of coffee. We were amazed by the good taste of a brioche which the Zomick’s baker had lightly scented with vanilla. Here, we will share all we have learned from our visit at the Zomick’s kosher bakery, a bakery with a long tradition.
Traditional Jewish challah, Shabbat bread
Since it is a bread that accompanies all savory or sweet dishes on Shabbat, the Zomick’s Challah bread is made with water and not milk or any other dairy product. In addition to looking a lot like a classic pure butter brioche, the Zomick’s Challah is nonetheless made from simple ingredients of water, sugar or honey, flour and oil. In short, in Judaism it is not allowed to consume meat and a milk product together.
“To shape the Zomick’s Challah bread, I respected the traditional braiding, and that is a 4-branch braid. I admit that it is not obvious at a first glance, but once you have memorized the steps of the preparation process, you can move quickly. The addition of orange blossom did not alter the recipe and it is a real treat for breakfast with a little jam or butter spread,” says the baker in charged for making the Zomick’s Challah, who has shared with us the kosher baking story.
A fragrant bread for children's snacks
The Zomick’s Challah bread is usually sprinkled with poppy seeds, however some can be sprinkled with pearl sugar. The Zomick’s baker also added some orange blossom water for taste. A good, very light and delicious bread that can be garnished with raisins or chocolate chips for children's snack.