A Guidebook to Two Meaningful Mitzvos

Hadassah Bay

Whoever I speak to, I hear about more and more women who have begun to make challah baking a regular part of their Shabbos prep. And while the wonderful aroma of fresh-baked challah filling the home is certainly a bonus, it’s clearly the actual blessing over the hafrashas challah, and the accompanying auspicious time for prayer, that provides the inspiration to continue, week after week.  This rediscovery of hafrashas challah has created a corresponding need for a clear, precise and detailed guide to the finer points of the mitzvah.

The Laws of Challah and Hadlakas Neiros, authored by HaRav Shraga Kallus and Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky, is a beautifully formatted, user-friendly handbook that does just that, and more. In this one handy volume, the mitzvos of hafrashas challah as well as hadlakas neiros – two of the special mitzvos pertaining especially to women – are clearly explained and annotated in an engaging, interesting text, full of true-to-life examples and supplementary information that give the reader a full understanding of the halachos as well as the deeper meaning behind them.

In the section about hafrashas challah, the book provides all the relevant technical details, such as the minimum amount of flour needed to prepare a dough from which challah must be separated, according to the main opinions. For maximum clarity, all flour amounts are given in both pounds and kilos, as well as the approximate number of cups. The clear directions explain which type of baked goods require hafrashas challah, how to do it, how to discard the separated piece, as well as various scenarios and questions.

The section on hadlakas neiros likewise provides the basics of the mitzvah and presents various scenarios and their practical applications. Newly married women as well as those who have been performing this mitzvah for decades will find the information here truly enlightening!

Both sections feature “post-it” notes throughout the text facts that apply to the accompanying text and that are as interesting as they are enriching.

As both hafrashas challah and hadlakas neiros are auspicious times for prayer, the book includes various traditional prayers and supplications for shidduchim, children, livelihood, health and more. All the prayers throughout the book appear in Hebrew with English translation that appears after every paragraph so that the reader can easily follow and understand.

The book was written with the goal of serving all types of readers and includes a Glossary with translation of Hebrew terms as well as an Index that makes each topic easy to find.

The Laws of Challah and Hadlakas Neiros is the third volume in the Halachah 4 You series written by HaRav Kallus and Rabbi Slansky. The concept is meant to make the study of halachah easily accessible, understandable, applicable and enjoyable. Their other books are Wine, Whisky & Halachah, a guide to the laws of kashrus pertaining to wine and spirits, and The Laws of Yichud, halachos pertaining to the many circumstances and areas in life where the principle of yichud applies. All three books are available on Amazon or at selected sefarim stores.

As women across the Jewish world are rediscovering the special, there is a corresponding demand to learn more about the precise details

There is no doubt that the mitzvah of hafrashas challah has gained tremendous traction in recent years as more and more women across the Jewish world rediscover this mitzvah, considered one of the three mitzvos especially attributed to women.