The Rama in siman 242 cites a custom for women to knead dough and bake in honor of Shabbat. By kneading the amount of dough required to separate Hallah, they merit to perform this misva on a weekly basis. This serves as a tikun for Hava’s role in the sin of Adam HaRishon, who the Gemara says was considered the Hallah of the world. Women take Hallah on Erev Shabbat to atone for Hava’s actions, which also took place on the first Friday of Creation.
The misva of Hallah is fundamentally a misva from the Torah. However, it only applies by Torah law when the Bet HaMikdash is standing and the majority of the Jewish People are in Eretz Yisrael. Therefore, in the times of Ezra HaSofer, although the second Bet HaMikdash was standing, the misva of Hallah was not d’Oraita because the majority of Jews lived in Babylonia. Since then, the misva is d’Rabanan, even in Israel. The Rabbis also instituted the misva of Hallah outside of Israel so, as the Rambam explains, the misva would not be forgotten during the Galut.
Many questions arise with regard to this misva. The first question is how much flour does one have to knead in order to be obligated in the misva? The Ben Ish Hai ruled that the minimum amount is 777 dirham, which is about 2.2 Kilogram. However, Hacham Ben Sion and Hacham Ovadia disagree and rule that the minimum amount is 520 dirham, which is 1.56 Kilogram.
The second question is whether dough intended for boiling or frying, e.g. to prepare donuts, is obligated in the misva. The Shulhan Aruch in the Halachot of Hallah rules that dough intended for frying is completely exempt. Even though the Ben Ish Hai held that one nonetheless should take Hallah without a Beracha, Hacham Ovadia and Hacham Ben Sion both held that Maran ruled that dough for frying does not require taking Hallah whatsoever.
The question of whether fried dough requires taking Hallah is connected to the question of what beracha is recited upon eating it. Maran, in the Halachot of Berachot (siman 168) brings two opinions on the matter. In the "Stam" (unattributed) opinion, Maran ruled like Rabbenu Shimshon that fried dough is Mezonot. In the "Yesh Omrim" (attributed) opinion, he brings the opinion of Rabbenu Tam that fried dough is Hamosi. In such instances, the general principle is that the Halacha is in accordance with the "Stam" opinion. Thus, Maran’s ruling that fried dough is exempt from Hallah is in accordance with his opinion that the beracha is not Hamosi. Both halachot are based on Maran’s underlying position that fried dough does not have the status of bread.
However, in the laws of berachot, Maran added one extra line, saying that a "Yareh Shamayim" (G-d fearing Jew) should refrain from eating fried bread to avoid entering a "Safek Beracha" (uncertain Beracha). Rather, he should first eat regular baked bread and have kavana that his Hamosi on the definite bread should also apply to the fried bread... This indicates that Maran’s ruling on the status of fried bread was not decisive. Yet, in the Halachot of Hallah, Maran did not recommend taking Hallah out of doubt.
Hacham Ben Sion, therefore, says that in the Halachot of Hallah, Maran retracted his earlier opinion of uncertainty, and clearly ruled that fried dough does not have the status of bread.
KNEADING WITH OTHER LIQUIDS
If one Kneads dough with milk, the Ben Ish Hai ruled that Hallah should be taken without a beracha. Again, Hacham Ovadia argues, and says, based on Maran that dough kneaded with any one of the seven designated liquids including milk and olive oil, is obligated in Hallah with a beracha. However, dough kneaded with other liquids, such as eggs or fruit juice, is obligated without a Beracha.
ONE FORGOT TO TAKE CHALLAH
Hallah is supposed to be separated from the raw dough. In the event that a woman forgot to separate Hallah before baking, it may be separated, b’diavad, afterwards. However, if a woman forgot to take Hallah on Friday and didn’t remember until Shabbat, Hallah may not be taken on Shabbat. Nonetheless, it is permitted to eat the loaves as long as enough bread is left for Mosei Shabbat from which to take Hallah.
SUMMARY
Today, the Misva of taking Hallah is d’Rabanan (Rabbinically Ordained).
Dough consisting of more than 1.56 Kilograms of flour is obligated in the Misva of Hallah.
Dough intended for frying or boiling is completely exempt from Hallah.
Dough kneaded with milk or olive oil is obligated in Hallah with a Beracha.
Dough Kneaded with eggs or fruit juice is obligated in Hallah without a Beracha.
