DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 582 KB)
Is It Permissible To Eat Bread Made By A Non-Jew

Halacha forbids partaking of "Pat Akum," or bread baked by a gentile in his own home. Even if all the ingredients and utensils were Kosher, one may not eat bread baked by a non-Jew in his personal premises. (Shulchan Aruch, Yore Deah, siman 112:1-2)

The authorities debate the question of whether this Halacha extends to bread that a gentile bakes in a bakery. The Shulchan Aruch (ibid) brings that by "Pat Pattar" (bakery bread), there are some places that are lenient provided of course that the bread was baked under proper Kashrut supervision.

Those who follow the lenient position should nevertheless refrain from partaking of "Pat Akum" on Shabbat, particularly when fulfilling the obligation of Lechem Mishneh (using two loaves of bread at each of the three Shabbat meals) (Mishna Berura, siman 242, seif kattan 6.) Many pita houses in Brooklyn and leading brands of pita are run by gentiles, and thus even those who partake of this bread generally should refrain from doing so on Shabbat. It is perhaps for this reason that the custom developed for women to bake Chalot on Erev Shabbat, to ensure that all the bread consumed on Shabbat had been baked by a Jew.

If, however, the only bread available on Shabbat is bread that had been baked in a gentile bakery, one may and must use that bread to fulfill the obligation of partaking of bread on Shabbat.

Summary: One may not partake of bread prepared by a gentile in his home. Many people follow the view allowing the consumption of kosher bread baked in a gentile bakery, but on Shabbat one should be stringent in this regard, unless he has no access to bread baked by a Jew.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Customs Relevant to Rosh Hodesh
May One Eat Lunch Before Reciting Minha?
Is One Obligated to Pay for Repairs Before Retrieving the Item From the Repairman?
Does a Partial Payment Avoid the Prohibition Against Withholding Wages?
“Bal Talin” – The Prohibition Against Delaying the Payment of Wages
Outbidding A Deal, and Offering A Higher Salary To An Employee From Another Firm
The Obligation to Pay Employees on Time
Dressing Oneself Before Washing His Hands in the Morning; Washing One's Hands if One Awakens Before Hasot
Sleeping with Sisit; Having One’s Tallit Dry Cleaned
Does A Parent Have Rights To The Gifts Given To Thier Minor Children
May One Ride on a Freight Ship Steered by Jews on Shabbat?
Taking a Cruise That Embarks on Thursday or Friday
Must One Repeat Netilat Yadayim During a Meal if He Touches a Sefer Torah, Megilla or Tefillin?
May a Man Shake a Woman's Hand?
Important Dates in the Month of Heshvan
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found