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...
Hanukah – One Who Cannot Afford Enough Oil for the Hanukah Candles
Hanukah – Eulogies, Fasting and Visiting Cemeteries During Hanukah
The Beracha Recited Before and After One Eats a Jelly Donut; Placing a Jelly Donut on a Hot Plate on Shabbat
Chanukah- Where Should the Menorah in the Synagogue be Positioned
Chanukah- Should One Continue To Light If He Missed Lighting The Night Before
The Custom to Eat Cheese on Hanukah; Reciting a Beracha When Eating Cheese on a Cracker
Chanukah- Guidelines Concerning Situations Where a Congregation Read the Wrong Selection from the Torah During Chanukah
Chanukah- Warming Fried Jelly Doughnuts on Shabbat & A Mourner's Participation in Chanukah Celebrations
Chanukah- In The Event You Forgot Sh’hecheyanu The First Night
Chanukah- Do We Repeat All 3 Berachot When Lighting In The Synagogue On The First Night of Chanukah?
Chanukah- When Is It Permissible To Recite Hallel
Mincha Erev Shabbat When The First Night of Chanukah Occurs on Friday Night
Chanukah- Should One Light When In A Place Full of Goyim Even If His Wife Lights In His Stead At Home
For How Long Must the Chanukah Candles Burn in the Synagogue?
Chanukah- Should One Still Recite She'hecheyanu If Lighting After A Person Lit In His Stead On The First Night
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found