Pouring salt on challah is a widely observed part of the Shabbos meal. The reason for it, however, reveals a puzzling inconsistency between weekday and Sabbath behavior. The Gemara Berakhos 40a states that someone reciting the ha-motzi blessing on bread must wait until salt is brought to him.
According to all of these explanations, our bread and challah today do not need to be salted. Our bread and challah are high quality, contain salt and are generally eaten without dip. The Shulchan Arukh Orach Chaim rules like all three of these explanations leniently. Meaning, if any one of these three conditions are satisfied, you do not need to add salt.
However, the Rema ad loc. Additionally, salt protects from punishment. However, neither of his reasons apply specifically to Shabbos. To the contrary, some have the custom to refrain from adding salt on Friday night because no sacrifices were burned in the Temple at that time see Divrei Ha-Rav , p. Why do many people only salt their bread on Shabbos but not during the week?
The only answer I can think of is social. Nowadays, people tend to eat bread during the week as part of a sandwich. Often, a sandwich is already salty. Therefore, people are not used to eating plain bread during the week and, when they do, they do not think to salt it. However, this explanation is insufficient because according to the Rema, even a sandwich requires salt. Perhaps only our Shabbos tables are compared to an altar. But then why do we salt challah?
Leaving one knowledgeable in the hidden holy aspects of judaism to achieve something spiritually… While everyone else is being social! Please note the salt on the table is not connected at this point as you mentioned salt must always be on a table that any food is being eaten. Because the Shabbat meal is more formalized and thus we do the formal actions more punctiliously there? I know some Lubavitchers who dip their bread in salt during the week as well.
I know many people who salt their bread during the week. I grew up — like many others — with the custom to actually put salt on the challah on Shabbos. But what always puzzled me was that all the sources on it seemed to indicate that the salt just needs to be present, not actually eaten with the bread.
The actual salting of the bread is interesting, as well, and seems to have a cultural significance. I have seen many Ashkenazim who actually sprinkle salt on the bread, while many chassidim put the salt on the challah board or table and make sure to dip the bread into it. That could be from the quality of bread based on culture. Sfardim traditionally used pita, laffa or flat bread, akin to the types of breads you see the Arabs selling throughout Israel.
These breads are typically dipped into hummus, tehina, babaghanoush or something else when eaten alone without filling with felafel or shwarma. Anon makes an important point in distinguishing between placing salt on the table, which is brought down by the Rama and salting the bread for mystical reasons which is brought down by the bear heteiv in the name of the Ari.
Jerry, Tosfos in Brachos 40a brings a Midrash which says that salt being on the table is a protection for the period of time between washing our hands and making hamotzi when we are waiting and cannot speak. During this time we are sitting without the protection of mitzvos. The salt representing bris melach protects us. That most of us get too much sodium in our food today only heightens my appreciation of the salt-sprinkling ritual.
Might this practice serve as a new dietary standard, returning an ingredient used excessively to a condiment pinched sparingly? Caring about our lives and our covenant requires just that type of question.
Covid Read the latest updates Here. Sprinkling Salt on the Challah. Author Nancy Abramson David M. Boino Rachel Bovitz Yonatan Y. Diamond Ryan Dulkin Arnold M. His wife resented guests and discouraged them. One trick of hers was not to provide salt, a small thing which makes a big difference to guests. Therefore, she was punished by means of salt, measure for measure.
And to answer Sandra's last question, we say hamotzi on all types of bread, not only on challah. Study in Israel Explore Judaism Audio. Ask The Rabbi Ask!
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