Challah (tractate) facts for kids
A portion of dough was separated for the priests
|
|
| Tractate of the Talmud | |
|---|---|
| English: | Dough offering |
| Seder: | Zeraim |
| Number of Mishnahs: | 38 |
| Chapters: | 4 |
| Babylonian Talmud pages: | - |
| Jerusalem Talmud pages: | 28 |
| Tosefta chapters: | 2 |
|
|
|
Challah (in Hebrew: חלה, meaning "Loaf") is an important book of Jewish law. It is the ninth part of Seder Zeraim, which means "Order of Seeds". This book talks about the rules for separating a special part of dough. This part is called challah (the dough offering).
This book is found in the Mishnah, which is a collection of Jewish oral laws. Unlike some other parts of the Mishnah, Challah does not appear in the Babylonian Talmud. Instead, its rules are discussed in the Talmud Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud) and the Tosefta.
Contents
Where Challah Fits in Jewish Law Books
The book of Challah is placed after the book of Ma'aser Sheni in the Seder Zeraim. This order makes sense because of how the laws work. First, people would separate other special gifts from their crops. These gifts included terumah (a gift for priests) and maaser rishon (a tithe for Levites) and maaser sheni (a second tithe).
After these gifts were taken, the crops were ground into flour and kneaded into dough. It was at this point that the dough became subject to the laws of challah. So, the book of Challah comes next in the order of the laws.
What You'll Find in Challah
The book of Challah has 38 sections called mishnayot. These sections are divided into four main chapters. Each chapter focuses on different rules about the dough offering.
Chapter 1: Five Species
This chapter has nine mishnayot. It explains which types of dough need to have a challah portion separated. It helps you understand what kinds of bread or baked goods are included in this rule.
Chapter 2: Produce
This chapter has eight mishnayot. It teaches how to properly separate the challah portion from the dough. It covers the specific steps and rules for this important action.
Chapter 3: One May Snack
This chapter has ten mishnayot. It talks about the rules of using the challah portion. It explains what happens if someone accidentally uses or eats the challah portion when they shouldn't.
Chapter 4: Two Women
This chapter has eleven mishnayot. It discusses how different batches of dough can be combined for the challah rule. It also explains the rules for giving the separated challah portion to a priest.
Important Writings About Challah
Many important Jewish scholars have written about the book of Challah. This is because the mitzvah (commandment) of separating challah is still practiced today. It is done both in Israel and in other parts of the world where Jewish people live.
Some famous scholars who wrote about Challah include Rambam and Ramban. Their writings helped explain the laws of Challah in detail. Later scholars like the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch also included the laws of Challah in their major law books. These writings help people understand and follow the rules of challah in their daily lives.
See also
In Spanish: Jalá (Talmud) para niños
