Siman 457

Since it is forbidden to bake more than the shiur of challah, and consequently one bakes slightly less, and if so, there is no shiur of challah in each dough, and it is forbidden to separate challah from it. And perhaps you will say: let us separate without a blessing due to the doubt? But even this is impossible, for perhaps afterwards he will place matzah from several doughs into one vessel, and the vessel will combine them for challah, and they will be obligated in challah by law. And he will think that he already took challah, and if there was not a shiur in each one—behold, the challah he took is nothing, and it will result in him eating tevel. Therefore, one should not separate from each dough by itself. And how shall he act? If there are many workers, and they make several doughs—he should take two doughs and stick them to one another slightly, according to the law explained in Yoreh Deah siman 325. And if the doughs are hard—he should place the edge of one upon the edge of the second, and cut challah from both of them and recite the blessing, and cast it into the oven. However, this is a remote thing to separate from the dough, because the time is pressing lest the dough become chametz. Therefore, even though ab initio it is a mitzvah to separate from the dough, nevertheless regarding matzah all of Israel are accustomed to separate after the baking, for the reason that has been explained.

And how shall he act? He should place several doughs, meaning the matzot baked from several doughs, into one basket or into another vessel that has rims. And thus we hold, that the basket joins them for challah just like kneading, and he shall take challah from one matzah, and fulfill the obligation for all of them. And he should be careful that they do not protrude from the rims of the vessel, for those that protrude—the basket does not join them, unless he placed a sheet over them from above, as the sheet encompasses all the matzot. And this is also like the joining of a vessel. And by placing a sheet, he does not require a vessel. And so too, even if there was the required measure in each dough, and he wishes to separate from one for all of them—he may do so. And in such a case, he does not even require the joining of a vessel, but rather that they be adjacent to one another. And even though challah of the Diaspora does not require proximity, as we hold that regarding challah of the Diaspora one may continue eating and afterwards separate—this is in one dough, but not in two doughs.

It is found according to this that there are three levels: If there is in the dough the measure of challah and he baked it – he may eat, and afterwards he shall separate. And this is in the Diaspora and not in the Land of Israel, as I wrote in Yoreh Deah there. And if there were two doughs or more, and he wishes to separate from one for all of them – he is forbidden to eat until he separates first, and he brings all the matzot close to one another, and separates from one for all of them. And he does not require the joining of a vessel. And if there is not in each dough the measure of challah – he requires the joining of a vessel or the covering of a sheet, as I have written. And before he joins them in one vessel – he is permitted to eat from each one, for they are exempt from challah. But after he has placed them in one vessel, or covered them with a sheet – he is forbidden to eat from them until he separates challah. And it is a great principle that this rule, that challah of the Diaspora does not require proximity, applies only when they were kneaded as one dough.

According to this, for us, since we do not bake the shiur of challah in every dough—they should be very careful to join them all in one vessel, and not in two vessels. And if they do not fit into one vessel—he should place the two vessels adjacent to one another, and spread a sheet over the two vessels, and take one challah for everything. And they should be careful to take challah immediately, and not to leave it until Erev Pesach. For perhaps he will forget, and on Yom Tov it is forbidden to separate. And also so that it does not come to a state of ruin. And so do the modest women act.

And according to this, if it happened that they divided the matzot into two vessels, and they took challah from one vessel, and from the second they did not take—that vessel has no remedy, because it is impossible for him to separate from the second vessel, for perhaps he will take from that dough from which he took in the first vessel, and behold it is exempt since he took from that dough. And it results that he separates from the exempt for the obligated. However, if he took in the first only from one matzah—there is a remedy for this, and that is that he should take from the second from several matzot, in a manner that there is among them one that is certainly not from the first dough. For example, if from every dough ten matzot emerge—he should take from eleven matzot, and so too anything similar to this. But if he took from several matzot—the second has no remedy until he bakes another small dough, and joins it inside the second vessel, and it will become obligated in challah, and he shall take from it for the entire second vessel.

However, if he wishes to take from each and every matzah—it is simple that he does not need to knead a new dough. And such is the law if they baked many doughs, and from some of them they took challah and from some of them they did not take, and afterwards they were all mixed together—for it is impossible to separate from one or two or more, for perhaps he will separate from those whose challah was already taken, and he would be separating from the exempt for the obligated, for this also requires all the regulations that have been explained. And in this there is no difference whether there was the measure of challah in each one or there was not. And this is what our teacher, the Rema, wrote: And if he took from some of the doughs, and from some he did not take, and they were mixed—he must take challah from each and every one, or he should knead another dough and take from it also for those that were mixed. And if he recognizes one matzah that is obligated in challah—he takes from it for the others. Thus far his words, and it is simple.

Therefore, when collecting matzot from all the householders before Pesach, given that there are those who have already separated challah and there are those who have not yet separated, because there are those who wait until the eve of Pesach—it is consequently impossible to separate challah from the collected matzot, for perhaps one will separate from those that have already been exempted, and he would be separating from the exempt for the obligated. Therefore, it is necessary to bake an additional dough, and join it to all the matzot, and take from it for all of them. And so is the common custom among us, when collecting matzot for the wheat funds from all the householders, two or three matzot.

And know that there is one who holds that just as with a single dough—one may continue eating and afterwards separate; so too with doughs where there was not a shiur in each one, and they became obligated through the joining of a basket—one may also continue eating and afterwards separate, for the joining of a basket is exactly like a single kneading (the HaGra"z section 10 in the name of the Bach and Pri Chadash). And there are those who disagree on this, and hold that in this case it is forbidden to eat prior to separation, and one must separate specifically from that which is in close proximity. And only when kneaded together is it not required to be from that which is in close proximity, but not when they were joined through the joining of a basket (ibid. in the name of the Chayei Adam). And so it appears to be the primary view, for it is implied from the Tosafot and the Rishonim that the joining of a basket—is only effective to obligate them in challah, and not that it should be exactly like a single dough regarding the matter of "one may continue eating and afterwards separate."

And behold, when they forgot to take challah before Pesach, and on Yom Tov it is forbidden to take challah if the obligation for challah occurred before Yom Tov, as I wrote in siman 506. Therefore, if the joining of the basket occurred on Yom Tov and not before—it would be permitted to take challah on Yom Tov, since the obligation came on Yom Tov when there was not a shiur of challah in each dough, and until Yom Tov they were scattered and on Yom Tov they placed them in one vessel—but this matter is not common, and for the most part after the baking they place them in one vessel. And if so, they became obligated on the eve of Yom Tov, and how shall he eat on Yom Tov according to the latter opinion in the previous section, for regarding that which is through the joining of a basket we do not say "he may continue eating and afterward separate." And even according to the first opinion, it is only when all the matzot were placed in one vessel, but if he divided them into two vessels—even according to this opinion there is no remedy that he may eat on Yom Tov from one vessel, and on the conclusion of Yom Tov he shall bring vessel close to vessel and cover them with a sheet and take challah, for perhaps he will then take from the second vessel, and it did not exempt what they ate, as they were not in one vessel. However, in this one must be careful that they take challah from the vessel from which they ate on Yom Tov. Nevertheless, we have already written that the main law follows the latter opinion.

Therefore, the enactment for this is that they should eat whole matzot on Yom Tov and leave over a bit from each matzah—and not specifically whole ones, but rather large pieces—and leave over a small amount from each piece. On the conclusion of Yom Tov, one should place the remnants among all the matzot so that they are all in one vessel or covered by a sheet, and take challah from the remnants. Consequently, this is like the challah of outside the Land of Israel, where one continues to eat and afterwards separates, since he leaves over from every matzah that he eats. There is no obligation to take specifically from the remnants, but it is preferable when he takes from the remnants.

However, what shall we do regarding crushed matzah, to eat from it on Yom Tov? For it contains parts from several doughs, and perhaps what one eats will be from a single dough that he eats in its entirety, and when he takes challah on the night following Yom Tov—will it not fail to exempt what was eaten on Yom Tov from the crushed pieces? And to bake a dough on Yom Tov and join it, as I have written—we are not accustomed to this, to bake matzah on Pesach itself, and among the masses this is considered a strange matter. Therefore, if it is within his power to borrow crushed matzah from his neighbor for Yom Tov, and to repay him during Chol HaMoed when he takes challah—how good. And if not—he must perforce eat, and leave over some of the crushed pieces as well, and join them on the night following Yom Tov to the matzot, and take one challah from all of them. And even though there is the concern we wrote, that perhaps he will eat from one dough, nevertheless, out of necessity one must rely on the opinion that there is "mixing" in a fine substance, and all the crushed pieces are considered like a single piece (so it appears to my humble opinion).

And know that there is a dispute regarding the joining of a basket, whether the matzot must touch one another, or even if they are placed separately without touching one another. And the common custom is that they all touch one another. However, from the essential law, it appears that they do not require touching. And this is when there is not a shiur in each one, but if there is a shiur of challah in some of them—they require touching by law (see Chok Yaakov, subsection 7). And there is no difference in the blessing of the challah between Pesach and all other days of the year. And we always bless: "Who has sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us to separate challah." And there are those who on Pesach bless "to separate the terumah of challah," but the custom is not so among us (see Magen Avraham, subsection 1, in the name of the Derishah).

One who kneads dough on the Yom Tov of Pesach, how shall he act regarding the separation of challah? For if he separates from the dough—is it not forbidden for him to bake it on Yom Tov, because it is not fit for consumption by a kohen, as we are all in the status of the ritually impure in this time. And to burn the challah—is also forbidden on Yom Tov, for one does not burn sacred items on Yom Tov. And to leave it as is—it will become chametz. Therefore, he should not separate challah from the dough until after the baking, for he is able to take a small amount of challah from each one, and consequently all of them are permitted for baking. And then, even if afterward he takes a whole loaf for challah on all the bread—we have no concern (Rashi 46a). And if he forgot and designated it by name while it was still dough—he should place it in cold water so that it does not become chametz, and the water should stand in a cellar. (See Magen Avraham subsection 6, who wrote that it requires investigation if one may rely on this in this time. And the Chok Yaakov in subsection 11 wondered at him.)

Our teacher, the Rema, wrote in section 2 that if there is a minor kohen who has not experienced a seminal emission, or an adult who immersed for his emission—it is permitted to bake the challah for him. And some say that we do not feed challah in this time to any kohen. Thus far his words, and the explanation of these matters is in Yoreh Deah siman 322. And we do not act accordingly, therefore one should not elaborate on this. He further wrote that some say it is permitted on Yom Tov to knead less than the required measure, in order to exempt oneself from challah. Thus far his words, and we do not bake on Yom Tov.