What bread can be used for Shabbat?
You may be wondering whether you can use a bread that is not Challah on Shabbat. When we talk about Challah, what usually comes to mind is a braided sweet loaf made with wheat flour. But actually, the term “Challah” originally meant the part of a bread that was set aside to give to the Priest (Cohen) in the days of the Temple.
Traditionally, any bread made with the biblical grains (barley, wheat, oats, rye, spelt) is a bread that you would say the Hamotzi prayer over. The tradition of the fancy Challah for Shabbat grew out of the principle of beautifying a mitzvah, but really, any bread will do.
When we’re camping, we say the Motzi on Shabbat on whatever bread we have on hand: hamburger buns, pita, even crackers.
If you eat gluten-free, keep in mind that traditionally, at Shabbat the main mitzvah is to make Kiddush and then have a meal, so really if your bread doesn’t have any of those grains, you can still use it for Shabbat. The Nosher has a few recipes you might like to try: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/the-best-gluten-free-challah-recipes/
Although we’re not rabbis, just well-educated Reform Jews, we suggest that if a bread “feels” like bread to you, go ahead and say the Motzi. After all, it thanks God for “bringing bread from the earth”; since bread doesn’t grow but is made with grains that grow from the earth, we think it’s reasonable to use it for any grain-based bread. But if you are more traditional, the appropriate blessing for a bread made without any of the biblical grains is:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי מְזוֹנוֹת
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam borei minei mezonot.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates varieties of nourishment.
Did you know that our Basic Box and our Custom Boxes include our exclusive recipe for toaster oven Challah? We developed it so that if you’re in a limited space, or far from a Jewish bakery, you can still enjoy fresh Challah. We also have a beautiful Challah cover that you can add to any of our curated boxes or order on its own.
