הפרשת חלה
Hafrashat Hallah
We knead together. We bless together. And we hold each other's names in mind.
Upcoming
When we're gathering next.
All sessions are at 520 Kings Highway unless noted. Aprons, flour, and warmth provided.
The next session will be on the calendar shortly.
You can still submit a name for the next gathering, or email assistant@wellny.org to be on the list.
A name to remember
Hold someone in mind with us.
The mitzvah of hafrashat challah is an ét ratzon — a moment of favor. We separate the dough with names on our hearts.
Submit a name in Hebrew (and the mother's name, traditionally used for tefillah) along with the intention. Your name and contact are optional and used only if we have a question — we will never list your submission publicly.
About the mitzvah
An ancient act, a quiet doorway.
When we bake bread with a measure of flour over the threshold (a kezayit or larger), the Torah instructs us to separate a small portion — challah — and remove it from use. In the time of the Beit HaMikdash, it was given to the Kohanim; today, we burn it.
The act itself is brief. But our sages teach that as the woman of the home separates challah, the heavens lean closer. It is one of three mitzvot uniquely entrusted to women, and a moment the Zohar calls an ét ratzon — a time of favor — when prayers carry weight.
At The Well we don't do it alone. We knead together, braid together, and read the names submitted that month aloud while the dough rises. It is part baking, part beit medrash, part collective tefillah.
What to bring
Just yourself. We supply the rest.
How long
~90 minutes from start to braid.
Cost
Free. Donations replenish the well.