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Parshat Shelach

By: SFW Students & Alumna
Bracha Frankel, SFW ’04-‘05

In Perek 15, Pasuk 20 we read: “The beginning of your kneadings you shall set aside a loaf as a portion, like the threshing floor portion, so shall you set it aside.”

According to Rabbeinu Bachya, the mitzvah of challah did not apply in the midbar, but Bnei Yisrael were obligated to keep this mitzvah as soon as they entered Eretz Yisrael.  And indeed, the previous pasuk uses the language of “lechem haaretz.”  Why? Because in the midbar they ate lechem hashamayim (man) which was holy. Now that they are entering Eretz Yisrael and will begin eating from the lechem haaretz, they will make it holy with a mitzvah, the mitzvah of challah.  It is a mitzvah diorayta to separate challah from the dough, as the pasuk says, “The beginning of your kneadings you shall set aside a loaf as a portion…” 

 When separating challah we recite the bracha of “asher kidishanu bimitzvotav vitzivanu lihafrish challah”, both in Eretz Yisrael and in chutz laaretz. The main mitzvah of challah is only in Eretz Yisrael, as we see from the pasuk, “v’haya b’achalchem milechem haaretz,” and only when all of Bnei Yisrael are in Eretz Yisrael, as we see from “b’voachem.” Therefore, the mitzvah of challah today and even at the time of Ezra is only midivrei sofrim. Separating challah in chutz la’aretz today is only done so that the mitzvah of challah will not be forgotten.

 Why does it need to be “m’reishit arisoteichem”?

 Rav Zalman Sorotzkin, in his sefer Oznayim Latorah, answers that it is to atone for the sin of the miraglim, whose first action in Eretz Yisrael was “lihotzi debah ra’ah al ha’aretz,” causing  Bnei Yisrael not to want to enter the land. They did this instead of thanking Hashem for allowing them to merit being the first ones to enter the land that was promised to the avot.  In order to atone for their sin, they were commanded to honor the first of the dough from the land by making it “terumah laHashem”. 

 May we learn from the mistakes of the miraglim and see the beauty of Eretz Yisrael.  And may we merit fulfilling the true mitzvah of hafrashat challah with the rebuilding of the beit hamikdash and kibbutz galuyot b’mihaira b’yameinu.