Whole wheat flour- seperating Challah

                                          KEMACH FOOD PRODUCTS CORP.

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                                                                                      ** PUBLIC ALERT ** 

HAFRASHAS CHALLAH (SEPARATING CHALLAH) 

& WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

 

Here are some important bullet points taken from this P’sak (halachic ruling) from our Rav Hamachshir, Harav Nusson N. Horowitz regarding the laws pertaining to being “Mafrish Challah” (Separating Challah) when using Kemach Whole Wheat Flour.

 

A special Thank You to Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Young for all the time and energy he put into researching the calculations and measurements that were used in this P’sak.

 

•    When in the process of milling whole wheat flour, the bran is removed from the flour and then mixed back, the halacha (in Shulchan Aruch) states that it no longer is counted towards the shiur (measurement) needed to be mafrish challah. Most manufactured whole wheat flour, and specifically Kemach Whole Wheat Flour is manufactured that way.

•    Based on this Halacha one must factor that (l’chumrah) up to 27% of the Kemach Whole Wheat Flour might be bran that was mixed back in.

•    It is important to note that this must be relied on only as a chumrah (stringency) and not a Kullah (leniency), i.e. one may not make a Brocho on hafrashas challah without factoring in the extra 27%. However, when taking challah on smaller amounts of flour upon which a brocho is anyway not said, the 27% is not a determining factor if hafroshas challah is needed at all.

•    PRACTICAL MEASUREMENTS (adding 27% by weight and proportionately by volume)

o When measuring by weight we need to multiply by 1.37. For example, one’s Rov holds that one should make the brocho on hafroshas challah only if the amount of white flour in the dough is at least 5 pounds. Multiplying 5 by 1.37 comes to 6.85. Accordingly, the amount of Kemach Whole Wheat Flour one needs to use in order to make a brocho would be almost 7 lbs. (More precisely, 6.85 lbs. which is 6 lbs. and 13.6 oz.).

o When measuring by volume we need to multiply by 1.52. For example, one’s Rov holds that one should make the brocho on hafroshas challah only if the amount of white flour in the dough is at least 18 cups (for less than 18 cups but at least 9 cups one should take challah but without a brocho). Multiplying 18 by 1.52 comes to about 27.5. Accordingly, the amount of Kemach Whole Wheat Flour one needs to use in order to make a brocho would be 27.5 cups.

o However, if as stated above, one uses less than 18 cups but at least 9 cups (e.g. 10 cups of flour), one should not multiply by 1.52. Instead in this case he should take challah from the 10-cup dough, but without a brocho.

Please note that all of the above is only applicable to Kemach Whole Wheat Flour. (Other companies might not remove and mix back in the bran, and/or might have different percentages).