Doughs which Do Not Combine
26. Regular flour, whole wheat. If one kneaded two doughs from two types of flour, each less than the minimum amount, but she is careful that they do not get mixed together, as she specifically made two separate doughs [it wasn’t because she just didn’t have enough of one type of flour] – e.g., one dough is regular wheat and the other is whole wheat – they do not combine for the shiur even if they are close to each other or are joined through נשיכה (see 32 below) or a single basket (שו"ע שכ"ו ס"א ). Thus, if each is less than 1.2 kg, hafrasha is not done. If each is less than 2.25 kg, hafrasha is done from each one separately without a bracha. If each one is more than 2.25 kg, hafrasha is done from each one, but with one bracha if the hafrashos will be done at the same time.
27. Wheat flour, spelt flour. Similarly, if one dough is from wheat flour and the other is from spelt flour, and it is specifically meant to remain that way, e.g., there is someone who only eats spelt, the doughs do not join for the minimum shiur for hafrashas challah. When each one has the minimum shiur, hafrasha must be done from each dough, as described above.
28. Kokosh cake, challos. The same is true when one makes kokosh cake and challos from two separate doughs. Even if the doughs have similar recipes, if they are slightly different, e.g., the kokosh cake dough is sweeter, and care is taken that the two doughs are not mixed up so that the kokosh cake dough is used for the kokosh cake (שו"ת אבני צדק מהדורת תשנ"ג בהוספות סי' ו'), the halacha is the same as above: they do not combine for the shiur (לקט העומר פ"ו ס"ט ובהערה).
29. Half for challos, half for kokosh cake. However, if one made a large enough dough to do hafrashas challah, and she is using half for challos and the other half will have chocolate filling, sugar, and the like added, but the doughs are exactly the same, she should separate challah from the dough. This is because it became chayav in hafrashas challah when it was originally one big dough.
30. Chocolate and cinnamon babka. If the doughs are exactly the same, just with different fillings, e.g., she puts cocoa in one and cinnamon in the other, they combine for the shiur (שם, ובשו"ת שבט הקהתי ח"ד סי' ער"ה ).
31. Streusel crumble on a kokosh cake. “Streusel,” a crumb topping made from flour, margarine, and sugar, is commonly added to a kokosh cake for decoration or extra flavor. Since it is made from flour, the flour combines with the flour in the kokosh cake. Although it was not kneaded together with the kokosh cake dough originally, it combines for the amount of flour since it is baked together with the kokosh cake. Thus, if there was originally not enough flour in the kokosh cake, but then with the added crumble topping it has enough flour for hafrashas challah, the cake must have hafrashas challah done after it is baked.
Doughs which Combine
32. נשיכה. If there are two identical doughs – both without the minimum shiur or one with the shiur and one without – and one does not care if they get mixed together, they can be connected through נשיכה. This is when the two doughs touch to the point that they stick together a bit, such that if they would be separated, each dough would remove some of the other dough. If this is done, one can do hafrasha from one of them (שו"ע סי' שכ"ה ס"א, ובט"ז שם סק"א ). However, merely touching them together does not combine them for the shiur to require hafrashas challah.
33. Most poskim hold נשיכה only works in the dough stage. Thus, hafrasha would be done with a bracha, as mentioned. If the נשיכה is done during the baking process, some require hafrashas challah; it is proper to do hafrasha without a bracha (חלה כהלכתה סי' ח' אות ה'). If the נשיכה is somehow done after baking, most poskim hold there is no need for hafrasha at all.
34. Combining in a basket. Two doughs can be combined in a basket. They are placed into a basket or some other dish with an interior (שו"ע שכ"ה ס"א ) such that they do not completely protrude from the dish (רמ"א ). L’chatchila they should be touching (ש"ך בנקה"כ ). However, if they are placed on a dish without an interior or straight onto a table, counter, or shelf, they do not combine.
35. They can be combined in a basket while they are in the dough stage or after baking (פתח"ז כלל ו' ס"א ), even a long time after they are baked (או"ז ח"א סי' רכ"ו, מנ"ח מצוה שפ"ה ), and hafrasha is done with a bracha (שו"ת רב פעלים ח"ד סי' ל"ו ).
36. With a cloth. Covering the loaves with a cloth is considered like putting them in a dish and combines them. I.e., a cloth is spread beneath them and the same cloth covers them on top (ש"ך סק"ה, ופמ"ג סי' תנ"ז מ"ז סק"א ). Some say it does not need to be the same cloth. According to this, they can also be covered with a dish (ביאה"ל סי' תנ"ז ס"א ד"ה והסל ) or another cloth.
1.2002.651.6703.72.2505Wheat1.0502.31.4193.132.0844.6Barley1.1752.61.6403.622.2054.86Spelt1.0402.31.3913.072.0314.48Rye0.8901.961.1972.641.8053.4Oats