After making Kiddush, Abba asked everyone to go wash for hamotzi. Shortly afterwards, a long line was formed by the kitchen sink. Moishy and Chaim, however, did not want to wait in the line, so they sat next to Abba while waiting for the line to clear. “We’ll go after everyone is done,” they explained to Abba. They enjoyed watching Abba arranging the challahs on the cutting board to position them “just right” for the hamotzi bracha. Then, they noticed Abba looking a bit puzzled. “What’s wrong, Abba?” asked Moishy.
“Well, you see, Moishy, this week, we bought challah in the bakery. And the challah has a sticker on it,” replied Abba as he pointed to the sticker. “Right. And is that a problem?” asked Chaim. “It’s not a problem,” said Abba, “but I am just not used to having a challah with a sticker at our Shabbos table. It just doesn’t look so heimish.”
“Abba, so why don’t you remove it?” asked Moishy. “Well, I thought about doing that,” answered Abba, “but then I thought that if I remove it now with a little bit of challah underneath it, the challah won’t be 100% shalem...” “Oh now we understand your dilemma, Abba,” said Chaim.
Question: Is it better for Abba to remove the sticker only after Hamotzi or it doesn’t matter?
Hints & Answers
Halacha Challenge: The Sefer Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchosa (55:8) writes, “Lechatchila, one should make sure that the challah is completely whole. Therefore, one should remove the challah’s sticker only after cutting the challah, in order that the challah should be whole at the time of the Hamotzi blessing.” And in the footnote, the author writes, “And when removing the sticker, one should remove a little bit of challah with it, in order not to cut the letters on the sticker.”
RHYME: “united”.
RIDDLE: Sefer Torah scrolls. When they leave the Aron Kodesh (at least 4 times each week) they are taken to the right side of the Aron Kodesh, and when are returned, they are returned from the left side of the Aron Kodesh.
TRIVIA: 1. Ki Savo (Devorim 27:2). 2. Yaakov Avinu. When he was sleeping, Hashem folded the entire Land of Israel under him. See Rashi to Bereishis 28:13
SHMITTA: TRUE. [based on “A Guide to the Halachos of Shmittah” by Rav A. Wiesenfeld]
*Note: Menucha’s answer are not to be taken as final decisions in halacha, but rather as a springboard for discussions, and further study.
