The commandment of challah (dough-offering): To separate some of our kneading and to give it to the priest, as it is written (Numbers 15:20), “The first of your kneading, set aside challah as a gift.” And they, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Eruvin 93a) [that] “The first of your kneading (arissah)” [means] enough for your measure (issah), and the [dough] measure of the wilderness was an omer, which was one-tenth of an eifah, which is three saah, which is six kav, which is four log, which is six eggs’ worth. It turns out that an eifah is four hundred and thirty-two eggs, one-tenth of which is forty-three and 1/5 eggs, and that is the measurement of dough that obligates [the separation] of challah.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is that] since the sustenance of a person is through food and most of the world will be sustained with bread, the Omnipresent desired to give us merit with a constant commandment in our bread, so that blessing should rest upon it through the commandment; and through it, we will receive merit for our souls. And [hence] it turns out that the dough is food for our body and food for our soul. Additionally, [it is] in order that the servants of God, those that are constantly involved in His service — and these are the priests — should be sustained without any toil at all. Whereas with the tithe of the threshing floor there is labor for them, to pass the grain through the sieve and to grind it; here, their ration will come to them without any pain whatsoever.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Challah 3:1) that the obligation begins not from the time that the dough is placed into the trough, but from the time of rolling; that is to say that the obligation begins from the time that the water and flour are mixed. And the five types of grain that are obligated in challah are wheat, barley, spelt, oats, and rye; as it is stated (Numbers 15:19), “And it shall be when you eat from the bread of the Land” — and only loaves made from these are called bread. And they all combine to [constitute] the measurement [of what requires the separation] of challah. And if one did not separate challah from the dough, he may separate it from the bread; as it says, “when you eat from the bread,” which teaches that bread is also obligated. Even if one first kneaded a quantity that was insufficient [to be obligated] in challah, if he then kneaded another batch and mixed the whole loaf into one vessel that has an interior, such that the two combine to the requisite measurement, the vessel combines them [to be obligated in] challah. I heard from my teacher, may God protect him, that this is only if the bread was taken from the oven and put into a vessel that has an interior, but if it was placed on a board or on the floor, or anything else that has no interior, even though they were subsequently placed into a basket, they are already exempt from challah. This is what they meant when they said, “one who removes it into a basket;” it is only if it went from the oven to the basket at the time of [their] removal. And there is no need to say that the oven does not serve to combine [to obligate in] challah (Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 6:16). The bran that is in the dough is counted towards the requisite measurement before it is sifted; but if it is mixed back in after it is sifted, it does not count towards the requisite measurement. (See Mishnah Challah 4:6.)
The measurement [to be given] for challah is not [specified in] the Torah — and even if one separated only a barley grain from the kneading, he would exempt the whole kneading in the trough from the law of challah; as the Torah only says, “The first of your kneading, set aside challah.” [Thus] anything that he sets aside [suffices] to exempt him. The Sages however obligated us (Mishnah Challah 2:7) to separate 1/24th, which they based upon what the verse stated about this commandment, “give to the Lord,” meaning that the gift should be dignified, and this was [the amount] that they estimated. A baker who prepares his [dough] for sale in the market — and [the dough] is large, and he also needs to make a profit — was only obligated to give 1/48th. And whether it should happen that the professional prepares a small [amount] or the homeowner prepares a large [amount], their [laws] are [still] as we said above.
Dough that was kneaded from two ends of the trough and neither suffices to the measurement [of what is required for] challah is not obligated in challah, unless they touch each other and are from the same person.
Dough, whether it was kneaded with water or another liquid; whether it was baked in an oven or on the ground, in a [standard] pan, or in a deep-frying pan; and whether he first stuck the loaf [to the oven walls] and then heated — meaning that he lit the fire underneath it — or if he heated it and stuck it afterwards, in all instances there is an obligation of challah. As in all these cases it is called bread, since the law is not like the view (Pesachim 37a) that bread is only what is baked in an oven alone. But if one prepares dough that will be dried in the sun or boiled in a pot, it is not obligated in challah.
Dough of the arnona (tax) — meaning to say that is shared by an Israelite and a gentile — is obligated in challah, if the Israelite’s portion constitutes the measurement of [what is required for] challah. Dough that is made for animals is exempted from challah, but if it is for both animals and humans, it is obligated in challah (Mishnah Challah 1:8). If prepared dough — meaning to say, that from which challah had been separated — was mixed with other dough from which challah was not separated, what does he do? A new dough is brought and placed on [the mixture], and he takes challah for all of it. But if he has no other dough, he should take challah from [the mixture]; apparently without a blessing, for all of it has been rendered “unseparated” (tevel). And even a small amount can render several prepared doughs, “unseparated”; for “unseparated” material creates a prohibition with the smallest amount, as I have written in the Order of Emor el HaKohanim (Sefer HaChinukh 284). And the rest of its details are elucidated in Tractate Challah and so [too,] in Tractate Orlah. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 5.)
The commandment is practiced by males and females in the Land of Israel by Torah writ, as it is stated, “when you eat from the bread of the Land,” but specifically at the time that all of [the people of] Israel are there, meaning to say their majority. [This is], as it is stated, “when you come” — and the explanation came upon this (Ketubot 20a) [to mean] all of you, and not when some of you come. On a rabbinic level [we are obligated] to separate challah [even] outside of Israel, so that the concept of challah not be forgotten by Israel (Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 5:7). And because the obligation is so that it not be forgotten by Israel, we are accustomed to be lenient with it, such that we only separate a kazayit from a large dough, and throw it into the fire. And it is not given to any priest — child or adult. And I have heard that in some places they are accustomed to separate large challah according to the measurement that the Sages gave us for it, and they give it to a minor priest boy, that impurity does not come to him out of his body or to a minor priest girl who has not yet menstruated. And they even give it to an adult priest who has immersed [to purify himself from genital flows]. And even though he is impure due to contact with the dead, they give [it to] him to eat it in these places. It also seems that another leniency outside of Israel is that one may deliberately cancel it out by a majority [of permissible matter], as it [is found] in Tractate Yevamot (it should read, Bekhorot 27a) and in other places in the Gemara. And as far as I know, the same does not apply to any other prohibition in the Torah, with the exception of [branches] that fell into the oven on a festival which can have other [prepared] wood added to it to cancel those, as they said (Beitzah 4b), “a person may add wood to them and permit them.” And they said that the reason of the thing is because the prohibited matter burns constantly, meaning to say it is something consumed by the fire, and we can therefore be lenient.
And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote in the Book of Seeds in the Laws of Tithes and First-fruits in the fifth chapter (Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 5:9-11), “At this time, when there is no pure dough because of impurity from contact with the dead, challah — [which is] 1/48th — is separated once in all Israel,and it is burned because it is impure. And this has a foundation from the Torah. But from Keziv to Amanah, a second challah is separated and given to the priest, but this has no required amount — as was the matter in the past.
Since its main obligation is only rabbinic, challah outside of [Israel] — even though it is impure — is not prohibited to be consumed by a priest unless he has impurity that emits from his body, such as those who have had seminal emissions or irregular genital flows, mestruant women, those who have recently given birth and lepers. Therefore, if there was a minor priest boy outside of Israel — whether in Syria or other lands — if they want to, they may separate one challah as 1/48th and it may be given to eat to a minor priest boy who has not yet seen a seminal emission or to a minor priest girl who has not yet menstruated, and there is no need to do a second separation to burn it. Also, if there is an adult priest there who has immersed [to purify himself from genital flows] — even if the sun has not yet set for him [on the day of his immersion], and even though he is impure from contact with the dead — he may eat this first challah, and there is no need to do a second separation outside of Israel.” To here [are the words of Rambam].
מִצְוַת חַלָּה – לְהַפְרִישׁ חַלָּה מִכָּל עֲרִיסָה וְלִתֵּן אוֹתָהּ לַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו כ) רֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם חַלָּה תָּרִימוּ תְרוּמָה. וְדָרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ערובין פג, א) רֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם כְּדֵי עִסַּתְכֶם, וְעִסַּת הַמִּדְבָּר הָיְתָה עֹמֶר, וְהָעֹמֶר עֲשִׂרִית הָאֵפָה הוּא, וְהָאֵפָה שָׁלֹשׁ סְאִין, וְהַסְּאָה שִׁשָּׁה קַבִּין, וְקַב אַרְבָּעָה לֻגִּין, וְלֹג שֵׁשׁ בֵּיצִים. נִמְצֵאת הָאֵפָה אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם בֵּיצִים וַעֲשִׂירִיתָהּ אַרְבָּעִים וְשָׁלֹשׁ בֵּיצִים וְחֹמֶשׁ בֵּיצָה, וְזֶהוּ שִׁעוּר עִסָּה הַמְּחֻיֶּבֶת בַּחַלָּה.
The commandment of challah (dough-offering): To separate some of our kneading and to give it to the priest, as it is written (Numbers 15:20), “The first of your kneading, set aside challah as a gift.” And they, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Eruvin 93a) [that] “The first of your kneading (arissah)” [means] enough for your measure (issah), and the [dough] measure of the wilderness was an omer, which was one-tenth of an eifah, which is three saah, which is six kav, which is four log, which is six eggs’ worth. It turns out that an eifah is four hundred and thirty-two eggs, one-tenth of which is forty-three and 1/5 eggs, and that is the measurement of dough that obligates [the separation] of challah.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁחַיּוּתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בַּמְּזוֹנוֹת וְרֹב הָעוֹלָם יִחְיוּ בַּלֶּחֶם, רָצָה הַמָּקוֹם לְזַכּוֹתֵנוּ בְּמִצְוָה תְּמִידִית בְּלַחְמֵנוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּנוּחַ בְּרָכָה בּוֹ עַל יְדֵי הַמִּצְוָה וּנְקַבֵּל בָּהּ זְכוּת בְּנַפְשֵׁנוּ, וְנִמְצֵאת הָעִסָּה מָזוֹן לַגּוּף וּמָזוֹן לַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְגַם לְמַעַן יִחְיוּ בּוֹ מְשָׁרְתֵי הַשֵּׁם, הָעוֹסְקִים תָּמִיד בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְהֵם הַכֹּהֲנִים מִבְּלִי יְגִיעָה כְּלָל, שֶׁאִלּוּ בִּתְרוּמַת הַגֹּרֶן יֵשׁ לָהֶם עָמָל לְהַעֲבִיר הַתְּבוּאָה בַּכְּבָרָה וְלִטְחֹן אוֹתָהּ, אֲבָל כָּאן יָבוֹא חֻקָּם לָהֶם מִבְּלִי צַעַר שֶׁל כְּלוּם.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is that] since the sustenance of a person is through food and most of the world will be sustained with bread, the Omnipresent desired to give us merit with a constant commandment in our bread, so that blessing should rest upon it through the commandment; and through it, we will receive merit for our souls. And [hence] it turns out that the dough is food for our body and food for our soul. Additionally, [it is] in order that the servants of God, those that are constantly involved in His service — and these are the priests — should be sustained without any toil at all. Whereas with the tithe of the threshing floor there is labor for them, to pass the grain through the sieve and to grind it; here, their ration will come to them without any pain whatsoever.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חלה ג, א) שֶׁאֵין חִיּוּב הָעִסָּה מִשֶּׁנָּתַן הַקֶּמַח בָּעֲרִיסָה, אֶלָּא הַחִיּוּב הוּא מִשְּׁעַת גִּלְגּוּל, כְּלוֹמַר, מִשֶּׁיְּעָרֵב הַקֶּמַח וְהַמַּיִם מִיָּד חִיּוּב הַחַלָּה חָל. וַחֲמֵשֶׁת הַמִּינִין הֵם שֶׁחַיָּבִים בַּחַלָּה הַחִטִּים וּשְׂעוֹרִים, וְכֻסְּמִין, וְשִׁבֹּלֶת שׁוּעָל, וְשִׁיפוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָיָה בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ'. וְאֵין קָרוּי לֶחֶם אֶלָּא פַּת הַנַּעֲשֵׂית מֵאֵלּוּ, וְכֻלָּן מִצְטָרְפִין לְשִׁעוּר חַלָּה. וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא הִפְרִישׁ חַלָּה בָּעִסָּה מַפְרִישׁ אוֹתָהּ מִן הַלֶּחֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַחִיּוּב גַּם בַּלֶּחֶם. וַאֲפִלּוּ הַלָּשׁ פָּחוֹת מִכַּשִּׁעוּר שֶׁהוּא פָּטוּר מֵחַלָּה, אִם אַחַר כָּךְ לָשׁ פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת וְהִשְׁלִים הַשִּׁעוּר וְנִתְעָרֵב כָּל הַפַּת בִּכְלִי אֶחָד שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תּוֹךְ הַכְּלִי מְצָרְפָן לְחַלָּה. וְשָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּי מוֹרִי, יִשְׁמְרוֹ אֵל, דְּדַוְקָא בְּשֶׁנָּתַן הַפַּת מִן הַתַּנּוּר לִכְלִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בֵּית קִבּוּל דַּוְקָא, אֲבָל הִנִּיחַ אוֹתוֹ כְּשֶׁהוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הַתַּנּוּר עַל גַּבֵּי לוּחַ אוֹ עַל הַקַּרְקַע וּבְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תּוֹךְ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ אַחַר כֵּן בְּסַל כְּבָר נִפְטַר מֵחַלָּה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ הָרוֹדֶה וְנוֹתֵן לַסַּל, דְּדַוְקָא לַסַּל בִּשְׁעַת רְדִיָּה מִן הַתַּנּוּר, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁהַתַּנּוּר אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה צֵרוּף לְחַלָּה (רמב"ם ביכורים ו טז). הַסֻּבִּין שֶׁבַּקֶּמַח, קֹדֶם שֶׁרִקְּדוֹ מַשְׁלִים לַשִּׁעוּר, אֲבָל אַחַר שֶׁרִקְּדוֹ, אִם חָזַר וְעֵרְבוֹ אֵינוֹ מַשְׁלִים לַשִּׁעוּר (חלה פ"ב מ"ו).
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Challah 3:1) that the obligation begins not from the time that the dough is placed into the trough, but from the time of rolling; that is to say that the obligation begins from the time that the water and flour are mixed. And the five types of grain that are obligated in challah are wheat, barley, spelt, oats, and rye; as it is stated (Numbers 15:19), “And it shall be when you eat from the bread of the Land” — and only loaves made from these are called bread. And they all combine to [constitute] the measurement [of what requires the separation] of challah. And if one did not separate challah from the dough, he may separate it from the bread; as it says, “when you eat from the bread,” which teaches that bread is also obligated. Even if one first kneaded a quantity that was insufficient [to be obligated] in challah, if he then kneaded another batch and mixed the whole loaf into one vessel that has an interior, such that the two combine to the requisite measurement, the vessel combines them [to be obligated in] challah. I heard from my teacher, may God protect him, that this is only if the bread was taken from the oven and put into a vessel that has an interior, but if it was placed on a board or on the floor, or anything else that has no interior, even though they were subsequently placed into a basket, they are already exempt from challah. This is what they meant when they said, “one who removes it into a basket;” it is only if it went from the oven to the basket at the time of [their] removal. And there is no need to say that the oven does not serve to combine [to obligate in] challah (Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 6:16). The bran that is in the dough is counted towards the requisite measurement before it is sifted; but if it is mixed back in after it is sifted, it does not count towards the requisite measurement. (See Mishnah Challah 4:6.)
הַחַלָּה אֵין לָהּ שִׁעוּר יָדוּעַ מִן הַתּוֹרָה, אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הִפְרִישׁ אֶלָּא כִּשְׂעוֹרָה מִן הָעִסָּה פָּטַר כָּל הָעִסָּה שֶׁבַּעֲרִיסָה מִדִּין חַלָּה, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא רֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם חַלָּה תָּרִימוּ. וְכָל שֶׁהוּא מֵרִים מִמֶּנָּה פָּטוּר הוּא בְּכָךְ. אֲבָל חֲכָמִים חִיְּבוּנוּ (שם מ"ז) לְהַפְרִישׁ מִן הָעִסָּה חֵלֶק אֶחָד מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה, וְסָמְכוּ הַדָּבָר בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ תִּתְּנוּ לַיְיָ. כְּלוֹמַר, תֵּן לַכֹּהֵן מַתָּנָה רְאוּיָה, וְשִׁעֲרוּ הֵם שֶׁהִיא כֵּן. וְהַנַּחְתּוֹם שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה עִסָּתוֹ לִמְכֹּר בַּשּׁוּק וְהִיא מְרֻבָּה, וְגַם צָרִיךְ לְהַרְוִיחַ, לֹא חִיְּבוּהוּ לָתֵת אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה, וּבֵין שֶׁהִרְבָּה בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בָּעִסָּה וּבֵין שֶׁמִּעֵט נַחְתּוֹם דִּינָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה.
The measurement [to be given] for challah is not [specified in] the Torah — and even if one separated only a barley grain from the kneading, he would exempt the whole kneading in the trough from the law of challah; as the Torah only says, “The first of your kneading, set aside challah.” [Thus] anything that he sets aside [suffices] to exempt him. The Sages however obligated us (Mishnah Challah 2:7) to separate 1/24th, which they based upon what the verse stated about this commandment, “give to the Lord,” meaning that the gift should be dignified, and this was [the amount] that they estimated. A baker who prepares his [dough] for sale in the market — and [the dough] is large, and he also needs to make a profit — was only obligated to give 1/48th. And whether it should happen that the professional prepares a small [amount] or the homeowner prepares a large [amount], their [laws] are [still] as we said above.
עִסָּה שֶׁנִּלּוֹשָׁה בִּשְׁתֵּי קְצוֹת הָעֲרִיסָה וְאֵין בְּאֶחָד מִן הַחֲלָקִים שִׁעוּר חַלָּה אֵינָהּ מִתְחַיֶּבֶת בַּחַלָּה, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נָשְׁכוּ זֶה אֶת זֶה וְהֵן מֵאִישׁ אֶחָד.
Dough that was kneaded from two ends of the trough and neither suffices to the measurement [of what is required for] challah is not obligated in challah, unless they touch each other and are from the same person.
עִסָּה שֶׁנִּלּוֹשָׁה בֵּין בְּמַיִם בֵּין בְּכָל שְׁאָר מַשְׁקִים וּבֵין שֶׁאֲפָאָהּ בְּתַנּוּר אוֹ בְּקַרְקַע אוֹ בְּמַחֲבַת וּמַרְחֶשֶׁת, וּבֵין שֶׁהִדְבִּיק הַפַּת תְּחִלָּה בָּהֶן וּלְבַסּוֹף הִרְתִּיחַ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהִדְלִיק הָאֵשׁ תַּחְתֶּיהָ, אוֹ הִרְתִּיחַ וּלְבַסּוֹף הִדְבִּיק, בְּכָל עִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ יֵשׁ חִיּוּב חַלָּה שֶׁבְּכָל עִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ לֶחֶם נִקְרָא, שֶׁאֵין הֲלָכָה כְּמַאן (פסחים לז א) דַּאֲמַר אֵין לֶחֶם אֶלָּא אָפוּי בַּתַּנּוּר בִּלְבַד, אֲבָל הָעוֹשֶׂה עִסָּה לְיַבְּשָׁהּ בַּחַמָּה אוֹ לְבַשְּׁלָהּ בִּקְדֵרָה אֵין בָּהּ חִיּוּב חַלָּה.
Dough, whether it was kneaded with water or another liquid; whether it was baked in an oven or on the ground, in a [standard] pan, or in a deep-frying pan; and whether he first stuck the loaf [to the oven walls] and then heated — meaning that he lit the fire underneath it — or if he heated it and stuck it afterwards, in all instances there is an obligation of challah. As in all these cases it is called bread, since the law is not like the view (Pesachim 37a) that bread is only what is baked in an oven alone. But if one prepares dough that will be dried in the sun or boiled in a pot, it is not obligated in challah.
וְעִסַּת אַרְנוֹנָא, כְּלוֹמַר מְשֻׁתֶּפֶת בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹי חַיֶּבֶת בַּחַלָּה אִם יֵשׁ בְּחֵלֶק הַיִּשְׂרָאֵל שִׁעוּר חַלָּה. עִסָּה (חלה א, ח) הַנַּעֲשֵׂית בִּשְׁבִיל בְּהֵמוֹת פְּטוּרָה מִן הַחַלָּה, וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל בְּהֵמוֹת וְאָדָם חַיֶּבֶת בַּחַלָּה. עִסָּה מְתֻקֶּנֶת כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁהוּרְמָה מִמֶּנָּה חַלָּה וְנִתְעָרְבָה בָּהּ עִסָּה אַחֶרֶת שֶׁלֹּא הוּרְמָה מִמֶּנָּה חַלָּה כֵּיצַד עוֹשֶׂה? מֵבִיא עִסָּה אַחֶרֶת וְסוֹמְכָהּ עָלֶיהָ וְנוֹטֵל חַלָּה עַל הַכֹּל, וְאִם אֵין לוֹ עִסָּה אַחֶרֶת נוֹטֵל מִמֶּנָּה חַלָּה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה לְפִי הַדּוֹמֶה, לְפִי שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית כֻּלָּהּ טֶבֶל, וַאֲפִלּוּ מְעַט מִמֶּנָּה טוֹבֶלֶת כַּמָּה עִסּוֹת מְתֻקָּנוֹת, שֶׁהַטֶּבֶל אוֹסֵר בְּכָל שֶׁהוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּסֵדֶר אֱמֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים (מצוה רפד). וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, מְבֹאָרִים בְּמַסֶּכֶת חַלָּה וְכֵן בְּמַסֶּכֶת עָרְלָה [ה' ביכורים פ"ה].
Dough of the arnona (tax) — meaning to say that is shared by an Israelite and a gentile — is obligated in challah, if the Israelite’s portion constitutes the measurement of [what is required for] challah. Dough that is made for animals is exempted from challah, but if it is for both animals and humans, it is obligated in challah (Mishnah Challah 1:8). If prepared dough — meaning to say, that from which challah had been separated — was mixed with other dough from which challah was not separated, what does he do? A new dough is brought and placed on [the mixture], and he takes challah for all of it. But if he has no other dough, he should take challah from [the mixture]; apparently without a blessing, for all of it has been rendered “unseparated” (tevel). And even a small amount can render several prepared doughs, “unseparated”; for “unseparated” material creates a prohibition with the smallest amount, as I have written in the Order of Emor el HaKohanim (Sefer HaChinukh 284). And the rest of its details are elucidated in Tractate Challah and so [too,] in Tractate Orlah. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 5.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְבַד מִדְּאוֹרַיְתָא. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם הָאָרֶץ. וְדַוְקָא בִּזְמַן שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁם, כְּלוֹמַר רֻבָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּבוֹאֲכֶם וּבָא הַפֵּרוּשׁ עַל זֶה (כתובות כ, א) בְּבִיאַת כֻּלְּכֶם וְלֹא בְּבִיאַת מִקְצַתְכֶם. וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים (רמב"ם ביכורים ה ז) לְהַפְרִישׁ חַלָּה בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁתַּכַּח תּוֹרַת חַלָּה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין הַחִיּוּב בָּהּ אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁתַּכַּח מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, נָהֲגוּ לְהָקֵל בָּהּ (עי' הל, הרמב"ן פ"ד דבכורות) בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאֵין מַפְרִישִׁין מֵעִסָּה גְּדוֹלָה אֶלָּא כַּזַּיִת, וּמַשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתָהּ בָּאֵשׁ, וְאֵינָהּ נֶאֱכֶלֶת לְשׁוּם כֹּהֵן קָטָן אוֹ גָּדוֹל. וְשָׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לְהַפְרִישׁ חַלָּה גְּדוֹלָה כַּשִּׁעוּר שֶׁנָּתְנוּ לָנוּ חֲכָמִים בָּהּ, וְנוֹתְנִין אוֹתָהּ לְכֹהֵן קָטָן שֶׁאֵין טֻמְאָה יוֹצְאָה עָלָיו מִגּוּפוֹ אוֹ לְכֹהֶנֶת קְטַנָּה שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא רָאֲתָה [נִדָּה], וַאֲפִלּוּ לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁטָּבַל לְקִרְיוֹ אוֹ לְזִיבָתוֹ נוֹתְנִין אוֹתָהּ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא טְמֵא מֵת, נָהֲגוּ לְהַאֲכִילָהּ לוֹ בְּאוֹתָן מְקוֹמוֹת. וְעוֹד נִרְאֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְהָקֵל בָּהּ עוֹד בְּחַלַּת חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ שֶׁאָדָם יָכוֹל לְבַטְּלָהּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה בְּרֹב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּא בְּמַסֶּכֶת יְבָמוֹת (צ"ל בכורות כז א) וּבִמְקוֹמוֹת אֲחֵרִים מֵהַגְּמָרָא, וְאֵין בְּכָל הָאִסּוּרִין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה כֵּן לְפִי יְדִיעָתִי, זוּלָתִי בְּעֵצִים שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ מִן הַדֶּקֶל בְּיוֹם טוֹב לְתוֹךְ הַתַּנּוּר שֶׁמְּבַטְּלִין אוֹתָן גַּם כֵּן לְכַתְּחִלָּה, וְכִדְאָמְרִינַן בְּיוֹם טוֹב (ביצה ד, ב) אָדָם מַרְבֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם עֵצִים וּמַתִּירָן, וְאָמְרוּ בְּטַעַם הַדָּבָר מִשּׁוּם דְּמִקְלָא קְלִי אִסּוּרַיְהוּ, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר שֶׁכָּלֶה בָּאֵשׁ, וְלָכֵן הֵקֵלּוּ בַּדָּבָר.
The commandment is practiced by males and females in the Land of Israel by Torah writ, as it is stated, “when you eat from the bread of the Land,” but specifically at the time that all of [the people of] Israel are there, meaning to say their majority. [This is], as it is stated, “when you come” — and the explanation came upon this (Ketubot 20a) [to mean] all of you, and not when some of you come. On a rabbinic level [we are obligated] to separate challah [even] outside of Israel, so that the concept of challah not be forgotten by Israel (Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 5:7). And because the obligation is so that it not be forgotten by Israel, we are accustomed to be lenient with it, such that we only separate a kazayit from a large dough, and throw it into the fire. And it is not given to any priest — child or adult. And I have heard that in some places they are accustomed to separate large challah according to the measurement that the Sages gave us for it, and they give it to a minor priest boy, that impurity does not come to him out of his body or to a minor priest girl who has not yet menstruated. And they even give it to an adult priest who has immersed [to purify himself from genital flows]. And even though he is impure due to contact with the dead, they give [it to] him to eat it in these places. It also seems that another leniency outside of Israel is that one may deliberately cancel it out by a majority [of permissible matter], as it [is found] in Tractate Yevamot (it should read, Bekhorot 27a) and in other places in the Gemara. And as far as I know, the same does not apply to any other prohibition in the Torah, with the exception of [branches] that fell into the oven on a festival which can have other [prepared] wood added to it to cancel those, as they said (Beitzah 4b), “a person may add wood to them and permit them.” And they said that the reason of the thing is because the prohibited matter burns constantly, meaning to say it is something consumed by the fire, and we can therefore be lenient.
וְהָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּתַב בְּסֵפֶר זְרָעִים הִלְכוֹת תְּרוּמָה וּבִכּוּרִים פֶּרֶק חֲמִישִׁי (הל' ט יא) וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה שֶׁאֵין שָׁם עִסָּה טְהוֹרָה מִפְּנֵי טֻמְאַת הַמֵּת מַפְרִישִׁין חַלָּה אַחַת בְּכָל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה, וְשׂוֹרֵף אוֹתָהּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא טְמֵאָה, וְיֵשׁ לָהּ שָׁם עִקָּר מִן הַתּוֹרָה, וּמִכְּזִיב עַד אֲמָנָה מַפְרִישִׁין חַלָּה שְׁנִיָּה לְכֹהֵן לַאֲכִילָה, וְאֵין לָהּ שִׁעוּר כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה הַדָּבָר מִקֹּדֶם.
And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote in the Book of Seeds in the Laws of Tithes and First-fruits in the fifth chapter (Mishneh Torah, Laws of First Fruits and other Gifts to Priests Outside the Sanctuary 5:9-11), “At this time, when there is no pure dough because of impurity from contact with the dead, challah — [which is] 1/48th — is separated once in all Israel,and it is burned because it is impure. And this has a foundation from the Torah. But from Keziv to Amanah, a second challah is separated and given to the priest, but this has no required amount — as was the matter in the past.
חַלַּת חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא טְמֵאָה, הוֹאִיל וְעִקַּר חִיּוּבָהּ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם אֵינָהּ אֲסוּרָה בַּאֲכִילָה אֶלָּא עַל כֹּהֵן שֶׁטֻּמְאָה יוֹצְאָה עָלָיו מִגּוּפוֹ, כְּגוֹן בַּעֲלֵי קְרָיִין וְזָבִין, וְזָבוֹת וְנִדּוֹת וְיוֹלְדוֹת וּמְצֹרָעִין, אֲבָל שְׁאָר הַטְּמֵאִין בְּמַגַּע הַטֻּמְאוֹת, אֲפִילּוּ טְמֵא מֵת מֻתָּרִים לְאָכְלָהּ. לְפִיכָךְ אִם הָיָה שָׁם כֹּהֵן קָטָן בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, בֵּין בְּסוּרְיָא בֵּין בִּשְׁאָר אֲרָצוֹת, רָצָה לְהַפְרִישׁ חַלָּה אַחַת מַפְרִישׁ אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה, וְהִיא נֶאֱכֶלֶת לְקָטָן שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא רָאָה קֶרִי, וְלִקְטַנָּה שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא רָאֲתָה נִדָּה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁ שְׁנִיָּה לָאֵשׁ, וְכֵן אִם הָיָה שָׁם כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁטָּבַל מִשִּׁכְבַת זֶרַע אוֹ מִזִּיבָתוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הֶעֱרִיב שִׁמְשׁוֹ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא טְמֵא מֵת הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לֶאֱכֹל הַחַלָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁ שְׁנִיָּה בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, עַד כָּאן.
Since its main obligation is only rabbinic, challah outside of [Israel] — even though it is impure — is not prohibited to be consumed by a priest unless he has impurity that emits from his body, such as those who have had seminal emissions or irregular genital flows, mestruant women, those who have recently given birth and lepers. Therefore, if there was a minor priest boy outside of Israel — whether in Syria or other lands — if they want to, they may separate one challah as 1/48th and it may be given to eat to a minor priest boy who has not yet seen a seminal emission or to a minor priest girl who has not yet menstruated, and there is no need to do a second separation to burn it. Also, if there is an adult priest there who has immersed [to purify himself from genital flows] — even if the sun has not yet set for him [on the day of his immersion], and even though he is impure from contact with the dead — he may eat this first challah, and there is no need to do a second separation outside of Israel.” To here [are the words of Rambam].