Blessing over the bread
Why We ‘Scratch’ the Challah before Bircat HaMotzi
This article from Chabad.org discusses the halachic (legal) and Kabbalistic (mystical) explanations for ‘scratching’ the Challah before the blessing over the bread on Shabbat. Scratching, or placing a small cut in the top
Rabbi Yechial Eckstein: The Spiritual Significance of Challah
In this clear video, Rabbi Yechial Eckstein describes the spiritual meaning of challah and how it differs from regular bread. Rabbi Eckstein explains how challah is used during the Shabbat meals and
Friday Night & Beyond: Insights on HaMotzi
This thorough excerpt from “Friday Night and Beyond” by Lori Palatnik includes spiritual explanations for many of the customs surrounding the HaMotzi ritual and personal reflections from people about what the blessing means
Rav Kook on HaMotzi: For All Times
This excerpt from “Gold from the Land of Israel” by Rabbi Chanan Morrison is a textual analysis of the word “HaMotzi” as it is found in Exodus 6:7, based on the teachings
HaMotzi: The Primordial Past & The Messianic Future
This excerpt from “The Way Into Jewish Prayer (Jewish Lights)” by Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman explores how the words of the blessing over the bread make a theological statement about both the primordial
Friday Night & Beyond: Insights on HaMotzi
This thorough excerpt from “Friday Night and Beyond” by Lori Palatnik includes spiritual explanations for many of the customs surrounding the HaMotzi ritual and personal reflections from people about what the blessing means
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: How To Make Hamotzi
This short video from Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks demonstrates how to perform the blessing over the bread on Shabbat according to Orthodox Ashkenazic tradition. Complete with an explanation about why bread is
Aish: How to Make HaMotzi
The following responsum, written by Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld for Aish.com’s Ask The Rabbi, column, describes how to perform the blessing over the bread on Shabbat from start to finish according to Orthodox
Chabad: Origins, Laws and Customs of the Two Loaves
This thorough article, written by Rabbi Aryeh Citron of Chabad.org, discusses both the meaning behind the two loaves used for the blessing over the bread on Shabbat, as well as practical, detailed,
Reform: Explaining the HaMotzi Ritual
The following excerpt from “Shabbat Customs,” published by ReformJudaism.org, describes the various customs pertaining to the blessing over the bread on Shabbat, including the covering of the bread and knife, the