Bircat Hamotzi on Shabbat
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
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
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
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan: The Connection Between the Exodus and Challah
This excerpt from “Sabbath: Day of Eternity” by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan describes the deep spiritual connection between the Exodus from Egypt
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
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Women’s Obligation in HaMotzi and Shabbat Meals
This article, written by Halacha Yomit (Daily Laws), describes the women’s obligation to participate in the blessing over the bread and
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
Students Explain the HaMotzi Customs
This short, humorous video, created by students at Makor of Hebrew College, describes several customs pertaining to the HaMotzi ritual performed
Why We Dip the Bread in Salt During the HaMotzi Ritual
This responsum from Chabad.org discusses the origins of dipping bread into salt before eating it as part of the HaMotzi ritual. Rabbi Yehuda