It is customary to have two challot, braided loaves of bread, to bless and eat before the Shabbat meal. Having two challot — not one or three — on our Shabbat table is so integrated to the Jewish experience, that many who practice this ritual do not know the reason behind it. Over the centuries, multiple interpretations have provided us with some answers. Here are some of the most popular explanations:

1- The Manna from Heaven

The earliest reason of this practice comes from the book of Exodus:

On the sixth day, they gathered double the amount of food, two omers for each; and when all the chieftains of the community came and told Moses, he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord meant: Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy sabbath of the Lord. Bake what you would bake and boil what you would boil; and all that is left put aside to be kept until morning.’ (Exodus 16:22)

The manna from heaven was collected as food every morning during the wandering in the desert. On Friday, double portions were provided, so they could rest and have food on Shabbat. If they attempted to pick up more than one portion on any other day of the week, it rotted, while the Shabbat portion stayed fresh. To remember this double portion of manna, we bake two challot and not one.

2 – The Bread from the Temple

Twelve loaves of bread were displayed on two shelves in front of the altar of the Temple and exchanged weekly for fresh ones on Shabbat eve following the scriptures of the book of Exodus: “And on the table you shall set the lechem panim before Me always” (Exodus 25:30). 

These loaves of bread were there to be on display, and the term lechem panim is usually translated as “show bread.” In honor of these loaves, we add them to our table represented by the two challot.

3 – Modern altar

It is said that after the destruction of the Temple, our table became our modern altar, and our Shabbat dinner and prayers became our offerings to G´d. 

Nowadays, it would not be easy or practical to have twelve challot on the table, but its symbolism can still teach us something. The Temple altar was for the entire People of Israel, and the twelve loaves represented the twelve Tribes. But a family table is the altar of two people that get together to create a family, so there are two challot on the Shabbat table.

4 – Extra Soul on Shabbat

The Kabbalistic (mystical) tradition teaches that each Jew receives an extra soul on Shabbat, called neshama yetera. This divine gift allows the Jewish People to enjoy both, a day of rest and a day of spiritual connection, on Shabbat.

One of my favorite songs, reflecting the concept of neshama yetera is composed by the artist Itai Armon here:

This extra abundance of Shabbat starts with a festive dinner, full of joy and a festive meal. The very first food we eat on Shabbat are the challot. One loaf of bread would not be enough to represent the wish of abundance on this sacred day, therefore we have to challot for each shabbat meal. We have an extra loaf of bread on our table just as we receive an extra soul in our bodies.

Other Challot Customs

Having two challot is not the only traditional practice at the shabbat table. Here are a few more customs you might encounter, which can vary from one community to another.

Salt: As mentioned above, our table represents the altar in the Temple. In ancient times, the meat of the sacrifices were salted. Salt was rare and expensive, so it has been associated with abundance. After one recites the blessing over the challot but before cutting or tearing it, some sprinkle the salt on top. This sprinkling is a reference to the manna that came from heaven.

Seeds: It is common for many to have sesame or poppy seeds on the outside of challot. This is also a sign of abundance and fertility, as the beginning of life starts with a seed. Sprinkling seeds on the challot before baking them is a call for a life with plenty of blessings. 

Sweetness: Challot is usually a sweet bread baked using refined white flour, which used to be more expensive. Baking a sweet white bread was a total treat, so it became a perfect delicacy for the Shabbat table. A sweet touch was also a kind reminder of the sweetness of learning TorahRefers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, also called the Five Books of Moses, Pentateuch or the Hebrew equivalent, Humash. This is also called the Written Torah. The term may also refer to teachings that expound on Jewish tradition. and keeping Shabbat.

Throwing it in the air: In some communities, especially those of Sephardic background, the challot are not cut with a knife; they are torn by hand. In addition, the pieces are thrown in the air, and the guests need to catch them. This is also a reference to the manna that came from heaven.