Doughnuts - Hafrashas Challah

Q. I am planning on making doughnuts for Chanukah. The recipe yields a bread-like dough that will be fried in oil. Is there an obligation to take challah?

A. There is a dispute among Rishonim as to whether boiled or fried dough requires separating challah. Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 329:3) writes that if one kneads dough with the intent of boiling it, it is exempt from challah. Shach (Yoreh De’ah 329:4) recommends that because this is a matter of dispute, one should separate challah without a bracha. However, Aruch Hashulchan (Yoreh De’ah 329:15) maintains that there is no need to be machmir. If one wishes to separate challah with a bracha, there is a way that this can be done. If even a small piece of the dough is baked, even though the great majority will be boiled, then all agree that the dough becomes obligated in hafrashas challah, and one is required to separate challah with a bracha (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah 329:4).

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.