Lechem Mishneh with a Small Piece Broken Off
ANSWER: Ideally, one should use challahs that are completely intact. If a challah is missing a small piece, less than one part out of forty eight, there is a disagreement as to whether it is still considered whole (see Shaarei Teshuva 274:1). Many poskim are lenient (Minchas Yaakov, Machatzis Hashekel). The Aruch HaShulchan (274:5) writes that if one has no other bread, they should still use two loaves, even if they are both missing more than a forty-eighth.
If one can attach two halves of a loaf with a toothpick so that it appears that it is one complete loaf, then this may now be considered a complete loaf and used for lechem mishneh (see Magen Avrohom 168:4).
Today's Halacha Yomis is dedicated in memory of Rav Yosef Yisroel ben Moshe, Rabbi Yosef Yisroel Grossman zt"l, whose fourth yartzeit will be on Sunday, Daled Shevat. Rabbi Grossman's legacy of zikui harabim (spiritually enabling the Jewish people) lives on with the Halacha Yomis series, which he initiated eight years ago, as well as a host of other outstanding OU educational programs that continue to serve Klal Yisrael.
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