Dipping Bread in Salt

Q. Why do we dip our bread in salt?

A. Shulchan Aruch (OC 167: 5) writes that one should not recite Hamotzi until condiments or salt are brought to the table, so the challah can be dipped right after hamotzi. Mishnah Berurah (167:27) explains that dipping in salt or condiments makes the first bite tasty and adds honor to the beracha. The Shulchan Aruch concludes that if the bread is tasty as is, condiments are not required. The Rema does not agree and writes that there is a mitzvah to have salt on the table. The table is similar to the mizbeyach (altar), and in the time of the Bais Hahamikdash there was a positive commandment to salt the karbonos (sacrifices ) on the mizbeyach. Additionally, the Medrash relates that since we cannot speak words of Torah at the table until we eat the first bite of bread, this period of silence presents an opportunity for prosecuting angels to speak out against us (chas v’Shalom). Having salt on the table, invokes the memory of the covenant of salt (all korbanos are offered with salt), and in this merit we are protected. According to the Rema, the salt must be on the table, but the bread does not have to be dipped in the salt. Nonetheless it is customary to dip the bread in salt, in accordance with the writings of mekubalim (Mishnah Berurah ibid 33 and Aruch Hashulchan 12).

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