As a Zechus

In an article about challa baking, one woman who was interviewed said she started making challa when her son was sick. She wanted to bake challa as a zechus for his refuah shleima.  Sadly, her son passed away but she felt that the mitzvah of challa had to be taught and she began giving classes.

Later in the article, in a sidebar, it describes gemachs for challa.  They are variations  on the idea of women being given names to daven for when they make challa.  The woman I referred to above is quoted as saying that when her son was sick, women gathered in groups of 40 to take challa as a zechus.  She has set up a hotline to continue this idea, in which women call for names to daven for.

It struck me, and the article makes no mention of this, that being asked to daven for a sick person while taking challa, by someone who did just that for her son, and her son died, is not very inspirational.  I thought better of writing this to the publication since it's tragic and I don't want to hurt anyone. 

I know that we don't always see the results that we wanted, and that the Gemara talks about giving tzedaka "so that my son lives" and that it doesn't always result in good news.  But somehow this strikes me differently.  Maybe because it's not brought in the Gemara.  Some other reason?

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Why I am Opposed to Whole Wheat Challa

Let me say from the outset, if someone needs to eat whole wheat or spelt challa for medical reasons, I am not addressing that.  I am talking about those who feel virtuous serving a healthier challa made out of whole wheat rather than white flour. 

In the Beis Ha'Mikdash, solles was fine flour that had the coarser, darker flour sifted away.  The gentiles in Europe knew that although they always ate black bread, and so did the Jews, on the Sabbath, Jews ate bread made out of white flour.  Black bread was for the lower classes and white bread was for the wealthy. 

Challa made out of white flour was a way of honoring the Shabbos and it wasn't only in Eastern Europe.  There was no challa in Syria, says Victoria Dwek, food columnist.  "Whole wheat pita was eaten during the week, and white pita on Shabbat."

The Shabbos zemiros refers to meat and fish v'chol matamim - all delicacies.  There is no mitzva to make ourselves ill, but there is a mitzva to honor the Shabbos with culinary delights.  The food doesn't have to be dripping with oil and full of sugar, but it needs to be special.  There should be foods that we don't eat during the week, but save for Shabbos.  Shabbos is a time for holy indulgence, l'kavod Shabbos kodesh.