The Mitzvah of Lechem Mishneh

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August 22 2005
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The Gemara, Shabbat 117b, states that on Shabbat, one must start the meal with two breads (lechem mishneh). This is based on the verse (Shemot 16:22) that refers to the Friday portion of the man as "lechem mishneh," a double portion of bread. Taz, Orach Chaim 678:2, claims that the Gemara's derivation of this mitzvah from a verse in the Torah implies that the mitzvah of lechem mishneh is a biblical mitzvah. Magen Avraham 254:23, and 618:10, implies that mitzvah of lechem mishneh is a rabbinic enactment.

Tosafot, Berachot 39b, s.v. V'Hilchita, write that on Shabbat, one should not cut the bread until after reciting the beracha of hamotzi in order to fulfill the mitzvah of lechem mishneh. It is implicit from the comments of Tosafot that the mitzvah of lechem mishneh requires that one should use two whole loaves. R. Ya'akov Reischer, Teshuvot Minchat Ya'akov, no. 12, suggests that even if there is a biblical requirement of lechem mishneh, there is no biblical requirement to use two whole loaves. It is sufficient to have only one whole loaf. The requirement that the second loaf be whole is only rabbinic in nature. R. Naftali Z.Y. Berlin, Meishiv Davar 1:21, suggests that there is no inherent requirement to use whole loaves. If the person who is partaking of the lechem mishneh breaks the bread immediately prior to reciting hamotzi, that bread is invalid for his lechem mishneh. However, if the bread is broken prior to the meal, that bread may be used for lechem mishneh. Tosafot, who caution cutting the bread prior to the recitation of hamotzi, are concerned about invalidating the bread for lechem mishneh by breaking it immediately prior to eating it.

How Many Loaves Must be Cut?
The Gemara, ibid, records that Rav Kahana would recite the beracha on both breads but only cut one of them. The Gemara then states that on Shabbat, R. Zeira would break more bread than he did during the week. Rashi, ad loc., s.v. Batza explains that R. Zeira would break large pieces of bread for all of his guests. However, Rashba, ad loc. s.v. Rabi Zeira, explains that R. Zeira disagrees with Rav Kahana. R. Zeira is of the opinion that one should break both of the breads of the lechem mishneh.

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 274:1, rules in accordance with the opinion of Rashi that one is only required to break one bread. However, the Vilna Gaon, Bi'ur HaGra ad loc., rules in accordance with the opinion of Rashba that one should break both breads. [The Zohar, Parshat Pinchas discusses the twelve breads on Shabbat. Sha'arei Teshuva 274:1, cites the practice of many kabbalists who place ten loaves on the table in addition to the lechem mishneh in order to have twelve breads on the table. The Vilna Gaon, in Ma'aseh Rav no. 123, claims that the intention of the Zohar is not to place twelve breads on the table, but rather to follow the opinion of R. Zeira as per Rashba's interpretation. The mitzvah of lechem mishneh demands that one use two breads at all three Shabbat meals. Each of those six breads are broken into (at least) two pieces, thus producing twelve breads.]

The Requirements for the Second Loaf
R. Avraham Y. Karelitz, Kovetz Igrot Chazon Ish 1:188, rules that when Erev Pesach coincides with Shabbat, one may use matzah for the second loaf even though it is prohibited to eat matzah on Erev Pesach. It is implicit from this ruling that the second loaf does not have to be bread that is edible. R. Ovadia Yosef, Yabia Omer, Orach Chaim 8:32, notes that one could distinguish between bread that by its very nature is inedible, and bread that is edible but may not be eaten for halachic reasons. This issue is relevant regarding the use of a frozen loaf for the second bread of the lechem mishneh. If one assumes that inedible bread may not be used for lechem mishneh, frozen bread, which is currently inedible, may not be used either. If one assumes that the second loaf does not have to be edible, one may use the frozen bread for the second loaf.

Many Poskim (R. Ovadia Yosef, ibid, R. Eliezer Waldenberg, Tzitz Eliezer 14:40, R. Yitzchak Weiss, Minchat Yitzchak 9:42) rule that since the frozen loaf can be thawed out and eaten, it is considered edible even in its frozen state. R. Shmuel Vosner, Shevet HaLevi 6:31, rules that in order to use the loaf for lechem mishneh it must be edible at the time of the meal. The potential to thaw out the frozen loaf should not matter. Furthermore, according to Rashba, one must break (and eat) both loaves, and therefore, the second loaf must be practically edible. R. Shlomo Z. Auerbach (cited in Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata ch. 55, note 39), assumes a compromise position on the matter. He rules that in principle, if the loaf is frozen it may not be used since it is not edible. However, if it will thaw out by the end of the meal, it may be used for lechem mishneh.

The Use of Cakes and Cookies for Lechem Mishneh
Cakes and cookies (pat haba'ah b'kisnin) are considered bread with respect to many halachot. Nevertheless, one does not recite Hamotzi and Birkat HaMazon on these items unless they are eaten as part of an established meal (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 168:6-7). Are cakes and cookies suitable for lechem mishneh? Mishna Berurah 274:1, refers the reader to his discussion of this topic in chapter 168. This discussion does not appear in our editions of Mishna Berurah.

Magen Avraham 188:9, posits that one cannot fulfill the mitzvah of lechem mishneh with pat haba'ah b'kisnin because one can only fulfill the mitzvah with an item that requires one to recite Birkat HaMazon. Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 188:10, notes that if one eats the requisite amount to be considered an established meal, one can fulfill the mitzvah of lechem mishneh, since in that instance one recites Birkat HaMazon. Sha'arei Teshuva 274:2, quotes an opinion that even if one does not eat the requisite amount that would normally constitute an established meal, a seudat Shabbat is automatically considered an established meal. Therefore, one would fulfill the mitzvah of lechem mishneh. Teshuvot Zerah Emet, Orach Chaim 28, maintains that it is not necessary to establish a meal, and one may fulfill the mitzvah of lechem mishneh with pat haba'ah b'kisnin in all instances. [The editor of Shulchan Aruch HaRav notes that the author retracted his position in his later years, and followed the opinion of Teshuvot Zerah Emet.]

Ostensibly, this discussion is limited to a case where both of the "loaves" are pat haba'ah b'kisnin. However, if only the second "loaf" is pat haba'ah b'kisnin, the meal is considered a full fledged meal by virtue of the actual bread that is used as the first loaf. It would seem that all would agree that pat haba'ah b'kisnin may be used as the second "loaf." This is the opinion of R. Avraham C. Na'eh, Ketzot HaShulchan, ch. 82, note 5. However, R. Refa'el Maizlish, Tosefet Shabbat 274:1 arrives at the exact opposite conclusion. He contends that if the pat haba'ah b'kisnin is used as the first "loaf," then one can consider the pat haba'ah b'kisnin as part of an established meal. If it is used as the second "loaf," since the second loaf is not normally eaten (as per the ruling of Shulchan Aruch), it is not considered a part of the established meal.

One consideration in the use of cookies for lechem mishneh is their size. Many cookies are not the size of an olive (k'zayit). [K'zayit for these purposes is ostensibly measured by the flour content, and not the actual size of the cookie, see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 208:9.] R. Yosef Chazan, Teshuvot Chikrei Lev, Yoreh Deah 1:57, suggests that bread that is smaller than a k'zayit is not considered lechem and is therefore invalid for lechem mishneh. He then states that even it is considered lechem, one may not use it for lechem mishneh because the lechem mishneh must provide enough bread for the whole meal. R. Chaim Binyamin Pontrimoli, Petach HaDevir 274:4, notes that according to the first reason of R. Chazan, bread that is less than a k'zayit is inherently invalid, and may not be used for the second loaf. According to the second reason, as long as the primary loaf provides enough bread for all of those eating from the lechem mishneh, one may use a small bread for the second loaf. However, he quotes R. Chaim Palagi, Kaf HaChaim 36:44, that it is not proper kavod Shabbat to use a small bread when one has a larger bread available.

Halacha:

References: Shabbat: 117b  

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