Lechem Mishneh

From Halachipedia

Having two loaves of Challah

  1. Having Lechem Mishna means that one needs to make Hamotzei over two loaves of bread on Shabbat and Yom Tov in commemoration of the double portion of Maan that fell before Shabbat and Yom Tov. [1]
  2. Women are also obligated in Lechem Mishneh. [2]Some say that the women should hear the Bracha from the one making HaMotzei on the two loaves, while others defend the minhag of those who don’t hear the HaMotzei and make HaMotzei on the piece given to them. [3]
  3. Preferably both loaves should be fresh but if one is frozen after the fact they may be used for making the Bracha of HaMotzei. [4]

Passing the Challah

  1. One shouldn’t give the Challah directly into the hands of someone else but rather one should place it down on a plate or the table to pass it to someone else. [5]

How much to eat

  1. For the Friday night meal and Shabbat day meal one needs to have a KeBaytzah of bread and if that’s difficult one may have a Kezayit of bread (and in such a case one should wash without a Bracha). [6]

Which Challah to break

  1. On Friday night, one should cut the lower of the two loaves. On Shabbat morning and Yom Tov night and morning one should cut the upper of the two loaves. [7]

Sweet Challah

  1. For the Bracha on honey challah, see Pas_Haba_Bikisnin#Honey_Challah

References

  1. S”A 274:1, Mishna Brurah 274:1
  2. Mishna Brurah 274:1
  3. Sh”t Kinyan Torah 1:88 and Eshel Avraham (siman 274) defend the minhag, while Sh”t Bear Moshe quotes the חתם סופר who was insistent on having the women hear the Bracha of HaMotzei from the one making it over two loaves.
  4. Sh”t Yabea Omer 7:32, Or Letzion (vol 2, chapter 21:2)
  5. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 312), Piskei Teshuvot (Siman 274 note 7)
  6. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 313)
  7. S”A and Rama 274:1