Challah Baking

Challah is the most divine feminine action in Judaism, and the symbols around the baking, the intention and the prayers, are so intense it would be hard to describe it only in a post caption. But I’m talking about all this spirituality in my sound healing course, yep yep I talk about sound healing and baking challah! Because it is all about how to embody our spirituality, that is why our world was created, בראשית.

What makes challah so powerful is that it is not only about food, it is about creation itself. Every ingredient carries a symbolic meaning, almost like a language through which we participate in the act of bringing life into matter.

Flour represents the body, the physical vessel, the most grounded aspect of existence. It reminds us that spirituality is not detached from the material world, but expressed through it. Some teachings also connect flour to sustenance and livelihood, parnassah, reminding us that abundance is never only “from us,” but always through us.

Water symbolizes flow, Torah, and emotional openness. It is the principle of receptivity, humility, and adaptation. Just like water takes the shape of any vessel, it teaches us how to receive life without resistance, and how divine wisdom flows when we soften.

Yeast is expansion. It is the force of growth, transformation, and elevation, but also of ego. It makes the dough rise, just like our ambitions, desires, and inner fire can elevate us, but also inflate us if not balanced. It is the reminder that growth needs grounding.

Oil represents light, harmony, and divine flow. In Jewish tradition, oil is associated with the Menorah in the Temple, pure illumination. In the dough, it brings softness and unity, holding everything together with fluidity.

Egg carries the symbolism of potential and creation. It holds life in an unseen form, reminding us that everything visible first exists in a hidden state, waiting to emerge.

Sugar or sweetness represents kindness, compassion, and the ability to transform judgment into softness. It is the conscious intention of bringing joy and gentleness into life, even within difficulty.

Salt represents covenant, preservation, and truth. It is what stabilizes and protects. In Jewish tradition, salt was always present in offerings in the Temple, symbolizing endurance and commitment. It reminds us that life needs both sweetness and structure.

Beyond the ingredients, challah is deeply connected to Sarah Imenu, our matriarch Sarah. The Midrash teaches that during her lifetime, three miracles were constantly present in her home: the dough was blessed, the Shabbat candles remained lit, and a divine cloud of presence rested above her tent (Bereishit Rabbah). These miracles represented abundance, light, and divine presence flowing naturally through her home.

After her passing, these blessings disappeared, until they were continued through her legacy. This is why challah baking is not just a recipe, it is a remembrance of Sarah Imenu’s ability to bring blessing, presence, and expansion into the physical world.

It is also why the mitzvah of Hafrashat Challah (separating a small portion of dough) is so meaningful. It is a moment of elevation: taking something physical and consciously dedicating it back to its spiritual source. A small act that transforms creation into connection.

Every shabbat, I love to bake my challah while listening to a shiur torah from my rabbanit about this week parasha (torah portion). Make your own habits, your own rituals, deeply anchored into our ancestral traditions!

And then comes the most sacred physical gesture: the braiding of the challah.

The tressage is not only aesthetic, it is symbolic! The structure of three strands coming together into one reflects a deeper universal principle that appears in many mystical traditions: the movement from multiplicity into unity. In alchemical language, it echoes the principle of 3 becoming 1: the dynamic interplay of forces that resolve into a single, integrated whole.

In Kabbalistic consciousness, this mirrors the idea that reality is built through relationships between forces, but ultimately returns to Oneness. It is interesting to note how similar this is to Western alchemical thought, especially in medieval Europe, where the main figure of alchemy in France, Nicolas Flamel have been guided by “Abraham the Jew,” reflecting a historical overlap between alchemy and Jewish mystical traditions.

So when we braid challah, we are not only shaping dough — we are weaving unity out of multiplicity.

My "Regular White Flour" recipe:

1 kg of flour (I usually use a mix with whole wheat flour for a more grounding, nourishing version — sometimes also buckwheat for depth)

1 spoon of salt (coarse salt)

4 spoons of sugar (I use natural coconut sugar or reduce it depending on intention)

Mix

Add20 g of dry yeast (2 spoons)

1 egg200 ml oil (1 glass)

400 ml lukewarm water (2 glasses)

Knead until you reach a smooth, unified dough - the moment where everything becomes one.

Let it rest for about 1 hour.

And don’t forget to do the Hafrashat Challah blessing:

"Boruch Atoh Ado-nay Elo-Kheinu Melech Ha'Olam Asher Kidshanu B'mitzvosav V'tzivanu L'hafrish Challah min ha’isa"

And my Whole Wheat / Spelt Challah Recipe

For a more grounding, nourishing and mineral-rich version of challah, I often make it with whole wheat or whole spelt flour. The texture is softer, more rustic, and the dough behaves differently — slower, more alive somehow. Whole flour requires more patience, more listening, more adaptation… which honestly feels very aligned with the whole spiritual process of challah baking itself.

Ingredients

1 kg whole wheat flour or whole spelt flour

30 g yeast

50 g sugar

10 g ground coarse salt

1/4 glass oil (preferably canola oil for a healthier option)

1 egg white (keep the yolk for brushing)

500 ml lukewarm water (more or less depending on the dough texture)

Instructions

Mix the yeast, sugar, and a little lukewarm water together.Let it sit until it becomes foamy and activated.

Add the oil and egg white, then mix.

In another bowl, combine the flour and salt, then slowly add the liquid mixture.

The dough should stay soft and slightly sticky — this is normal with whole flour.

Cover and let rise for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Whole flour takes longer to rise.Personally, I use the “prove” mode on the Ninja and it works amazingly well!

Degas the dough and form your challot.

Do not preheat the oven.

Brush with the egg yolk, and if you want you can add sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or even herbes de Provence — it gives an amazing focaccia / Italian brioche kind of flavor.

Place the challot in the oven first, and only then turn the oven on. This allows the braided challot to continue rising gently as the oven warms up, without over-expanding too quickly. Since whole flour dough is softer, over-proofing can make the braids lose their shape.

Bake at 175°C for about 25 minutes.