# challah

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈxɑ(ː).lə/ · frequency rank #89,215

## Definitions
1. A traditional bread eaten by Ashkenazi Jews, usually braided for the Sabbath and round for a yom tov.
2. The commandment to separate a portion of bread or bread dough for the cohanim (Numbers 15:17–21); in contemporary practice, the portion is burned until inedible.
3. The portion separated in fulfillment of the above.

## Etymology
From Hebrew חַלָּה (ḥallá, “loaf”), influenced by Yiddish חלה (khale).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/challah