Supernatural

The meaning behind the "Shlissel Challah" (Key Challah)

As Shabbat approaches, just one day after the conclusion of Pesach, many Jewish households are preparing to bake Shlissel Challahs, also known as "Key Challahs." This Ashkenazi custom is relatively new, dating back a few hundred years. It involves baking a challah with a metal key inside or in the shape of a key (which is a more appetizing option!).

While some rabbis denounce this practice as "Darkei Haemori" or pagan, I believe that the widespread adoption of this custom among the Jewish people indicates its significance.

An explanation for this custom may be found in the Gemara in Taanit 2a:

אמר ר' יוחנן ג' מפתחות בידו של הקב"ה שלא נמסרו ביד שליח ואלו הן מפתח של גשמים מפתח של חיה מפתח של תחיית המתים…במערבא אמרי אף מפתח של פרנסה

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There are three keys in the hand of God which were not transmitted to an intermediary, i.e., God tends to these matters Himself. And they are: The key of rain, the key of birthing, and the key of the resurrection of the dead… In the West, [Eretz Yisrael], they say: the fourth is the key of livelihood

The Vilna Gaon devised a clever acronym for this Gemara. He explained that the Hebrew word for a key, "Mafteach," represents these four aspects together. The "mem" stands for "matar," which means rain, the "pey" for "parnasa," which means earning a living, the "tav" for "t’chiat hameitim," which includes resurrection of the dead (and healing of deadly illnesses), and the "chet" for "chaya," which means childbirth.

According to the Gemara, these keys are in God's realm and are outside the sphere of human beings. Only God holds the key to these areas of life.

I believe this idea is related to the name of our parsha, Shemini, which means "the eighth day." The Maharal teaches us that the number seven represents the concept of "teva," which refers to the natural elements of our world. For instance, the world was created in seven days, and there are seven days in a week. However, the number eight corresponds to the spiritual world, which is "limaala min hateva," above the natural world and what comes after the seventh day of physical creation.

In a similar vein, our Parsha, named Shemini or "Eighth", delves into the laws of kosher, which involves the process of transforming the physical and mundane into kedusha, the spiritual realm.

The Vilna Gaon teaches us that although it is not obligatory, we should still partake in a "seudah shlishit," a third meal, on the last day of Pesach. This is to demonstrate to God our sincere desire to perform the mitzvah of eating matzah and our sadness that Pesach is coming to an end.

Furthermore, many people have a custom of consuming chametz immediately after the holiday ends (which explains the long lines outside kosher pizza places shortly after Pesach concludes). This practice reinforces the idea that we ate matzah to observe the mitzvah of Pesach and not merely to satisfy our hunger.

Through these practices of elevating the matzah, we demonstrate the same concept of Shemini, that we can transform the mundane, such as something as simple as eating, into the spiritual realm. This allows us to access the supernatural world.

According to the Kabbalistic works, Challah, like all chametz, is especially representative of our physical, mundane world. As we leave Pesach behind, the "shlissel," or key, in the challah conveys an essential message. It symbolizes our hope that we will merit the gifts corresponding to the מפתח, or key: new life, earning a livelihood, healing and recovery.

The "shlissel" also represents our commitment not to take these gifts for granted. Instead, we should elevate them from the realm of the seven days of creation and the natural world to the realm of the spiritual, the "eighth day".

As we transition from the spiritual highs of Pesach to the ordinary days of our lives, we must strive to carry this message with us. We must remember that God holds the keys to the spiritual dimension, which we can infuse into our daily lives through prayer and devotion to Torah and mitzvot.

If we consistently focus on bringing God into our mundane, everyday lives, we will merit that God will use his keys to help us in challenging situations in ways that are nothing short of supernatural. Shabbat shalom.