Yesterday, we noted the Torah’s description of the double portion of manna that Benei Yisrael collected every Erev Shabbat in the wilderness – “laketu lechem mishneh” (16:22), and we saw that the Gemara (Shabbat 117b) cites this verse as the source for the obligation of using two loaves of bread at the Shabbat meal.  We also mentioned the practice of Rav Kahana, cited by the Gemara, to hold two loaves when he recited the berakha, but actually cut only one loaf.  Rav Kahana claimed that since this requirement is derived from the Torah’s description of the people collecting – but not eating – a double portion, the mitzva is to recite the berakha over two loaves, but not to partake of two loaves.

            Immediately after this account of Rav Kahana’s custom, the Gemara proceeds to record the practice of Rabbi Zeira, who would slice “kulei sheirutei.”  Rashi explains this term to mean that on Shabbat Rabbi Zeira would break off a very large piece of bread from the loaf after reciting the berakha.  Although this is generally discouraged, as it gives the appearance of gluttony, on Shabbat this is proper, Rashi explains, as one thereby demonstrates his desire to eat heartily in honor of Shabbat.

            The Rashba, however, explains the account of Rabbi Zeira’s practice differently.  According to the Rashba, Rabbi Zeira disagreed with Rav Kahana, and sliced both loaves of bread after reciting the berakha.  Whereas Rav Kahana maintained that the obligation of “lechem mishneh” requires only reciting the berakha over two loaves, Rabbi Zeira ruled that one must actually slice and partake of both loaves of bread.  Thus, according to the Rashba, the Gemara presents a debate among the Amora’im as to whether one should slice only one of the two loaves, or both loaves.  Rav Hai Gaon (cited by the Arukh Ha-shulchan O.C. 274:2) also understood that the Gemara presents here conflicting views.  He rules that one has the option of either slicing one loaf, in accordance with Rav Kahana’s view, or slicing both, following the position of Rabbi Zeira.

            The Shulchan Arukh (O.C. 274:1-2), in codifying the obligation of “lechem mishneh,” writes: “…one holds them both in his hands and slices the lower one.  And there is a mitzva on Shabbat to slice a large piece that will suffice for the entire meal.”  Clearly, the Shulchan Arukh follows Rashi’s approach, that these accounts of Rav Kahana and Rabbi Zeira reflect two customs that are both proper to observe on Shabbat, and not two sides of a debate, and he thus codifies both practices.  Indeed, common practice is to slice only one of the two loaves at the Shabbat meal.

            However, the Mishna Berura (274:4) cites several authorities – the Maharshal, Shela and Vilna Gaon – who had the practice of slicing both loaves at the Shabbat meal.  Actually, the Maharshal’s custom (as recorded by the Arukh Ha-shulchan, citing the Bach and Magen Avraham) was to slice one loaf at the nighttime meal and two at the Shabbat morning meal.  In any event, the Arukh Ha-shulchan (274:3) observed that many “medakdekin” (especially scrupulous observers of Halakha) in Lithuania would slice two loaves of bread at every Shabbat meal, following the Vilna Gaon’s ruling.  The Arukh Ha-shulchan expresses his astonishment over this practice, noting that it runs in direct contrast to the Shulchan Arukh’s explicit ruling that only loaf must be sliced at each meal.  He adds that slicing both cannot be considered a “mitzva min ha-muvchar” (higher level of mitzva observance), for if it was, then Rav Kahana would have assuredly followed this practice (to which we may add that this should have been mentioned by the Shulchan Arukh).  The Arukh Ha-shulchan thus questions this custom and deems it unnecessary to slice both loaves of bread at the Shabbat meal.

            Rav Aharon Yehuda Grossman, in his Ve-darashta Ve-chakarta, suggests that these “medakdekin” perhaps made a point of slicing two loaves because there is likely a Torah obligation at stake.  As we saw yesterday, the Arukh Ha-shulchan himself maintains that the use of two loaves of bread at the Shabbat meal constitutes a Torah obligation.  And since the Rashba interpreted the Gemara to mean that one view requires slicing two loaves of bread, the “medakdekin” found it necessary to try to satisfy both opinions, especially given the relative ease of adding extra small loaves, rather than risk neglecting a Torah obligation.

            In any event, as mentioned, common practice is to slice only one of the two loaves. 

Rav David Silverberg