Five Towns Jewish Times The custom of Schlissel Challah has become very widespread, not only in
the Chassidish world but in many other communities as well. Two years
ago, an article written by Shelomo Alfassa appeared (http://www.mesora.org/Shlissel.html)
that attempted to connect the custom known as Schlissel Challah to
Christian or pagan sources. The Alfassa article, entitled “The Loaf of
Idolatry?” stated that fulfilling this custom was, in fact, a Torah
violation of following in the ways of the gentiles. In this article,
an attempt will be made to trace the origins of the custom and to
examine the alleged connection to non-Jewish sources that appeared in
the Alfassa article. With due respect to Mr. Alfassa, it is this
author’s contention that the allegations are quite spurious,
error-filled and misleading, and have no connection whatsoever to this
Chassidic custom. [...]
While Alfassa is correct in his assertion that the custom is not found
in the writings of the Rishonim or earlier, for some reason he fails to
point out the Chassidic origin of Schlissel Challah. As a general rule,
we do not find Chassidish customs in the Rishonim because the movement
itself only began in 1740. We, however, do find mention of the custom
to bake Challah in the shape of a key in many, many Chassidish Seforim.
These Seforim were written by genuine Torah scholars, and it is
difficult to propose that a Christian practice somehow entered into
their literary oeuvre. The Klausenberger Rebbe, the Satmar Rebbe, the
Belzer Rebbe, Rav Moshe Aryeh Freund, and numerous Chassidishe Rebbes
and Poskim all punctiliously observed this custom. [...]
In conclusion, there is no evidence whatsoever that this Chasidic custom
was derived from or influenced by Christian practice. The scholarship
behind this allegation is faulty and error-filled. This is a custom
that has been practiced by the greatest of our Chasidic brethren and it
is wrong to cast such aspersions on their practice.
