Commentary for Challah 1:5
עִסָּה שֶׁתְּחִלָּתָהּ סֻפְגָּנִין וְסוֹפָהּ סֻפְגָּנִין, פְּטוּרָה מִן הַחַלָּה. תְּחִלָּתָהּ עִסָּה וְסוֹפָהּ סֻפְגָּנִין, תְּחִלָּתָהּ סֻפְגָּנִין וְסוֹפָהּ עִסָּה, חַיָּבִין בַּחַלָּה. וְכֵן הַקְּנוּבְקָאוֹת חַיָּבוֹת:
A batter whose start is spongy, and whose end is spongy, is exempt from <i>Challah</i>. Whose start is doughy and whose end is spongy, or whose start is spongy whose end is doughy, it is obligated in <i>Challah</i>. Similarly crumb loaves are obligated.
Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
עסה שתחלתה סופגנים – such as dough whose mixture is soft.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
Introduction
This mishnah continues to discuss sponge-cakes, which we learned yesterday were not liable for hallah. Sponge-cakes were made from watery dough and they were cooked either just in the sun, or with a little heat in a pan over an open flame. Since they are not made like bread, they are exempt from hallah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
וסופה סופגנים – when they are fried in oil and honey or cooked in water.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
Dough which was originally [intended for] sponge-cakes, and in the end is [cooked as] sponge-cake, is exempt from hallah. If the flour and water mixture was originally put together in order to be made into sponge-cakes and in the end it was cooked to be sponge-cakes in the way that sponge-cakes are cooked, then it is exempt from hallah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
תחילתה עיסה וסופה סופגנים – when its mixture is thick and afterwards we fry it in oil and honey or cook it in water.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
[If it was] originally [ordinary] dough, but in the end [cooked as] sponge-cakes, [or if it was] originally [intended for] sponge-cakes, but finally [cooked as ordinary] dough, it is subject to hallah. However, if it was originally intended to be ordinary dough, dough whose consistency is thicker than that used for sponge-cakes, and then he cooked it in the way that one cooks sponge-cakes, in a pan or in water or with some other ingredients, then it is liable for hallah. So too, if it began as watery sponge-cake dough, and then he baked it in a regular oven, it is also liable for hallah. As long as it either began or ended up like regular dough, hallah must be taken out.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
תחלתה סופגנין וסופה עיסה – its mixture is soft and we bake it in an oven.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
Similarly, bread crumbs ( are subject [to hallah]. Kenuvkaot come from bread and then are boiled in small pieces in a pan to be food for small children. They are liable for hallah because they began as bread, even though they were eventually cooked in a manner similar to sponge-cakes.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
קנובקאות – bread that we restore it to its sifted fine flour, and make of it food for babies.
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