the manna that fell from the heavens when the Israelites wandered in the desert after the Exodus. The manna did not fall on Sabbath or holidays; instead, a double portion would fall the day before the holiday or sabbath to last for both days. In some Ashkenazi customs, each loaf is woven with six strands of dough. Together, the loaves have twelve strands, alluding to the twelve loaves of the showbread offering in the Temple. Other numbers of strands commonly used are three, five and seven. Occasionally twelve are used, referred to as a "Twelve Tribes" challah. Traditional Sabbath meal procedure It is customary to begin the evening and day Sabbath and holiday meals with the following sequence of rituals: The challah is covered, customarily with a dedicated challah cover cloth. (Normally, in the order of saying blessings, bread would precede wine. Covering the challah allows the Kiddush blessing to come first.) Kiddush is recited over a cup of wine. Each attendee ritually washes their hands in preparation for eating bread. (It is customary not to talk between this washing and consumption of the bread.) The challah cover is removed. The two loaves are held up together. The head of the household recites the blessing over bread: "" (Translation: "Blessed are you our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth"). The bread is sliced (or torn, depending on minhag) and salted, and the pieces are distributed to each person at the meal to eat. The specific practice varies. Some dip the bread into salt before the blessing on bread. Others say the blessing, cut or tear the challah into pieces, and only then dip the pieces in salt, or sprinkle them with salt, before they are eaten. Some communities may make a nick in the bread with a cutting knife. Normally, the custom is not to talk between washing hands and eating bread. However, according to some, if salt was not placed on the table, it is permitted to ask for someone to bring salt, before the blessing on bread is recited. Salting Salting challah is considered a critical component of the meal. Customs vary whether the challah is dipped in salt, salt is sprinkled on it, or salt is merely present on the table. The Torah requires that Temple sacrifices to God be offered with salt. Following the destruction of the Second Temple, Rabbinic