Mirry always looked forward to Friday afternoons. That's when she and her mother would bake Challah together.

"You see, Mirry," her mother said as she placed the dough on the table. "We are going to fulfill the mitzvah of taking Challah — separating a piece of dough and reciting the blessing."

"But we do that every week when we bake Challah," Mirry said with a puzzled look on her face.

"Yes," her mother replied as she cut away the proper amount of dough from the batch. "But this week it's special, because the mitzvah of taking Challah is mentioned in this week's Torah portion."

Mirry's mind wandered to the ancient Israel. She imagined people preparing to deliver portions of Challah to the Kohen's family. She could almost see them carefully setting these portions aside, making sure that they would not mix with other bread.

"Mom," Mirry suddenly asked as she braided her dough into a perfectly shaped Challah. "When we take Challah, we separate a piece of dough from the rest of the batch. It is supposed to go to the Kohanim, who are different and separated from the rest of the people. They have many responsibilities and privileges that other people do not have. I know their job is important, but isn't everyone supposed to be united? If we are supposed to have unity, why are there those that are different?"

"The separation between the Kohen, Levite, and Israelite is not intended to divide our people. Each group has different jobs to do in making our world. And doing this all together brings about complete unity among the entire world."