Directions In a medium bowl, combine yeast and water and a sprinkling of the sugar or a few drops of honey. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and reserve 3 Tablespoons for the egg wash. Mix in 1 Tablespoon water to make the wash and store it in the refrigerator. Also prepare a clean counter space with a sprinkle of flour for kneading.When the yeast mixture begins to bubble, add the mixture to the eggs not reserved for the wash, along with the rest of the sugar or honey, salt, and oil. Sprinkle in 2 cups of flour and work it in with a whisk. Continue to add flour, 1-2 cups at a time, and continue to mix. When the dough is too thick to mix with the whisk, turn it out onto the floured counter top and continue adding flour and kneading it in with your hands.When dough is no longer sticky and forms a firm (but soft) ball, continue to knead for 10 minutes.Clean the large bowl that you used to mix the dough, or prepare two medium bowls. The bowl space should be large enough that the dough fills it no more than halfway. Oil the sides of the bowl(s). Form the dough into one or two balls. Place the dough in the bowl(s), with the seam side of the ball facing down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or wax paper and let it sit in a warm place for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in bulk. Now you are ready to separate challah. If the dough is in two separate bowls, put the pieces of dough side-by-side on the counter so they touch. Pull off the olive-sized scrap of dough and say the blessing. Wrap the small piece of dough in aluminum foil and burn it in the oven or on the stovetop (if using a gas range). Be careful that it doesn’t catch fire! Or wrap the dough in a napkin or paper towel, then discard it.When this is finished, divide the remaining dough into 6 pieces. Each of these pieces will form one loaf. To shape the challah, try the braiding techniques in this recipe for the classic look. Many bakers use different shapes in honor of various holidays, such as a round challah for Rosh Hashanah, the new calendar year. The Rosh Hashanah challah can be formed by rolling the dough into one long strand and then coiling it into a spiral.When the loaves are ready, place them on an oiled baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size again.While the dough completes its second rise, reheat the oven to 350F. Brush the tops of the loaves with the reserved egg wash and sprinkle with seeds, if desired.Bake loaves for 35-40 minutes, or until a knock on the base of the loaf produces a hollow sound.To store leftover challah, place cooled loaves in zip-top bags and keep in the refrigerator or freezer. To serve, bring up to room temperature, wrap in aluminum foil, and warm in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes.