"Breads are passed in a flat dish or a basket. A guest helps himself with his fingers and lays the roll or bread on his butter plate. Whenever a guest has not bread left at his place, more should be passed to him. Except at formal dinners, bread and other condiments are usually passed around the table by the guests themselves. If there is a choice of two or three sauces or other condiments, placing them together in a divided dish, or on a small, easily managed tray, ensures that they are passed together and all guests are aware of the choices. As with other service, dishes are passed counterclockwise, and all should be passed in the same direction."
Emily Post's Etiquette, 75th Anniversary Edition
by, Peggy Post (pg. 392)
It is traditional for a Jewish Erev Shabbat meal to include two loaves of Challah and then say a blessing called the Ha-motzi. Basically, we are giving thanks to God for bringing sustenence from the earth for us to stay alive. There are so many factors that go into one loaf of bread starting with weather and soil conditions...things that we are humans cannot always control. We take a moment, pause and give thanks to an Almighty Creator for a seemingly simple, yet intricate blessing.
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, Creator and King of the Universe who brings forth bread from the earth."
