The Gemara says that one can take Chalah on Yom Tov even if the dough was ready before Yom Tov. Tosfos asks that taking Chalah should be like taking Terumah, which is Asur on Yom Tov. Tosfos offers two answers:

1. Since the dough is generally finished on Yom Tov (and not before) the Chachamim did not include taking Chalah in the Isur of taking Terumah even in a case where it was actually finished before Yom Tov.

2. The dough was not totally finished before Yom Tov, and, therefore -- even it was possible to take Chalah earlier -- taking Chalah before the dough is entirely finished is not l'Chatchilah, and thus it is allowed on Yom Tov. In contrast, where it was actually finished before Yom Tov, one may not separate Chalah on Yom Tov.

Tosfos continues to explain the difference between Kisuy ha'Dam -- which is Asur when the Shechitah is done before Yom Tov, and Chalah -- which is Mutar even when the dough was made before Yom Tov. Tosfos dismisses the possibility that the difference is that if one does not do Kisuy he may still eat the meat, whereas when one does not take Chalah he cannot eat the bread, because in Chutz l'Aretz even when one does not take Chalah he may still eat the bread.

Tosfos then cites the Tosefta which answers the original question by saying that since we are talking about Chutz l'Aretz, one is allowed to take Chalah on Yom Tov, because the problem with taking Terumah is that it is "Mechzi k'Mesaken" and in Chutz l'Aretz -- where one may eat the bread without separating the Chalah -- it does not look like fixing.

If you have trouble with the rest of Tosfos, please write back.

D. Zupnik