Place the warm water, yeast, and 1 Tbsp sugar into a large glass measuring cup or bowl. Set aside in a warm place.

Crack 7 large eggs into an 8-quart pot and mix. In a separate bowl, combine the 2c sugar, oil, salt, and boiling water.

When yeast is bubbly, add the yeast mixture into the egg mixture.

Add the sugar/oil mixture into the pot. Stir. Add the flour into the pot in 3 additions, mixing well between additions.

Sprinkle 0.5c flour on your kneading surface. Knead the dough for 10-15min, adding flour to the surface as needed. Try not to add too much.

Put the dough back into the original 8-quart pot. Wet a kitchen dishtowel, wring it out well, and use it to cover the top of the pot. Try not to lift the towel, as air will dry out the dough.

Let the dough right for 2-3 hours. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. This is the point where you separate challah for the mitzvah. Make the blessing, then take off a piece of dough. Preheat oven to 350deg.

Using a dough cutter or sharp knife, divide the dough into 6-7 equal sized pieces. Divide each piece into 3 sections. Roll each section into a long strand. Lay the three strands in front of you. Ping the top ends together. Braid the dough and pinch the bottom ends together. Place on parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. At this point you may freeze some of the challot. I place them on the baking sheet in the freezer to ensure that they freeze flat. When dough is frozen, remove and wrap each challah in a heavy-duty zip-lock bag. When ready to use, remove from freezer, place on baking sheet, and leave out to thaw completely. Proceed with recipe.

Let rise covered for 30 minutes.

Brush challot with 1 beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and challah sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.