Covering Challah on Pot

In terms of hatmanah – if one wishes to leave potato kugel wrapped in aluminum foil on top of a cholent pot (crock pot or on blech) and cover the towel over the kugel on the cholent would this be ok ? (since not all of the cholent is covered only where the potato kugel is)

and would it make a differnce if it were erev shabbos or on shabbos itself?

and what about if it were a challah instead of the potato kugel?

Answer:

The problem of hatmanah here is not the cholent pot, which remains mostly uncovered, but the kugel or the challah, which is totally covered.

It is forbidden to completely cover a challah or kugel that is on top of the cholent pot, and one must ensure that a significant part of the kugel or challah remains uncovered.

These laws apply even on Erev Shabbos, because being on the pot, the hatmanah is considered “mosif hevel” (adding heat), and is prohibited even when done before Shabbos.