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חַלָּה

𐤇𐤋𐤄

challâh

H2471 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חלל to pierce, perforate, make hollow

Definition

A round, flat bread-cake, often prepared from fine flour and sometimes mixed with oil or honey, typically used in cultic offerings or as an item of food. In biblical usage, חַלָּה refers to a specific type of bread-cake, distinct from other bread forms, brought as part of ritual sacrifice or for special festivals. The term can also generically refer to a baked food portion, especially one intentionally separated, dedicated, or set aside.

Semantic Range

flat bread-cake, ritual bread offering, unleavened cake, leavened festival bread, a portion of baked bread set aside for cultic use

Root / Etymology

From the root חָלַל (chalal), which fundamentally means 'to pierce, perforate, or make hollow.' The nominal form חַלָּה derives from the idea of something that is perforated, perhaps referencing the cake's shape, texture, or preparation (i.e., scored or marked). The precise development from root to culinary item is debated, but the common interpretation is that these cakes were marked or shaped in a particular way.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חַלָּה is frequently mentioned in the context of offerings (e.g., Lev 2:4; 7:12-13; Num 6:15-19), where it describes a specific bread component of grain offerings—often unleavened and prepared with oil. In Leviticus 23:17, leavened challot are presented at Shavuot, distinct from the standard unleavened variety. The חַלָּה should not be confused with לֶחֶם (leḥem, 'bread') which is a broader term, or with מַצָּה (matzah, 'unleavened bread') though all can refer to types of bread products. In later Hebrew and in Rabbinic tradition, חַלָּה acquired further ritual significance as the portion of dough separated and consecrated for the priests (Num 15:19-21), but this development postdates the primary biblical use of the word as a sacrificial bread-cake. The modern association of 'challah' with a braided Sabbath bread is a much later tradition and should not be read back into the biblical term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָלַל; a cake (as usually punctured); cake.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חלל (ḥ-l-l) — to pierce, perforate, make hollow

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2426 חֵיל Begin!
H2455 חֹל the common
H2474 חַלּוֹן in the pierced opening
H2479 חַלְחָלָה paralyzing trembling
H2485 חָלִיל with perforated flutes

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2471-03 חַלּ֤וֹת chalot HNcfpa cakes perforated bread-cakes 6
H2471-02 חַלַּ֨ת chalat HNcfsc cake perforated bread-cake of 2
H2471-06 וְֽ/חַלַּ֨ת vechalat HC/Ncfsc and-cake and perforated bread-cake of 2
H2471-07 וְ/חַלֹּ֤ת vechalot HC/Ncfsc and cakes perforated bread-cake of 1
H2471-04 הַֽ/חַלָּ֥ה hachalah HTd/Ncfsa the cake the perforated bread-cake 1
H2471-01 חַלָּ֖ה chalah HNcfsa cake perforated bread-cake 1
H2471-05 וַֽ/חַלַּ֨ת vachalat HC/Ncfsc and one cake and perforated bread-cake of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

14 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2471-07 Exodus 29:2 וְ/חַלֹּ֤ת vechalot HC/Ncfsc and cakes perforated bread-cake of
H2471-05 Exodus 29:23 וַֽ/חַלַּ֨ת vachalat HC/Ncfsc and one cake and perforated bread-cake of
H2471-03 Leviticus 2:4 חַלּ֤וֹת chalot HNcfpa cakes perforated bread-cakes
H2471-03 Leviticus 7:12 חַלּ֤וֹת chalot HNcfpa loaves perforated bread-cakes
H2471-03 Leviticus 7:12 חַלֹּ֖ת chalot-2 HNcfpa cakes perforated bread-cakes
H2471-03 Leviticus 7:13 חַלֹּת֙ chalot HNcfpc cakes perforated bread-cakes
H2471-02 Leviticus 8:26 חַלַּ֨ת chalat HNcfsc cake perforated bread-cake of
H2471-06 Leviticus 8:26 וְֽ/חַלַּ֨ת vechalat HC/Ncfsc and-cake and perforated bread-cake of
H2471-03 Leviticus 24:5 חַלּ֑וֹת chalot HNcfpa cakes perforated bread-cakes
H2471-04 Leviticus 24:5 הַֽ/חַלָּ֥ה hachalah HTd/Ncfsa the cake the perforated bread-cake
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