In conversational Hebrew, the verb 'התקלח' is commonly used to describe washing the body with water. Alongside it, 'התרחץ' is sometimes used, particularly in elevated or literary language. But what is the difference between the two?
'התרחץ' – The Veteran Verb
The older of the two verbs is 'התרחץ', as seen in the Bible:"If I washed myself with snow water, and cleansed my hands with soap" (Job 9:30). In the Bible, a related verb, 'רחץ', in the simple conjugation ('קל'), is more common. Examples include:"And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river" (Exodus 2:5)."Go and wash in the Jordan seven times" (2 Kings 5:10).
'רחץ' It also applies to washing only hands and feet:"Let a little water be fetched, and wash your feet" (Genesis 18:4)."And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it". (Exodus 30:19)
In Rabbinic Hebrew, 'רחץ' is the standard verb for washing the body with water, and the reflexive 'התרחץ' is absent. The causative form, 'הרחיץ', even appears:"One bathes a baby before the [circumcision]" (Mishnah, Shabbat 19:3).
Both 'רחץ' and 'התרחץ' coexisted in the era of Modern Hebrew's revival. People would "wash" or "bathe" ('רחצו' or 'התרחצו') in the sea, the pool, or the bath—whether for cleanliness or immersion. The vitality of the root רח"ץ persists in expressions like "עונת הרחצה" ("bathing season") and "הרחצה אסורה" ("bathing is forbidden").
The Modern Arrival of 'התקלח'
The verb 'התקלח' does not appear in classical Hebrew sources. However, verbs from the root קל"ח, such as 'קילח' in the intensive conjugation ('פיעל'), do appear from the Mishnah onward:"A pipe that pours into the public domain" (Tosefta, Eruvin 6:23).This typically refers to a stream of water from a pipe or spout.
In modern times, as shower facilities—where water streams down onto the bather—became widespread, the spoken language adopted 'התקלח'. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, in his dictionary, notes:"It is common to say that a person 'התקלח', meaning they washed their body by a stream of water from a shower" (p. 5946).
Ben-Yehuda also reports coining the term 'מקלחת' but originally in the sense of a showerhead (known as douche in French or דוש in Hebrew). Today, 'מקלחת' refers to a "shower" in general,
highlighting the evolution of bathing habits and terminology.
In Conclusion
It is best to reserve 'התקלח' for washing the body using a shower (מקלח). For example, one would not say "to shower in a bathtub." The general verb 'התרחץ' (or 'רחץ') works well for all contexts.
?'שטף' and 'רחץ': What's the Difference
Many wonder about the distinction between 'שטף' and 'רחץ': When cleaning kitchen utensils, for instance, do we "rinse" or "wash"? While the verbs 'שטף' and 'רחץ' are largely synonymous, both describing washing with water, 'רחץ' is more frequent in Biblical Hebrew. 'שטף' primarily denotes the flow of water but appears occasionally in the context of cleaning:"He did not wash his hands in water, but washed his clothes and bathed in water" (Leviticus 15:11).
In Modern Hebrew, 'שטף' often indicates a general cleaning action or a specific step, such as rinsing soap off with water. A more formal term for washing dishes is 'הדיח', also rooted in the Bible:"He made ten lavers... to rinse in them; they washed in them the work of the burnt offering, but the sea was for the priests to wash in" (2 Chronicles 4:6).This verb also lends its name to the dishwasher: מֵדיח כלים.
Summary
Kitchen utensils: You can 'שטף', 'רחץ', or 'הדיח' with no difference in meaning.
Hands: You can 'שטף' or 'רחץ', usually interchangeably.
In general, 'שטף' is common when referring to running water to remove dirt or soap.
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