Chatan – Kallah (grammar)

Question

For a groom, the word Chatan is used both for marriage and for Simchat Torah.

The word for bride (marriage) in Hebrew is כַּלָּה Kallah

However, the bride of the Torah is Kallat Torah.
What is the Hebrew word for Kallat?

Why is the word different for a female?

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    If I understand your question correctly the answer is to do with Hebrew grammar. When a word that ends in the letter “heh” it normally has a “taf” added to it so as to circumvent needing to add another word. For example (although I have never heard the phrase Kallat Torah before!), without the “taf” on the end the phrase would to read “Kallah Shel Torah” for it to read correctly.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team

  2. ev ba
    March 11, 2019 at 11:56 pm

    Specifically I am talking about Simchat Torah honors – Chatan Torah and Chatan Bereishit.
    The word is Chatan just as it would be for a bridegroom.

    In egalitarian shuls, where women can be called to the Torah,
    the Simchat Torah honors for a female would be Kallat Torah and Kallat Bereishit.
    You have probably never heard the phrase before because you are Orthodox.

    Please look at the two articles at the following links

    https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-simhat-torah-morning-service/

    Check out the first 2 paragraphs of this article, which references both Kallah and Kallat

    http://www.bj.org/Articles/the-bride-and-grooms-of-bj-introducing-the-simhat-torah-kallah-and-hatanim-5775/

    Do you still believe that the answer is grammar?