חָטַף (b. h.; cmp. חָטַט, a. גָּזַל with גָּזַז) 1) to seize, rob. Y. Ber. I, 3ᶜ bot. (ref. to I Kings VIII, 54) ככפים הללו שלא חָטְפוּ בבנין וכ׳ ed. Krot. (oth. ed. נטפו, prob. נִטְנְפוּ, v. טָנַף) like those hands which did not rob anything at building the Temple. Lam. R. to I, 1 וחֲטָפוֹ ממנה and snatched it (the letter of divorce) out of her hands; a. fr.—Koh. R. to VII, 26, v. חָטַב. —2) (cmp. Lat. carpo) to do a thing with haste, esp. (v. Ber. 35ᵃ sq., Tosef. ib. IV, 1) to break without benediction. Tosef. Pes. X, 9 חוֹטְפִין מצה לתינוק matzah is distributed among the children before the regular turn in the Passover ceremonies, in order that they may not fall asleep; Pes. 109ᵃ (v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note 50; oth. opin. in comment.). Part. pass. חָטוּף, f. חֲטוּפָה snatched, abrupt. M. Kat. 28ᵃ מת פתאם מיתה ח׳ if one dies suddenly, it is called an abrupt death (snatched by death); Treat. S’maḥ. ch. III לארבעה … מיתה ח׳ after four or five days of sickness, it is called &c.; v. דָּחַף.—אמן ח׳, v. אָמֵן II.
Hithpa. - הִתְחַטֵּף to be snatched, hurried. Y. Ber. VIII, end, 12ᶜ he who says ‘a hurried Amen’—יִתְחַטְּפוּ שנותיו his years will be hurried (he will die an untimely, sudden death, v. supra); Bab. Ber. 47ᵃ