Jastrow: תָּפַס

תָּפַס, תָּפַשׂ (b. h.; cmp. תָּפַף) to seize, take hold on; to take effect. Keth. 84ᵇ את תּוֹפֵס לבעל חוב וכ׳ thou seizest property in behalf of a creditor when the debtor owes others, ואמר ר׳ י׳ התופס וכ׳ and R. J. has decided that he who seizes in behalf of a creditor when there are other claimants has not taken legal possession. Ib. top והוא שת׳ מחיים (his possession is effectual) when he has seized it during the decedent’s life-time. Ab. Zar. 8ᵇ (expl. קרטיסיס) יום שתָּפְסָה בו רומי מלכות the day when Rome took hold of the government (of the east, v. תְּפִיסָה). Y. Taan. IV, 68ᶜ top היה משה תוֹפְשָׂן Moses held fast on them (the tablets). R. Hash. 4ᵇ, a. fr. תָּפַסְתָּ מרובה וכ׳, v. מוּעָט. B. Mets. 102ᵇ, a. e. תְּפוֹס לשון אחרון hold to the latter expression, i.e. if an agreement contains two discrepant clauses, the second is legally recognized; Tem. 26ᵃ, a. e. תפוס לשון ראשון the first clause (of a vow) is legally recognized. Yeb. 10ᵇ, a. fr. אין קידושין תּוֹפְסִין וכ׳, v. קִידּוּשׁ. Y. Dem. VI, 25ᵇ תָּפְשָׂה מדת הדין וכ׳ justice takes hold on him &c., i.e. the full rigor of the law is applied against him &c. Num. R. s. 111 (ref. to Prov. III, 34) אלו הנזירים שתּוֹפְשִׂים ענוה בעצמן וכ׳ that means the Nazarites who choose humility for themselves, who abstain from wine &c. Ib. 108 ותְפָשָׂם and arrested them, v. לוּפָר. Snh. 64ᵃ מפני מה תפסה תורה לשון מולך why does the Biblical text choose the word Molekh (in place of idol in general)? Y. Ber. VII, 11ᶜ top, a. e. תופסין אותו seize him, take him to task, v. נַקְדָּן. Ab. Zar. 64ᵃ דמי … מי תוֹפֶסֶת דמיה וכ׳ how about money which was realized by the sale of an idol, in the hands of a gentile? does the idol hold its equivalent in gentile hands or not?, i.e. does the money in gentile hands retain its character as compensation for an idol, and is it thus forbidden to a Jew? Ex. R. s. 1520 היה שלמה תופס פיו וכ׳ Solomon controlled his mouth, in order not to speak before &c. Gen. R. s. 12 כל … תופסין את הלשון וזה אינו תופס וכ׳ all other letters catch the tongue (require an effort of the organs of speech), but this (the Hé) does not catch &c. (is merely a breathing sound).—Part. pass. תָּפוּס, תָּפוּשׂ; f. תְּפוּסָה, תְּפוּשָׂה &c. a) (cmp. אָחוּז s. v. אָחַז) holding. Y. Taan. l. c. היה משה ת׳ בטפחיים Moses was holding two handbreadths (of the tablets). Ex. R. s. 46, beg. היה ת׳ בלוחות וכ׳ he held the tablets, and would not believe that Israel had sinned. Sifra B’ḥuck. Par. 2, ch. VIII תְּפוּסֵי מעשה וכ׳ holding to the deeds of their fathers, generation after generation; a. e.—b) seized, captured. Mekh. Mishp., s. 17 תפוסה the outraged woman, opp. מפותה the seduced.