קָפַח 1) (cmp. (cmp. גבח, כופח) to arch, bend.—Denom. קִיפֵּחַ. —2) to slap (with the palm of the hand); to strike. Yalk. Gen. 79 קְפָחַתָּהּ, v. טָפַח I. Y. Yeb. XV, 14ᵈ אין החמה קוֹפַחַת על וכ׳ the sun strikes the head of man only in the harvesting season. Cant. R. to I, 6 קְפָחַתּוֹ החמה על וכ׳ the sun struck his head, and his face became bronzed. Ib. VI, 10.—Gen. R. s. 67 (ref. to Gen. XXVII, 46) קופחת זו לזו וזו לזו slapping this against that, and that against this’ i.e. (cmp. נָקַשׁ) believing all of them equally bad.—[Y. Sabb. XX, end, 17ᵈ קפוח, v. next. w.—Hor. 11ᵇ, v. infra.]
    Pi. - קִיפֵּחֵ 1) same. Gen. R. s. 23 (ref. to וזה, Gen. XI, 6) ק׳ על ראשו וכ׳ he put his hand upon Nimrod’s head, saying, this man &c.; ib. s. 26. —2) to bend, force, outrage, overwhelm. Pes. 118ᵃ הקב"ה איֹנו מְקַפֵּחַ שכר וכ׳ the Lord does not outrage (by withholding) the reward of any creature, i.e. even the wicked are rewarded for what good they may do; Naz. 23ᵇ אין … מקפח אפי׳ שכר וכ׳ God does not withhold the reward even for a decorous word. Y. Dem. I, 22ᵃ איפשר … והוא מְקַפְּחוֹ במים(= מק׳ שכרו) is it possible? he honored his Creator with water, and he should outrage him with water (allow his daughter to be drowned)?; Y. Shek. V, 48ᵈ bot. מקפתו (corr. acc.). Kidd. 52ᵇ לקַפְּחֵנִי בהלכות וכ׳ they come to overwhelm me with citations of traditions (of which they will prove me to be ignorant); Naz. 49ᵇ. Num. R. s. 9 (31) קִיפְּחָה נזירות בראשה she forced the nazarite obligations upon her head (the vow was of her own doing); a. fr.—Part. pass. מְקוּפָּח; f. מְקוּפַּחַת forced, perverted, distorted. Y. Sot. III, 18ᵈ bot. נמצאת מידת הדין מק׳ justice would appear perverted; Num. R. l. c. Ohol. XVI, 1 אקפח … שזו הלכה מק׳ may I bury my children (v. infra), if this is not a distorted (misrepresented) hălakhah; Tosef. ib. XV, 12. —3) to overpower, take from one by force. Y. Snh. VIII, 26ᵇ bot. יושב … ומקפח הבריות וכ׳ he will sit at cross-roads and rob the people and kill &c.; (Bab. ib. 72ᵃ ומלסטם); Lev. R. s. 30 ומק׳ לעוברים ושבים. Yoma 83ᵇ קִפַּחְתָּ את הרועה thou hast forced the shepherd (to give thee his bread); אני קִפַּחְתִּי … ואתה קפחת וכ׳ I laid the shepherd under contribution, but thou didst so to the whole town (when they all came to his rescue with refreshments). Pesik. R. s. 3 ראה כמה קי׳ לוט וכ׳ see to what extent Lot deprived Abraham of the divine communication!; a. fr. —4) to cover, bury, survive. Ohol. l. c.; Y. Sabb. XVI, 15ᶜ bot. אֲקַפֵּחַ את בניי וכ׳ may I bury my children if &c. (an oath frequently used by R. Ṭarfon). B. Mets. 85ᵃ אותו צדיק שהיה מקפח את בניו that righteous man (Ṭarfon) who used to swear by the life of his children. Pes. 87ᵇ אין לך כל נביא … שלא ק׳ וכ׳ there was not a single prophet that did not survive four kings &c.; a. fr.—Trnsf. a) to ruin. Sabb. 147ᵇ חמרא … קִיפְּתוּ וכ׳ the wine of P’rugitha and the baths of D. (luxurious life) ruined ten tribes of Israel. Kidd. IV, 14 (82ᵃ); Tosef. ib. V, 15 קיפחתי את פרנסתי I have ruined my livelihood (forfeited the privilege of support without toil like dumb animals); Y. ib. IV, end, 66ᵈ (not קופחתי).—b) to cover up, retain. Ker. 5ᵃ bot. קלט את הריח וקִיפְּחוֹ the oil resorbed the scent and retained it; Hor. 11ᵇ קולט … וקפחו (ed. Ven. וקופיחו; corr. acc.); Yalk. Ex. 387 (not וקיפחן). —5) (denom. of קִפֵּחַ) to make high and arched shoulders, to cause or pretend to be humpbacked. Sot. VIII, 6 כל המבקש … לקַפֵּחַ את שוקיו if anybody attempted to go back (desert the army), he (the officer) was empowered to beat him until he was humpbacked; Sifré Deut. 198; Yalk. ib. 923. Tosef. Peah lV, 14 המקפח את שוקיו (a beggar) who simulates a hump; Keth. 68ᵃ; Y. Peah VIII, 21ᵇ top המנפח (read: המְכַפֵּחַ).