# Tipcha

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{{Hebrew cantillation|name_en=Tipcha|name_he=טִפְּחָ֖א|smbl=֖|smpl=הָא֖וֹר}}

'''Tipcha''' ({{langx|he|טִפְּחָא}}, also spelled ''Tifkha'', ''Tifcha'' and other variant English spellings) is a [cantillation](/source/Hebrew_cantillation) mark commonly found in the [Torah](/source/Torah), [Haftarah](/source/Haftarah), and other books that are chanted. In Sephardic and Oriental traditions, it is called '''Tarcha''', meaning "dragging" or "effort".

The Tipcha is found in both the [Etnachta](/source/Etnachta) group as the second member of that group, and in the [Sof passuk](/source/Sof_passuk) group, though the melody varies slightly in each. While it is a weak sound, it is considered to be stronger than a [Tevir](/source/Tevir)<ref>Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 9</ref>

The Hebrew word {{lang|he|rtl=yes|טִפְחָא}} translates into English as ''diagonal''. It is related to the word [tefach](/source/tefach) (''{{lang|he|rtl=yes|טפח}}'', measurement of the palm). The tipcha does not have a separating value of its own, as it is in the middle of a set of words.<ref>Delimitation criticism: a new tool in biblical scholarship By Marjo Christina Annette Korpel, Josef M. Oesch, page 91</ref>

Tipcha occurs in the Torah 11,285 times, more than any other trope sound. Tipcha is the only trope sound to appear more than 10,000 times in the Torah.<ref name=Price6/>

The first word of the Torah {{lang|he|rtl=yes|בראשית}} (''Bereshit'') is on a Tipcha.

==Total occurrences==
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Book'''
!Number of appearances
|-
|[Torah](/source/Torah)
|11,285<ref name=Price6>Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 6</ref>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Genesis](/source/Book_of_Genesis)
|2968<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exodus](/source/Book_of_Exodus)
|2350<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Leviticus](/source/Book_of_Leviticus)
|1667<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Numbers](/source/Book_of_Numbers)
|2435<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Deuteronomy](/source/Book_of_Deuteronomy)
|1865<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|[Nevi'im](/source/Nevi'im)
|9756<ref name=Price5>Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 5</ref>
|-
|[Ketuvim](/source/Ketuvim)
|6497<ref name=Price5/>
|}

==Melodies==
Melodies for Tipcha, like other cantillation marks, vary in different traditions. The diagrams below show a possible way of chanting it in the Polish-Lithuanian tradition.

===In Ethnachta group===
File:TipchaEtn.jpg

===In Sof Passuk group===
File:TipchaSof.jpg

==Occurrence rules==
In the Etnachta group, the Tipcha will always occur, regardless of whether or not there is a [Mercha](/source/Mercha).<ref>''An easy, practical Hebrew grammar: with exercises for translation ...'', Volume 2 By Ph Mason, [Herman Hedwig Bernard](/source/Herman_Hedwig_Bernard), page 239</ref> Before a Sof Passuk, the Tipcha can only occur in conjunction with a Mercha.<ref>''An easy, practical Hebrew grammar: with exercises for translation ...'', Volume 2 By Ph Mason, Herman Hedwig Bernard, page 240</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Torah reading}}

Category:Cantillation marks

{{Hebrew-Bible-stub}}

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tipcha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipcha) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipcha?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.