halacha

1 of 2

noun (1)

ha·​la·​cha hä-ˈlä-ḵə  ˌhä-lə-ˈḵä 

variants or less commonly halakha, often Halacha

: the body of Jewish law supplementing the scriptural law and forming especially the legal part of the Talmud

halachic adjective

or less commonly halakhic

hə-ˈla-kik 

hä-ˈlä-

, often Halachic

halakah

2 of 2

noun (2)

ha·​la·​kah

variants or halachah or halacha

häˈläḵä 

ˌhäläˈḵä, 

həˈläkə

plural halakahs

-ḵäz, 

-kəz

or halakoth or halachoth

häˈläˌḵōth, 

ˌhäläˈḵōth, 

-ōt, 

-ōs

often capitalized

: the body of Jewish oral laws supplementing the scriptural law and forming especially the legal part of the Talmud compare aggadah , midrash

Examples of halacha in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The policy reflects the denomination’s interpretation of Jewish law, or halacha. —Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025

In Britain, Sharia courts alongside Jewish halacha courts—Beit Dins—long exist, always in deference to British law. —Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025

For most, the answer lay in studying the Torah and, generally, the Hebrew Scriptures, and in the observance of halacha, or religious laws, including those governing Shabbat and the kosher diet. —James Carroll, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2024

Some of the students are graduates of a three-year program at Nishmat that certifies women as yoetzot halacha, or halachic advisors. —Beth Kissileff, sun-sentinel.com, 3 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Hebrew halākhāh, literally, way

Noun (2)

Hebrew hălākhāh, literally, way

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1856, in the meaning defined above