Lechem

Lechem is the Hebrew word for bread, written in Hebrew as לֶחֶם and commonly transliterated as lechem or leḥem. The term comes from the root ל-ח-ם (l-ḥ-m), meaning bread or food, and functions as the standard word for bread in both everyday speech and religious language.

In biblical and historical contexts, lechem appears as the general word for bread and also names specific ritual loaves. Lechem Mishneh refers to the two loaves offered on Shabbat and certain holidays on the Temple’s Table of Showbread, while Lechem HaPanim (Bread of the Presence) denotes the loaves placed before the Lord in the Holy Place. These terms reflect the central role of bread in ancient Jewish ritual and daily life.

In modern Hebrew, lechem simply means bread and remains a fundamental dietary staple. The word is used in everyday cuisine as well as in literature and religious discourse to symbolize sustenance, hospitality, and daily living. Variants in transliteration and pronunciation exist across languages and scholarly sources, but the core meaning of lechem as bread remains consistent.