hakelim

Hakelim (Hebrew: הכלים) is the Hebrew term for “the utensils” or “the vessels.” It is the plural form of keli (or kli), meaning a container or implement. In everyday Hebrew, hakelim refers to kitchenware and tools; in Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew, it denotes any container or instrument used to hold, prepare, or convey items, including ceremonial vessels.

Biblical usage: The word occurs throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe both ordinary household items and sacred vessels used in worship, such as cups, bowls, and other implements belonging to the Tabernacle or Temple. The term can signify objects employed in daily life as well as items with ceremonial or religious significance.

Halakhic context: In Jewish law, kelim can acquire ritual impurity through contact with certain sources of tumah. Purification or immersion in a mikveh (tevilat keilim) may restore a utensil to a clean state, with rules varying by material and by whether the vessel is used for food, ritual, or other purposes; earthenware is often treated differently from metal, glass, or wood.

Modern usage: In contemporary Hebrew, hakelim most often means kitchen utensils and general equipment, but the term retains its broader sense of any vessel or implement in religious or historical texts. Examples include dishes, pots, utensils, and ceremonial vessels discussed in classical sources.

See also: Kli, Tevilat keilim, Jewish ritual purity.