גִּלָּה טֶפַח וְכִסָּה טִפְחַיִם

ביטוי (אנגלית)

To reveal a little and conceal twice as much/ to let drop the barest hint

הגדרה (אנגלית)

To reveal something but conceal more than that. To reveal a little and hide much. (A tefach is a unit of length approximately the width of a hand, about nine centimeters.)

("They asked Ima Shalom: Why do your sons embellish more? She said to them: He does not tell me at the beginning of the night nor at the end of the night but at midnight, and when he tells he reveals a tefach and conceals a tefach, and he is like one whose cloak is a demon" - Nedarim 20b; and similarly: "For that is the teaching concerning a tefach and two tefachim. It was taught: When he turns, he reveals a tefach behind him and two tefachim before him" - Berachot 23b; and similarly: "And the righteous... he is in the category of revealing a tefach and concealing a tefach before himself, and this is in the category: with two he covers his face... for sometimes he reveals a face of favor and providence and conceals a face of anger" - Rabbi Nachman of Breslov / Likutei Moharan, Torah 63; and also: "Behold, I have revealed to you a tefach and concealed two tefachim. Now you already know who I am?" - H. Hazaz / Dorot HaRishonim, 106)