מיעוט

מִיעוּט, מִעוּטm. (מָעַט) 1) reduction of size, the space reduced. Erub.77a אם יש במִיעוּטוֹוכ׳ if the reduction of the height (by lowering the wall or raising the embankment) extends over four handbreadths; כנגד המ׳ only as far as the reduction extends. 2) minority. Y.Pes.VII, 34c bot. כרוב או כמ׳ (not כרוב׳ במ׳) do we treat the case as if it were a majority (of unclean persons), or as if it were a minority? Ib. אין תימר כמ׳ (not במ׳) if you will consider it a minority. Y.Kidd.I, 59b top. Yeb.119a מ׳ מפילות a minority of women miscarry; a. e. 3) the least of. R. Hash. 11a; Yeb.42a; Nidd.38b (ref. to 1 Sam. 1:20) מ׳ תקופותוכ׳ the least of tkufoth (plural number) is two (seasons, of three months each), the least of yamin is two days; a. e. 4) narrowing qualification, limitation. Yoma 43a; B. Kam.86b, a. fr. הוי מ׳ אחר מ׳ ואין מ׳ אחר מ׳ אלאוכ׳ this is a limitation following a limitation, and a double limitation serves to widen the scope (because the repetition indicates that no limitation is meant, but only an exemplification); Y.Peah V, end, 19d (corr. acc.). Y.Hor.I, beg.45c מ׳ אחר מ׳ אחר מ׳ three successive limitations. Lev. R. s. 24, end ת״ל רק לשון מ׳ it says ‘only (Deut. 28:13) which intimates a limitation; a. fr.Pl. מִיעוּטִים, מִיעוּטִין, מִע׳. Tosef.Shebu.I, 7 הוה דורש ריבויין ומ׳ interpreted the Bible texts with a view to widening and narrowing the limits of the respective laws. Y.Sabb.VIII, 10b אך הוא הרי אלו מ׳וכ׳ akh and hu (Ex. 12:16, are limiting qualifications intimating that you must not cut, grind (on the Holy Day). Y.Ber.IX, 14b bot., v. אַךְ I; a. fr.

מָעַט(b. h.; cmp. מוּט) to be thin, minute.Part. pass. מָעוּט, f. מְעוּטָה; pl. מְעוּטִים, מְעוּטִין; מְעוּטוֹת. Y.Pes.V, 32a bot.; Y.Snh.I, 18c bot. גסי רוח ומְעוּטֵי תידה big in spirit (haughty) and small in learning (of narrow capacity). Tosef.Ḥall.I, 7; a. e.Tam.IV, 2 במעוטה at least (Talm. ed. 31a במעוטן, comment. במיעוטן on the smallest of the tables). Pi. מִעֵט, מִיעֵט 1) to diminish, reduce; to do little. Ab. IV, 10 הוי מְמַעֵט בעסקוכ׳ do less business, and busy thyself with the Law. M. Kat. 22a, v. עֵסֶק. Taan. I, 7 מְמַעֲטִין במשאוכ׳ we must reduce business transactions, building Ib. IV, 6 משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה with the beginning of the month of Ab we must reduce rejoicing. Ḥull.60b לכי ומַעֲטִי את עצמך go and make thyself smaller (be reduced). Snh.17a הואיל ומִיעַטְתֶּם עצמיכם because you made yourselves small (were modest); Num. R. s. 15. Tosef.Erub.IX (VI), 15 מִיעֲטָהּ באבניםוכ׳ if he reduced the size of the gap by means of stones Y. ib. VII, beg.24b ממעטין בכלים you may use utensils for reducing the opening. Bab. ib. 77b ממעט effects the reduction, i. e. puts the two adjoining places in the legal condition of dwellings connected by a gate; a. fr. 2) (interpret.) to limit, qualify, exclude from the rule. Shebu.26a היה דורש את כל התורה בריבה ומיעט interpreted the entire Law on the principle of ‘It includes and it excludes, i. e. on the principle that if, in the Biblical text, a specification is preceded and followed by general terms, both an extension ( ריבוי) and a limitation ( מיעוט) must be found; e. g. ib. (ref. to Lev. 5:4) או נפש … להרע … מי׳וכ׳ ‘or if a soul swears, this is a general expression, ‘for bad or for good, this limits (the sphere of the law to things which are either an advantage or a disadvantage); ‘whatsoever it be, this is again a generalization; now what does it include? All kinds of words (vows); ומאי מ׳ מ׳וכ׳ and what does it exclude? It excludes a religious act (the vow of doing a forbidden thing or not doing a commanded thing). Sifra Tsav, ch. XV, Par. 11 אם מִיעַטְתִּים מסמיכה מרובה לא אֲמַעֲטֵם בתנופהוכ׳ if I exclude them (the gentiles) from the privilege of laying hands on the sacrifice, which has a wider sphere of application, must I not exclude them from the privilege of waving ?; a. fr.Part. pass. מְמוּעָט, v. מוּעָט. Hif. הִמְעִיט to do little, less. Ber.I7a שמא תאמר אני מרבה והוא מַמְעִיט lest you say, I do much good, and he but little; שנינו אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיטוכ׳ we have learned, whether one does much or little (they are equally worthy), provided one directs his heart ; Men. XIII, 11; a. fr. Nithpa. נִתְמַעֵט, Hithpa. הִתְמַעֵט to be diminished, reduced. Erub.VII, 5 נ׳ התבן מעשרהוכ׳ if the pile of straw has been reduced to less than ten handbreadths. Ib. 54b; Ab. Zar.19a מִתְמַעֵט he will become less (will decline in learning). Arakh.30b נ׳ כספו if his value was reduced. Tosef.Sot.XIV, 10 נִתְמַעֲטוּ הימיםוכ׳ the days were reduced, and the years shortened. Ib. התחילו הגוים להתרבות וישראל להִתְמעֵט the nations began to grow and the Israelites to be reduced (in rank). Pesik. R. s. 14 נִתְמַעֲטָה ידו he became reduced in fortune. Midr. Till. to Ps. 12, end נפשם מִתְמַעֶטֶת עליהם their soul within them shrinks, i. e. they feel jealous and angry; Yalk. ib. 659; Lev. R. s. 32, beg. מתמענת (corr. acc.). Sifra l. c. נִתְמַעֶטֶת תנופה the sphere of the act of waving is the smaller one; נִתְמַעֲטָה סמיכה the laying on of hands has the smaller sphere; a. fr.Erub.80b מאי נתמעט נתמטמט ‘it was reduced (Mish. VII, 7) means, it was reduced to atoms, v. מִטְמֵט.B. Mets.71a נכסיו מִתְמַעֲטִין, v. סוּט h.Tosef.Mikv.VI (VII), 14 מִתְמַעֲטִין, v. מָעַךְ.

מָעַט(b. h.; cmp. מוּט) to be thin, minute.Part. pass. מָעוּט, f. מְעוּטָה; pl. מְעוּטִים, מְעוּטִין; מְעוּטוֹת. Y.Pes.V, 32a bot.; Y.Snh.I, 18c bot. גסי רוח ומְעוּטֵי תידה big in spirit (haughty) and small in learning (of narrow capacity). Tosef.Ḥall.I, 7; a. e.Tam.IV, 2 במעוטה at least (Talm. ed. 31a במעוטן, comment. במיעוטן on the smallest of the tables). Pi. מִעֵט, מִיעֵט 1) to diminish, reduce; to do little. Ab. IV, 10 הוי מְמַעֵט בעסקוכ׳ do less business, and busy thyself with the Law. M. Kat. 22a, v. עֵסֶק. Taan. I, 7 מְמַעֲטִין במשאוכ׳ we must reduce business transactions, building Ib. IV, 6 משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה with the beginning of the month of Ab we must reduce rejoicing. Ḥull.60b לכי ומַעֲטִי את עצמך go and make thyself smaller (be reduced). Snh.17a הואיל ומִיעַטְתֶּם עצמיכם because you made yourselves small (were modest); Num. R. s. 15. Tosef.Erub.IX (VI), 15 מִיעֲטָהּ באבניםוכ׳ if he reduced the size of the gap by means of stones Y. ib. VII, beg.24b ממעטין בכלים you may use utensils for reducing the opening. Bab. ib. 77b ממעט effects the reduction, i. e. puts the two adjoining places in the legal condition of dwellings connected by a gate; a. fr. 2) (interpret.) to limit, qualify, exclude from the rule. Shebu.26a היה דורש את כל התורה בריבה ומיעט interpreted the entire Law on the principle of ‘It includes and it excludes, i. e. on the principle that if, in the Biblical text, a specification is preceded and followed by general terms, both an extension ( ריבוי) and a limitation ( מיעוט) must be found; e. g. ib. (ref. to Lev. 5:4) או נפש … להרע … מי׳וכ׳ ‘or if a soul swears, this is a general expression, ‘for bad or for good, this limits (the sphere of the law to things which are either an advantage or a disadvantage); ‘whatsoever it be, this is again a generalization; now what does it include? All kinds of words (vows); ומאי מ׳ מ׳וכ׳ and what does it exclude? It excludes a religious act (the vow of doing a forbidden thing or not doing a commanded thing). Sifra Tsav, ch. XV, Par. 11 אם מִיעַטְתִּים מסמיכה מרובה לא אֲמַעֲטֵם בתנופהוכ׳ if I exclude them (the gentiles) from the privilege of laying hands on the sacrifice, which has a wider sphere of application, must I not exclude them from the privilege of waving ?; a. fr.Part. pass. מְמוּעָט, v. מוּעָט. Hif. הִמְעִיט to do little, less. Ber.I7a שמא תאמר אני מרבה והוא מַמְעִיט lest you say, I do much good, and he but little; שנינו אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיטוכ׳ we have learned, whether one does much or little (they are equally worthy), provided one directs his heart ; Men. XIII, 11; a. fr. Nithpa. נִתְמַעֵט, Hithpa. הִתְמַעֵט to be diminished, reduced. Erub.VII, 5 נ׳ התבן מעשרהוכ׳ if the pile of straw has been reduced to less than ten handbreadths. Ib. 54b; Ab. Zar.19a מִתְמַעֵט he will become less (will decline in learning). Arakh.30b נ׳ כספו if his value was reduced. Tosef.Sot.XIV, 10 נִתְמַעֲטוּ הימיםוכ׳ the days were reduced, and the years shortened. Ib. התחילו הגוים להתרבות וישראל להִתְמעֵט the nations began to grow and the Israelites to be reduced (in rank). Pesik. R. s. 14 נִתְמַעֲטָה ידו he became reduced in fortune. Midr. Till. to Ps. 12, end נפשם מִתְמַעֶטֶת עליהם their soul within them shrinks, i. e. they feel jealous and angry; Yalk. ib. 659; Lev. R. s. 32, beg. מתמענת (corr. acc.). Sifra l. c. נִתְמַעֶטֶת תנופה the sphere of the act of waving is the smaller one; נִתְמַעֲטָה סמיכה the laying on of hands has the smaller sphere; a. fr.Erub.80b מאי נתמעט נתמטמט ‘it was reduced (Mish. VII, 7) means, it was reduced to atoms, v. מִטְמֵט.B. Mets.71a נכסיו מִתְמַעֲטִין, v. סוּט h.Tosef.Mikv.VI (VII), 14 מִתְמַעֲטִין, v. מָעַךְ.