they have the legal right to take tithes from the people

פָּטַר(b. h.) 1) to break through, open. Bekh.VIII, 1 (46a) (ref. to Ex. 13:2) עד שיִפְטְרוּ רחם מישראל (not שיפטרוה) provided they open the womb when the mother is an Israelite (although she conceived before her conversion); ib. 47a. 2) to send off, discharge, dismiss. Keth.XIII, 5, a. fr. או כנוס או פְּטוֹר (the betrothed has a right to say) either marry or release (me by divorce). Gitt.VI, 5 פִּטְרוּהָ … לא אמר כלום if one says to friends, ‘release her … he has said nothing (they are not authorized to write a letter of divorce, as it might mean, release her of her debts); ib. 65b ר׳ נתן אומר פַּטְּרוּהָ דבריו קיימין פִּיטָרוּהָ לא אמר כלום R. N. says, if he said paṭṭruha (Pi.), his words stand (a divorce is meant), but if he says piṭruha ( Kal) Ib. ר׳ נתן דבבלאה … בין פיטרוה לפטרוהוכ׳ R. N. who is a Babylonian, draws a distinction between piṭruha and paṭṭruha; our Tannai (in the Mishnah) being a Palestinian does not Ib. VIII, 4. פּוֹטֵר … בגט ישן a man may divorce his wife with an old letter of divorce (having been closeted with her after he had written it); Tosef. ib. VIII (VI), 3 אינו פוטרוכ׳ he must not divorce with an old letter, in order that the letter of divorce may not date farther back than (the conception of) her child; a. fr. 3) to dismiss, give leave, let go. Sot.IX, 6 ופְטַרְנוּהוּ בלא מזון and we let him (the stranger) go without provision. Midr. Till. to Ps. 91 מי גרול הפּוֹטֵר או הנִפְטָר which is the superior of the two? he who gives leave, or he who takes leave? Ib. (ref. to Gen. 32:27) הרי יעקב פוטר למלאך behold, Jacob gives leave to the angel; a. fr. 4) (law) to discharge, acquit; (ritual) to exempt from obligation, to declare free from punishment, eventually from sacrificial atonement, opp. חִיֵּיב. Erub.65a יכול אני לִפְטוֹרוכ׳ I can (by my plea) release from judgment the whole world (all Israelites) from the destruction of the Temple to the present time, for we read (Is. 51:21), Hear now this, thou afflicted and drunken (a drunken person is irresponsible); ib. מאי יכולני לפטור נמי מדין תפלה this ‘I can release means also from responsibility for neglect of prayer (the drunken not being permitted to pray). Succ.45b. Sabb.II, 5 ר׳ יוסי פוטר בכלןוכ׳ R. J. declares (him that did it) free from punishment or eventual sacrifice in all those cases, except Ker.IV, 2 ר׳ יהושע פוטר R. J. absolves him from bringing a sin-offering, opp. מחייב חטאת. Snh.V, 5 אם מצאו לו זכות פְּטָרוּהוּ if they found evidence in his favor, they (the court) acquitted him; a. v. fr.Trnsf. to cause exemption; to cover, include. Ber.VI, 5 ברך על היין … פ׳ את הייןוכ׳ if he recited the blessing over wine before the meal, he has therewith exempted the wine offered after the meal (from an additional blessing). Ib. 7 מברך על העיקר ופוטר את הטפלה he says the blessing over the chief dish, and with this he covers that which goes with it (v. טְפֵלָה). Yeb.I, 1 חמש … פּוֹטְרוֹת צרותיהן fifteen women (of various kinship with the yabam, by which he is prevented from marrying any of them) cover their rivals (making them free from dependence on the yabam for marriage or discharge); a. fr.Part. pass. פָּטוּר; f. פְּטוּרָה; pl. פְּטוּרִים, פְּטוּרִין; פְּטוּרוֹת (is, are) exempt, free, opp. חַיָּיב. Peah I, 6 ופ׳ מן המעשרותוכ׳ and he need not give the tithes, until B. Mets.VIII, 1 פ׳ (sub. מלשלם) he is free from indemnity. Ib. VII, 10 מתנה … להיות פ׳ משבועה may have an agreement to be eventually exempt from making oath; להיות פ׳ מלשלם to be exempt from responsibility. Kidd.I, 7 כל מצות הבן על האב … ונשים פ׳ to all paternal duties men are bound, but women (mothers) are exempt from them. Yeb.I, 2 כשם שבתו פ׳ כך צרתה פ׳ as well as his (the yabams) daughter is exempt (from the law of levirate marriage, because the yabam cannot marry her), so her rival is exempt; a. v. fr. Pi. פִּיטֵּר to dismiss; to divorce. Gitt.65b, v. supra. Kidd.31b פַּטְּרוּנִי dismiss (escort) me; a. e. Nif. נִפְטָר, Hithpa. הִתְפַטֵּר 1) to be exempted, freed. Bekh.II, 1 לא נִפְטְרוּ מבכורוכ׳ they (the Levites) have not been exempted from consecrating the firstborn of clean animals, but only from redeeming their firstborn sons and the firstborn of asses; a. e. 2) to be dismissed, take leave, depart. Yoma I, 5 נפטרו והלכו להם they took leave and went. Sot.IX, 5. Ber.64a הנ׳ מחבירווכ׳ he who leaves his friend (after escorting him a distance) must not say, ‘go in peace, but, ‘go to peace; הנ׳ מן המתוכ׳ he who takes leave of the dead (after burial) Ib. 31a; Erub.64a לא יִפָּטֵר אדםוכ׳ one must not leave a friend otherwise than with a word of tradition (on legal or religious subjects), by which he may remember him; a. fr.Esp. to depart this world, to die. Ber.17a גדל בשם טוב ונ׳ בשם טוב מן העולם who grew (lived) with a good name, and left the world with a good name. Tem.16a בשעהשנ׳ משה רבינו לגן עדן when Moses our teacher was to depart for paradise. Gen. R. s. 96; a. fr.Yalk. Koh. 989 בשעה … מִתְפַּטְּרִיםוכ׳ when the children are dismissed from school. Hif. הִפְטִיר 1) to discard; ה׳ בשפה to discard with the lip, to spurn. Pesik. R. s. 37 מחרקין … ומַפְטִירִים בשפתותיהם gnashed their teeth … and spurned with their lips (ref. to Ps. 22:8). Treat. Der. Er. ch. 2 מפְטִירֵי שפה (= מפטירין בשפה). 2) to dismiss, adjourn a meeting. Y.Ber.IV, 7d top הַפְטֵר את העם dismiss the people (adjourn the meeting). M. Kat. 5b, v. בָּכָה. Ḥull.51a מַפְטִיר כנסיות one who dismisses the assemblies, janitor, v. כְּנֶסֶת.Pes.X, 8, v. אֶפִּיקוֹמָן; a. e. 3) ( to recite before dismissal, to conclude the reading from the Law by reading a portion of the Prophets, to read the Hafṭarah (v. הַפְטָרָה). Meg.IV, 1 בשני … ואין מַפְטִירִין בנביא on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturday afternoons three persons read from the Law …, and we do not close with a lesson from the Prophets. Ib. 5 המפטיר בנביא הואוכ׳ he who concludes with the prophetic lesson (being the last of those called up) has the privilege of, v. פָּרַס; a. fr.

פָּטַר(b. h.) 1) to break through, open. Bekh.VIII, 1 (46a) (ref. to Ex. 13:2) עד שיִפְטְרוּ רחם מישראל (not שיפטרוה) provided they open the womb when the mother is an Israelite (although she conceived before her conversion); ib. 47a. 2) to send off, discharge, dismiss. Keth.XIII, 5, a. fr. או כנוס או פְּטוֹר (the betrothed has a right to say) either marry or release (me by divorce). Gitt.VI, 5 פִּטְרוּהָ … לא אמר כלום if one says to friends, ‘release her … he has said nothing (they are not authorized to write a letter of divorce, as it might mean, release her of her debts); ib. 65b ר׳ נתן אומר פַּטְּרוּהָ דבריו קיימין פִּיטָרוּהָ לא אמר כלום R. N. says, if he said paṭṭruha (Pi.), his words stand (a divorce is meant), but if he says piṭruha ( Kal) Ib. ר׳ נתן דבבלאה … בין פיטרוה לפטרוהוכ׳ R. N. who is a Babylonian, draws a distinction between piṭruha and paṭṭruha; our Tannai (in the Mishnah) being a Palestinian does not Ib. VIII, 4. פּוֹטֵר … בגט ישן a man may divorce his wife with an old letter of divorce (having been closeted with her after he had written it); Tosef. ib. VIII (VI), 3 אינו פוטרוכ׳ he must not divorce with an old letter, in order that the letter of divorce may not date farther back than (the conception of) her child; a. fr. 3) to dismiss, give leave, let go. Sot.IX, 6 ופְטַרְנוּהוּ בלא מזון and we let him (the stranger) go without provision. Midr. Till. to Ps. 91 מי גרול הפּוֹטֵר או הנִפְטָר which is the superior of the two? he who gives leave, or he who takes leave? Ib. (ref. to Gen. 32:27) הרי יעקב פוטר למלאך behold, Jacob gives leave to the angel; a. fr. 4) (law) to discharge, acquit; (ritual) to exempt from obligation, to declare free from punishment, eventually from sacrificial atonement, opp. חִיֵּיב. Erub.65a יכול אני לִפְטוֹרוכ׳ I can (by my plea) release from judgment the whole world (all Israelites) from the destruction of the Temple to the present time, for we read (Is. 51:21), Hear now this, thou afflicted and drunken (a drunken person is irresponsible); ib. מאי יכולני לפטור נמי מדין תפלה this ‘I can release means also from responsibility for neglect of prayer (the drunken not being permitted to pray). Succ.45b. Sabb.II, 5 ר׳ יוסי פוטר בכלןוכ׳ R. J. declares (him that did it) free from punishment or eventual sacrifice in all those cases, except Ker.IV, 2 ר׳ יהושע פוטר R. J. absolves him from bringing a sin-offering, opp. מחייב חטאת. Snh.V, 5 אם מצאו לו זכות פְּטָרוּהוּ if they found evidence in his favor, they (the court) acquitted him; a. v. fr.Trnsf. to cause exemption; to cover, include. Ber.VI, 5 ברך על היין … פ׳ את הייןוכ׳ if he recited the blessing over wine before the meal, he has therewith exempted the wine offered after the meal (from an additional blessing). Ib. 7 מברך על העיקר ופוטר את הטפלה he says the blessing over the chief dish, and with this he covers that which goes with it (v. טְפֵלָה). Yeb.I, 1 חמש … פּוֹטְרוֹת צרותיהן fifteen women (of various kinship with the yabam, by which he is prevented from marrying any of them) cover their rivals (making them free from dependence on the yabam for marriage or discharge); a. fr.Part. pass. פָּטוּר; f. פְּטוּרָה; pl. פְּטוּרִים, פְּטוּרִין; פְּטוּרוֹת (is, are) exempt, free, opp. חַיָּיב. Peah I, 6 ופ׳ מן המעשרותוכ׳ and he need not give the tithes, until B. Mets.VIII, 1 פ׳ (sub. מלשלם) he is free from indemnity. Ib. VII, 10 מתנה … להיות פ׳ משבועה may have an agreement to be eventually exempt from making oath; להיות פ׳ מלשלם to be exempt from responsibility. Kidd.I, 7 כל מצות הבן על האב … ונשים פ׳ to all paternal duties men are bound, but women (mothers) are exempt from them. Yeb.I, 2 כשם שבתו פ׳ כך צרתה פ׳ as well as his (the yabams) daughter is exempt (from the law of levirate marriage, because the yabam cannot marry her), so her rival is exempt; a. v. fr. Pi. פִּיטֵּר to dismiss; to divorce. Gitt.65b, v. supra. Kidd.31b פַּטְּרוּנִי dismiss (escort) me; a. e. Nif. נִפְטָר, Hithpa. הִתְפַטֵּר 1) to be exempted, freed. Bekh.II, 1 לא נִפְטְרוּ מבכורוכ׳ they (the Levites) have not been exempted from consecrating the firstborn of clean animals, but only from redeeming their firstborn sons and the firstborn of asses; a. e. 2) to be dismissed, take leave, depart. Yoma I, 5 נפטרו והלכו להם they took leave and went. Sot.IX, 5. Ber.64a הנ׳ מחבירווכ׳ he who leaves his friend (after escorting him a distance) must not say, ‘go in peace, but, ‘go to peace; הנ׳ מן המתוכ׳ he who takes leave of the dead (after burial) Ib. 31a; Erub.64a לא יִפָּטֵר אדםוכ׳ one must not leave a friend otherwise than with a word of tradition (on legal or religious subjects), by which he may remember him; a. fr.Esp. to depart this world, to die. Ber.17a גדל בשם טוב ונ׳ בשם טוב מן העולם who grew (lived) with a good name, and left the world with a good name. Tem.16a בשעהשנ׳ משה רבינו לגן עדן when Moses our teacher was to depart for paradise. Gen. R. s. 96; a. fr.Yalk. Koh. 989 בשעה … מִתְפַּטְּרִיםוכ׳ when the children are dismissed from school. Hif. הִפְטִיר 1) to discard; ה׳ בשפה to discard with the lip, to spurn. Pesik. R. s. 37 מחרקין … ומַפְטִירִים בשפתותיהם gnashed their teeth … and spurned with their lips (ref. to Ps. 22:8). Treat. Der. Er. ch. 2 מפְטִירֵי שפה (= מפטירין בשפה). 2) to dismiss, adjourn a meeting. Y.Ber.IV, 7d top הַפְטֵר את העם dismiss the people (adjourn the meeting). M. Kat. 5b, v. בָּכָה. Ḥull.51a מַפְטִיר כנסיות one who dismisses the assemblies, janitor, v. כְּנֶסֶת.Pes.X, 8, v. אֶפִּיקוֹמָן; a. e. 3) ( to recite before dismissal, to conclude the reading from the Law by reading a portion of the Prophets, to read the Hafṭarah (v. הַפְטָרָה). Meg.IV, 1 בשני … ואין מַפְטִירִין בנביא on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturday afternoons three persons read from the Law …, and we do not close with a lesson from the Prophets. Ib. 5 המפטיר בנביא הואוכ׳ he who concludes with the prophetic lesson (being the last of those called up) has the privilege of, v. פָּרַס; a. fr.