Biblical and Talmudic units of Measurement [email protected] – כ"א אייר תשע"ב Ronnie Figdor 2012 © Sources: The size of Talmudic units is a matter of controversy between: [A] R’ Chaim Naeh. Shi’urei Torah. 1947, [B] the Hazon Ish (Rabbi Avraham Ye- shayahu Karelitz 1878-1953) Moed 39: Kuntres Hashiurim and [C] R’ Moshe Feinstein (Iggerot Moshe OC I:136,YD I:107,YD I:190,YD III:46:2,YD III:66:1). See also Adin Steinsaltz. The Talmud, the Steinsaltz edition: a Reference Guide. Israel V. Berman, translator & editor NY: Random House, 1989, pp.279-293. Volume Chomer1 (dry)=kor (dry,liquid). Adriv=2letech (dry). Ephah3 (dry)=4Bat5 (liquid). Se’ah (dry)6. Arbaim Se’ah (40 se’ah), the min. quantity of kor7 8 9 1 10 11 water necessary for a mikveh (ritual bath), is the vol. of 1x1x3 amot . Tarkav=hin (liquid). Liquid measures include a hin, ½ hin, ∕3 hin, ¼ hin, letech 2 1 1 1 12 13 14 a log (also a dry measure), ½ log, ¼ log, ∕8 log & an ∕8 of an ∕8 log which is a kortov (liquid). Issaron (dry measure of flour)=Omer ephah 5 10 (dry) measure of grain15. Kav (dry,liquid) is the basic unit from which others are derived. Kabayim16 (dry)=2 kav. Kepiza17 (dry) se’ah 318 1511 30 1 19 20 1 21 is the min. measure required for taking Challah. Kikar (loaf)= ∕3 kav. P’ras (½ loaf ) or Perusah (broken loaf)= ∕6 kav tarkav 2 6 30 60 22 1 23 19 24 25 51 2 1 26 = 4 betzim. Seudah= ∕9 kav . Two Seudot =6-8 betzim (dry)= 18 Grogeret=M’lo Hayad (a handful) of hops issaron 1 ∕3 3 /3 10 50 100 27 28 29 4 21,30 18 or M’lo Uzilta D’Ikarei (full bundle) of green grain or 2 Shargushei (spoonfuls) of Shesisa . Log (dry,liquid) kav 1 /5 3 6 18 90 180 31 32 33 34 1 2 =Rova (dry)= Old Tomnata= Tzipporean Kasta (dry)= Litra=Tarta . Revi’it, a common measure kepiza 1 ∕3 2 /5 4 8 24 120 240 35 8 36 18 1 37 of liquids & also known as Anpate, Anbag and Antal =vol. of 2 x 2 x 2.7 etzba’ot or 2 x 2 x log 3 4 7 /5 12 24 72 360 720 5 38 2 1 ∕6 etzba’ot . This is not identical to a rova (a dry measure). ½ Tiberian Sh’minit tomen 2 6 8 14 /5 24 48 96 720 1440 31 39 31 19 4 = revi’it= 1½ beitzim. Teitarton was slightly smaller than a revi’it. revi’it 2 4 12 16 28 /5 48 96 288 1440 2880 19 43-Rashi 18,40 1 Betzah (egg) , the smallest dry measure regularly used=the vol. of betzah 1½ 3 6 18 24 43 /5 72 144 432 2160 4320 33 1 33 12 3 2 x 2 x 1.8 etzba’ot.Tamnita is Aramaic for Sh’minit= shminit 1 ∕3 2 4 8 24 32 57 /5 96 192 576 2880 5760 41 19 2 Ukhlah (dry). M’lo lugmav (cheeks full) kezayit 1½ 2 3 6 12 36 48 86 /5 144 288 864 4320 8640 42 1 =42ml (A) is rov revi’it (just over mesurah 3 4½ 6 9 18 36 108 144 259 /5 432 864 2592 12,96025,920 43 7 1 2 4 ½ revi’it)= M’lo (or K’dei) kortov 1 /9 5 /3 8 10 /3 16 32 64 192 256 460 /5 768 1536 4608 23,04046,080 Betzah 144 A. Na’eh 5.4ml 9.6ml 17.3-28.844 43.2ml 57.6ml 86.4ml 172.8 345.6 1.04L 1.38 2.49L 4.1L 8.29L 24.9L 124.4L 248.8 Desert B. Hazon Ish 9.3ml 16.6ml 33-49.844 74.6ml 99.5ml 149.3ml 298.5 597.0 1.79L 2.39 4.30L 7.2L 14.33 43.0L 214.9L 429.9 Betzah 172.8 A. Na’eh 6.5ml 11.5ml 34.6ml 51.8ml 69.1ml 103.7ml 207.3 414.6 1.24L 1.66 2.98L 5.0L 9.95L 29.9L 149.3L 298.5 Jerusalem B. Hazon Ish 11.2ml 19.9ml 59.7ml 89.6ml 119.4 179.1ml 358.2 716.4 2.15L 2.87 5.16L 8.6L 17.19 51.6L 257.9L 515.8 Betzah 207.4 A. Na’eh 7.8ml 13.8ml 41.5ml 62.2ml 82.9ml 124.4ml 248.7 497.4 1.49L 1.99 3.58L 6.0L 11.94 35.8L 179.1L 358.1 Tzipori B. Hazon Ish 13.4ml 23.9ml 71.7ml 107.5ml 143.3 215.0ml 429.9 859.8 2.58L 3.44 6.19L 10.3L 20.64 61.9L 309.5L 619.1 31,45 43 1 46 47 19,48 gemi’ah (a swallowful)> Grogeret. Kezayit (vol. of an olive) is somewhere between < ∕3 betzah & ½ betzah , ie 15-50 ml. Kotevet (large date)=2 49 50 19 1 51 1 52 zeitim or > zayit & < beitzah =30ml (A). Grogeret (dry fig)= ∕9 seudah or ∕81 kav. Other volumes include K’adashah (lentil), Se’orah (barley), Pol Halavan (white bean)53, m’lo egrof54 (fistful) & Poteach Tefach. M’lo Tarvad55 (ladleful) is arguably equivalent to M’lo Pisat Hayad56 (palmful) or M’lo Chofnav57 (2 hands- ful), and is larger than M’lo Kumtzo58 (kometz58,59) which is 3 fingers full60. There were 3 separate systems, in order of both date of origin & size: (1) desert 1 (midbar), the measures used in the years in the Sinai with Moses; (2) Jerusalem (Yerushalmit); & (3) Tzipori (Tzipporit). Yerushalmit measures are ∕5 larger 1 61 than those of midbar, and the Tzipporit measures ∕5 larger than Yeushalmit .“If it was the desert se’ah it should have contained 144 eggs, and if it was the Jerusalem se’ah it should have contained 173 eggs, and if again it was the one of Tzipporit it should have contained 207 eggs”62. 1 midbar seah=5 Yerushal- 63 64 2 2 65 66 mit kav . 5 Yerushalmit se’ah=6 midbar se’ah=2 midbar ephah . 10 Yerushalmit kav=6 /3 issaron= /3 of 10 midbar issaron . Kista (liquid) is volume of wine . 67 Length Mahalach (Derech ) Yom (a day’s walk) from dawn mahalach Time Yovel (Jubilee) is the 50th yr. Shmittah (Sabbatical year) is every yovel106 68 69 th 107 until it is completely dark . Parsah (Persian mile or parasang). yom 7 yr . Shanah (yr) is typically 354 days (i.e. 12 lunar cycles shmittah 71∕7 70 71 Kimlo regel behemah= 16 mil. Mil (Talmudic mile), parsah 10 of 29½ days) but may also have 353 or 355 days in a regu- shanah 7 50 72 73 related but not identical to Roman mile, is also mil 4 40 lar yr &, given that 7 yrs in 19 is a leap yr with antekufah 4 28 200 74 known as Techum Shabbat.Ris=the length ris 7½ 30 300 extra mth, may have 383, 384 or 385 days chodesh 3 12.368 86.579 618.4 75 of the Greek stadium. M’lo manah kaneh 30 225 900 9000 per leap yr108. Tekufah (circuit) may shavua 4.214 12.642 50.568 354 2528.6 76 2 77 = 100 amot. Iburah=70 /3 amah 6 180 1350 5400 54000 refer to the vernal equinox, yom 7 29.5 88.5 354 2478 17700 78 79 80 81 amot . Kaneh (reed) zeret 2 12 360 2700 10800 108000 the summer solstice, onah 2 14 59 177 708 4956 35400 82 83 is a measure tefach 3 6 36 1080 8100 32400 324000 the fall equi- sha’ah 12 24 168 708 2124 8495 59468424771 84 98,99 etzba 4 12 24 144 4320 32400129600 1296000 nox or chelek 10801296025920181440 764588 A 1.9cm 7.62cm22.86c45.7c2.74m122m 914m3.66km 36.58km The et 0.533 576 691213824 96768 407780 B 2.405cm9.62cm*28.86c57.7c3.46m154m1.17km4.62km46.176km rega24 12.8 13824 7 days C 2.249cm8.996cm27.99c 54c*3.24m146m1.09km4.39km 43.68km 85 86 87 winter solstice. Chodesh (mth) is approx. 29½ days, so months typically alter- for buildings. Chevel (rope)= 50 amot. Amah (cubit), dist. from elbow to nate between 29 (Chodesh Chaser) & 30 (Chodesh Maleh) days. Shavua middle finger=Gomed88=Garmida89. Short amah=905 tefachim. Pesiah 109 91 91,92 (week) is also sometimes referred to as Shabbat . Yom (mostly day but some- beinonit (regular step)= amah but Pesiah gasah >1 amah. Zeret times yr110) of 24-hr period or referring just to daylight. Days are typically (little finger span), dist. bet’n thumb & end of little finger=2 or 3 tefachim. 93 94 measured from night-time to night-time. Me’et l’et (from one time to the next) Kizba= 2 tefachim. Tefach/Pushach (handbreadth), the width of a is often also used to refer to a 24-hr period. Onah (period), often referring to a clenched fist (otzev)=Sit (used for measuring pieces of fabric), dist. b/n 95 ½ day period either daytime or night-time (so may not strictly be 12 regular hrs 1 index & middle finger when held as far apart as possible=4 gudal (or in length), is also used to denote ∕24 of an hr (i.e. 2½ min). Sha’ah (hour) can agudal, thumb breadths)=k’dei anivah96. Tefach sochek97 (loose)=4.08 98 be either Sha’ah Regilah (regular hr i.e. 60 min) or Sha’ah Zemanit (propor- etzbaot. Etzba or M’lo Etzba (fingerbreadth) is the basic unit, typically tional hr) where the daylight period (sunrise to sunset) is equally divided by 12 the width of the middle of the thumb (gudal104 or agudal), but can be the 1 1 and these units are sometimes less & sometimes more than 60 min. Et width of the middle finger, tilta,( /5 tefach) or small finger, ketanah,( /6 1 1 111 99 100 (time)= ∕24 onah (in this sense, an hr) or 6¼ sec. Rega (moment) = ∕53848 hr or an 1 tefach) . Kesher agudal (thumb-joint) is 3.5-4cm (A & B). Orech undefined, momentary period but mostly used to denote ∕24 of an et. Other units se’orah (barleycorn length)=1.0cm (A) or 1.07cm (B) is width of tefilin 112 101 102 1031 include Hiluch Mil (the time taken to walk 2000 cubits) =18 -24 min, Kdei straps . M’lo charshinah (size of vetch)= ∕3 orech se’orah. M’lo 113 104 105 Achilat P’ras (time taken to eat ½ loaf of bread) varying between 2 and 9 chut hasa’arah / nima (hairsbreadth) is smallest amount. min., and Toch K’dei Dibur (the time it takes to say shalom aleichem rebi114). [1]Lev.27:16,Isa.5:10,Ezek.45:11,13,14,Hos.3:2; [2]Rashi Adriv L’arei- M’lo Nima115 (hairsbreadth) and K’heref Ayin116 (blink of an eye) are the vah (B.M.80b); [3]Ex.16:36,Lev.5:11,6:13,20,19:36,Num.5:15,28:5,Jud.6: smallest amount of time. See Pes.94a for discussion on time taken to travel a 19,I Sam.1:24;17:17,Isa.5:10,Ezek.45:10,11,13,24;46:5,7,11,14,Amos 8:5, specified distance (1 mil may be travelled in 22.5-24 min) Zach.5:6-10,Ruth 2:17,Ezra 7:22; [4]Ezek.45:11; [5]I Kings 7:26,38,II smaller measure used for Rabbinic obligations, larger measure for Biblical obli- Chr 2:9,10,4:5,Ezek.7:22,45:10,11,14,Isa.5:10; [6]Gen.18:6,I Sam.25:18, gations; [45]Yom.8a; [46]OC 368:3; [47]OC 468:1; [48]Ber.41b,Erub.4b,Yom.73b, I Kings 18:32,II Kings 7:1,16,18; [7]I Kings 5:2,23,Ezek.45:14,II Chr.2: 78b-80a, Suk.6a; [49]Ker.14a; [50]Yom.79b; [51]Erub.80b; [52]Bek.45a; [53] 9,27:5; [8]Pes.109b; [9]Ex.29:40,30:24,Lev.19:36,23:13,Num.15:4,5,6,7, Ber.36b,Bek.40b; [54]Kel.17:12; [55]Tem.31a,Nidd.27a-b; [56]Naz.50b; [57]Ex. 9,10,28:5,7,14,Ezek.4:11,45:24,46:5,7,11,14; [10]Hos.3:2,Rashi B.M.80b; 9:8,Lev.16:12,Ecc.4:6,see machloket in Naz.50b; [58]Lev.2:2,5:12; [59]Gen.41:47, [11]Rashi Shab.127a; [12]R.Sh.13a,Ket.104a,B.B.90a,Makk.4a,Hul.26a; Lev.6:8; [60]Erub.28b,Yom.47a-b,Men.11a; [61]Sheb.15a; [62]Erub.83a; [63]Yom. [13]Ex.29:40,Lev.6:20,14:10,21,23:13,17,24:5,Num.15:4,6,9,28:9,12,13,20, 44b; [64]Men.76b; [65]Men.78a; [66]A.Z.30a,34b; [67]Yotzer l’Parashat She- 21,28,29,29:3,4,9,10,14,15,Ezek.45:11; [14]Chomer=10 Bat=10 Ephah kalim; [68]Pes.93b; [69]Ber.15a,23a,30a; [70]Bek.54b; [71]Rashi Num.13:25; (Ezek.45:11,14); [15]Ex.16:16,18,22,32,33,36; [16]Shab.140a,156a,Yom. [72]Ber.16a,62a,Shab.34b-35b,Pes.46a; [73]Rashi Ber.63b; [74]Yom.67a,B.M. 44b,B.K.20a,58b,B.M.21a,B.B.90a,Tam.30b; [17]Pes.48b; [18]Rashi Ex. 33a; [75]Rashi Gen.14:17; [76]Tem.13a; [77]Ezek.41:8; [78]Erub.30b; [79]Ezek. 16:36; [19]Me’il.17b; [20]Bek.58a; [21]Rashi Arak.25a; [22]Rashi A.Z. 40:5,7; [80]Ex.28:16,39:9,I Sam.17:4,Isa.40:12,Ezek.43:13; [81]RaSHBaM Ex. 67a; [23]Erub.82b & Rashi chetzyah l’vet hamenuga; [24]Rashi p’ras 28:16; [82]Ex.25:25,37:12,I Kings 7:9,26,Ezek.40:5,43,43:13,Ps.39:6,II Chr.4:5; (Pes.44a) [25]SA OC 368:3,MB there; [26]Omer-Ex.16:36; [27] Erub. [83]Erub.3b,Men.97a; [84]Jerem.52:21; [85]II Sam.8:2; [86]Koh.Rab.9:13,Rashi 28b;[28]Erub.29b; [29]II Kings 6:25; [30]RaSHBaM “vachatzi se’ah”, Erub. 52b; [87]Gen.6:15,16,7:20,Ex.25:10,17,23,26:2,8,13,16,27:1,9,12-14,16, Shab.59a,Sot.8b,B.B.89b; [31]Shek.8b; [32]Pes.109a; [33]Rashi uklhah 18,30:2,36:9,15,21,37:1,6,10,18,25,38:9,11-15,18,Num.11:31,35:4,5,Deut.3:11, (Erub.29a); [34]Hul.124a; [35]B.B.58b; [36]Lev.14:10,12,15,21,24; [37] Josh.3:4,I Sam.17:4,II Sam.8:1,I Kings 6:2,I Kings 3,10,16,17,20,23-26,7:2,6,10, Hin=12 Log (Men.89a); [38]Shek.9a; [39]MB 271:68; [40]RaSHBaM 1 15,16,19,23,24,27,31,32,35,38,II Kings 14:13,25:17,Jerem.51:13,52:21,22,Ezek. “Tomen”(B.B.89b); [41] ∕32 kav according to RaSHBaM & Rashi (Pes.109a); 1 40:5,7,9,11-15,19,21,23,25,27,29,30,33,36,42,47,48,49,41:1-5,8,9-15,22,42:2, [42]Mesurah (liquid)= ∕36 log (B.B.89b); [43]Tosefot Shab.76b; [44]The 4,7,8,43:13-15,17,45:2,47:3,Zech.5:2,Neh.3:13,Isa.6:4,Esther 5:14,7:9,I Chr.11: Area Bet Kor is the min. space necessary to sow one kor (see Vol- bet Coinage R’ Steinsaltz writes that the currency systems in the Talmudic peri- kikar ume) of produce. Bet Se’ah is the min. space necessary to sow one kor od were the most complicated elements of weights and measures mentioned shel se’ah (see Volume) of produce. Bet Satayim is twice this betseah 30 in the Talmud. All those factors that produced differing standards of length, kodesh amount & there is an argument if this is 50x100 amot bet kav 6 180 area and volume were combined in the area of coinage. In the nature of kikar 2 2 117 or a square of 70 ∕3 amot . Bet Kav is min. bet rova 4 24 720 things, legal tender passes from one country to another, so that maneh 60 120 1 2 space required to sow 1 kav (see amah m. 104 /6 416 /3 250075000 there has to be some correlation between the monetary systems shel see Ex.38:25, Vol) ofproduce. Bet Rova tefach m. 36 3750 15000 90000 of different countries. Moreover, Eretz Yisrael, which was an kodeshRashi 38:24 is min. space etzba m. 16 675 70312½ international crossroads, and to which contributions from maneh 2 120 240 1 requ’d to gris 1.23 19.75 711 /9 74074 Jews all over the world were sent, was full of ex- dinar 2 5 Adasha 18 22 /9 355 /9 12800 treme diverse types of currency. Two different coin- zahav 4 8 480 960 2 2 2 2 2 2 144 1 A 0.181 3.25 4cm 64cm 2304cm 24m 96m 576m 17280 age systems were used by the Jews :(1) “Tyri- sela 3 ∕8 12½ 251500 3000 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 11 3 B 0.263 4.73 5.8cm 92.2cm 3318cm 34.9m 138m 830m 24900 an money” (largely equivalent to the coins rigya ∕4 4 ∕16 18 ∕4 37½2250 4500 C 0.234 4.21 5.2cm2 83cm2 2981cm2 31.1m2 124m2 745m222358 mentioned in the Torah145), and accor- shekel 1½ 2 12½ 25 503000 6000 sow ¼ kav (see Vol.) of produce. Amah Meruba’at (sq. cubit). Tefach ding to which those values men- dinar 2 3146 4147 25148 50 1006000 12000 Meruba (sq.handbreadth). Etzba Meruba’at (sq. fingerbreadth) used tioned in the Torah were cal- istera 2162 4 6 8 50 100149 200 24000 primarily for measuring small pieces of fabric (in order to decide wheth- 152 118 culated, & (2) “mon- ma’ah 3 6 12 18 24 150 300 600 72000 152 150 150 1 170 er they are susceptible to ritual impurity). Tzemed (yoke), an ancient ey of the state” pundyon2 612 24 3648 300 600 1200= /48 sela Hebrew unit of land area (0.2 hectare or around ½ acre), is also translat- 152 151 119 120 which had issar 2 4 1224 48 72 96 600 1200 2400 ed “acre” or ½ acre . Chomer , a unit of land area about 2.4 hectares units mesimas 2152 4 8 24 48 96144 192 1200 2400 4800 (6 acres), was a seed measure of land, i.e. the amount of land that could 152 kontrank 2 4 8 16 48 96 192288 384 2400 4800 9600 be planted with 1 chomer (see Vol.) of seed. It is also a unit of dry capac- 152 121 peru-768 perutahs=1 Biblical Shekel or Sela. Perutah=19g (Na’eh) or 11.3g (Hazon ity, about 230 litres (6.5 bushels) . Many common objects became the 152 152 122,171 tah 2 4 8 16 32 96 192384 576 768 4800 9600 19200 Ish) silver source of a measurement of area. So, M’lo egrof (size of a fist), 1451 M’lo makde’akh gadol123,171 (size of the large Temple auger)=to the size with the same names as those in Tyrian money, but whose value= ∕8 of corre- 171 171 sponding coins in the Tyrian money. Most of the payments specified by the of coins Pundyon =to that of a Neronian Sela =to that of a the hole 145 of a yolk171. The size of an ordinary Sela=size of grogeret124 but smaller Mishnah and the Talmud are reckoned according to the “sela of the state” , than an ordinary M’lo Makdeakh125. Gris126,128 (bean’s area) is the area reflecting the latter system. As with other measures, there was a systematic 127 128 change of 20% in the larger coins during the Second Temple period. Maneh153. of a Cilician bean, large enough for 36 hairs to grow on it . Adashah 154 (a lentil’s area)=127area of 2 Sa’arot (hairbreadths – the space between 2 1 Sela=2 Talmudic Shekel= 1 Shekel Hakodesh (so called because it was 128 used for payments made to the Sanctuary)=15520 Gerah156. Beka157=½ Shekel. adjacent hairs) x 2 Sa’arot. M’lo pi hazug (scissors tipful)=2 hairs . nd Weight These are very closely related to the coins (see Coins) kikar During 2 Temple period, Shekel Hakodesh was revalued to 24 Gerah and all The different units of weight varied from place to place; maneh 60 coins larger than 1 Gerah were revalued accordingly. All payments required by 129 the Torah to be made in units of Shekel Hakodesh were thenceforth to be made thus the Judean Sela weighed twice as much tartimar 2 120 1 1 130 in units of Sela, thus increasing the amounts involved by ∕5. Garmesin= ∕12 as the Galilean Sela . Two main unkeya 6¼ 12½ 750 158 158 159 153 131 Shekel Hakodesh . Darkon =Dinar. Gold Darkon =Darkamon =2 Selaim. conversions were done to our B.shekel 2 12½ 25 1500 160 158 132 Dinar Zahav , of gold, resembled the silver Dinar. Taba’ah (Teva’in) =½ current weights and T.shekel 2 4 25 50 3000 161 162 163 133 Sela. Dinar, also known as Kesef in Tyrian currency =Zuz=Luma =Zin= both are given pim 1½ 3 6 37½ 75 4500 158 164 165 166 1 131 Keratin =¼ Sela. Tarpe’ik = Istera. Ma’ah, a silver coin=Gerah =Kesi- oppos. dinar 1 ∕3 2 4 8 50 100 6000 tah167= Danka146,168 with a weight of 16 barleycorns of silver (384mg). Treisit=3 450mg 4½g 6g 9g 18g 36g 72g 450g 27kg Issar169. Pundeyon170 was the Italian dupondium and the same size as the Ne- 171 1521 172 571mg 5.71g 7.61g 11.42g 22.84g 45.68g 91.36g 571g 34.26kg ronian Sela . Perutah, (weighing ½ barleycorn)= ∕8 Italian Issar =Kurdi- A Kikar shel kodesh=2 common Kikar132. Kikar the weight of a silver 173 134 132 kinian gold dinar . Sha’ve Perutah (value of a Perutah) is either based on kikar known as “talent” .A Maneh shel kodesh= 2 common Maneh. 1 135 136 137 138 current price of silver (see red writing above) or ∕38400 of the min. required to live Maneh =Maneh Italki=Litra =60 Shekel . Biblical Shekel =Sela for a yr (i.e. 768 x 200 zuz)174. Agorah175 was a small coin. Adarkon176 was a Per- (as known in the Mishnah), the weight of the strip of red wool of the he- sian gold coin. goat. That of the parah adumah weighed 2 or 2½ Selaim139. ½ Biblical 140 139 [163]Rashi A.Z.34b; [164]Yom.35b,Ket.64a; [165]Gitt.45b; [166]Ex.30:13; [167]Gen. Shekel=Beka was the weight of the strip of red wool of the metzora . 33:19,Josh.24:32,Job 42:11; [168]R.Sh.26a,Ker.22b; [169]B.M.46a,Sheb.40a; [170] Weights representing more than 1 Shekel tend to occur in multiples of 4, such as 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 40 Shekels. The explanation141 appears to be Bek.50a,Arak.24b; [171]Bek.37b;[172]Kidd.21a;[173]Hul.54b;[174]Peah 8:8; that 4 Shekels were very close in value to 5 Egyptian qdt, so a balance [175]I Sam.2:36;[176]I Chr.29:7,Ezra 8:27 weight of, say, 12 shekels could be understood by an Egyptian trader as achilat p’ras .time dupondium ...... c k’heref ayin...... t mil ...... l shekel (im)....c,w 15 qdt, and by a Judean as 12 shekels. Pim, an ancient Hebrew unit of acre ...... area egg ...... v kikar...... c,v,w mile, persian.....l Biblical...... c,w weight. A Dinar or Zuz139,142, about 5.7g (88.1grains)=½ Shekel140,143. adarkon ...... coin ephah ...... v shel kodesh.. c,w roman...... l hakodesh ...... c Gomed, in the Assyrian “light” system of units of mass, was about 502g (½ adashah ...... a equinox...... t kista ...... v talmudic...... l Talmudic ...... w as much in the heavy system). Names of coins were used as weights. The adriv...... volume et (itim) ...... t kizba ...... l moment...... t sh’minit ...... v lowest was Perutah=0.022g & a Se’orah (grain) weighed twice as much. agorah...... c etzba (ot) ...... l,v kometz (im) ...... v month ...... t shmittah ...... t Metric to non-metric conversion agudal .....length meruba’at...... a kontrank...... c olive...... v sit ...... l Volume: 1 mL=0.033814023fl oz; 1L=33.8140227 fl oz, 0.26417205 gal amah (amot) ..l,v fig...... v kor ...... a,v omer ...... v solstice ...... t Length: 1cm=0.393700787402in; 1m=39.37007874in=3.2808398950ft; meruba’at ...... a fingerbrdths a,l,v kortov...... v onah ...... t spoonful ...... v 1km=3280.839895013ft or 1093.613298338yd or 0.6213711922373mi. anbag ...... v fist ...... l kotevet...... v orech se’orah ...l sunrise...... t Area: 1 cm2=0.15500031000062in2 or 0.001076391041671 ft2; 1 m2= anpate...... v garmesin ...... c kurdikinian...... c parasang ...... l sunset ...... t 10.76391041670972 ft2 or 1.19599004630108 yd2 antal ...... v garmida...... l lentil...... a,v parsah ...... l tabaah (tevain) c Weight: 1 g=0.0352739619495804 oz; 1 kg=2.204622621848776 lb arbaim se’ah....v gerah...... w letech ...... v period...... t talent...... w barley ...... v gomed ...... l,w litra...... v,w perusah...... v tamnita...... v Red denotes measurements of one parameter which relate to another. barleycorns...... c gris...... a log...... v perutah ...... c,w tarkav...... v 23,II Chr.3:3,11,12,15,4:1,2,3,8,11,13,6:13,2,25:23; [88]Judges 3:16,B.B. bat ...... v grogeret ...... v luma...... c pesiah...... l tarta ...... v 100a; [89]Pes.111b; [90]Erub.3b-4a,Men.97a; [91]Shab.113b; [92]Ber.6b, bean, Cilician ..a gudal ...... l ma’ah...... c pim ...... w tarpe’ik ...... c 43b,Ta’an.10b; [93]Rashi Men.69b; [94]Sukk.5b,B.B.3a,14b; [95]Rashi white...... v handbreadth ..a,l mahalach yom.. l pol halavan...... v tartimar...... w Shab.79a,105b,Tem.34a; [96]OC 12:1; [97]Sukk.7a; [98]Bek.39b; [99] beka...... c,w handful ...... v maneh ...... c,w poteach tefach .v techum shabbat l Men.41b; [100]Men.42a; [101]KSA 10:13; [102]Bek.37a; [103]Rosh borech bet kav ...... a hairbreadth .a,l,t italki...... w p’ras...... t,v tefach(im)...... l (Oha.17:1); [104]Men.30a; [105]Erub.76b,Ta’an.9b,Hag.15a; [106]Lev. kor...... a hectare ...... a shel kodesh.. c,w pundyon...... c meruba...... a 25:10-12; [107]see A.Z.9b on when counting starts; [108]see Arak.31b; rova...... a hiluch mil ...... t me’et l’et...... t pushach ...... l poteach...... v [109]Lev.23:16; [110]Gen.21:34,37:34,Deut.1:46; [111]A.Z.4a; [112]OC satayim ...... a hin...... v m’lo charshina. l reed ...... l sochek ...... l 459:2,MB 459:15; [113]Ber.37b,41a,Erub.4a,Pes.44a,Yom.80b,Sukk.6a, seah...... a hour...... t chofnav ...... v rega...... t teitarton ...... v 42b,Nez.36b-37a,Zeb. 70a,Men.75b, Hul.35a,71b,Ker.12b-13b,Neg.13:9-10; betzah ...... v iburah ...... l chut hasa’ara.. l revi’it...... v tekufah ...... t [114]Sheb.32a; [115]Shab.30a,Yom.38b,Ta’an.5b,M.K.28a; [116]Ber.2b, bread ...... t issar ...... c egrof ...... a,v rigya...... c thumb breadths l Shab.34b; [117]Erub.23a; [118]Isa.5:10; [119]1 Sam.14:14; [120]Lev.27:16; bushels...... a issaron ...... v gemiah ...... v ris...... l tilta...... l [121]Ezek. 45:14 defines the unit.Num.11:32,Isa.5:10,Ezek.45:11,13,14, cheeks...... v istera...... c hayad ...... v rope...... l toch k’dei dibur t Hos.3:2. “measure” (I Kings 18: 32); [122]Oha.13:1,Sukk.21a; [123]Kel. chelek ...... t jubilee ...... t kumtzo...... v rova...... v tomen ...... v 17:12,Oha.13:1-3,14:2,Erub.7a,Hul.45a; [124]Shab.78b; [125]Bek.38a; chevel ...... l kabayim...... v lugmav ...... v sa’arot...... a tomnata ...... v [126]Bek.34b; [127]Neg.6:1; [128]Makk.20b; [129]Sanh.70a; [130]Rashi chodesh ...... t k’adashah...... v makde’akh...... a sabbatical...... t treisit...... c Ket.59a; [131]Rashi Ex.21:32; [132]Men.77a,Bek.5a; [133]I Sam.13:21; chomer...... a,v kaneh...... l manah...... l se’ah...... a,v tyrian...... c [134]II Kings 18:14; [135]I Kings 10:17; [136]Bek.31a; [137]Ezek.45:12; [138]I circuit...... t kasitah...... c nima...... l,t sela(im) ...... c,w tzemed...... a Sam.17:5,7; [139]Shek.10a; [140]Gen.24:22; [141]Raz Kletter, “Economic cubit ...... a,l,t,w kasta...... v pi hazug ...... a se’orah ...... v ukhlah ...... v Keystones. The Weight System of the Kingdom of Judah” in Journal for danka/ei...... c kav ...... a,v pisat hayad...... v seudah (ot)...... v unkeya...... w the Study of the Old Testament, Supplement Ser.#276.Sheffield,England: darkamon ...... c kedei anivah .....l regel behemah. l sha’ah...... t week...... t Sheffield Academic Press,1998; [142]Yom.34b; [143]Ex.38:24-26,Rashi darkon ...... c kepiza...... v tarvad ...... v shabbat...... t year...... t 38:26; [144]Pes.11b; [145]Kidd.11a,Bek.50b; [146]Bek.11a; [147]Rashi date...... v keratin...... c uzilta d’ikarei..v shanah...... t yom ...... t Bek.48b; [148]B.M.44a,45b; [149]B.B.105b; [150]B.M.52a; [151]B.M.44b; day...... t kesef...... c mesimas ...... c shargushei ...... v yovel...... t [152]Kidd.12a; [153]Ezra 2:69,Nehem.7:70-72; [154]Arak.7b; [155]Num.18:16; desert...... v kesita...... c mesurah ...... v sha’ve perutah.c zeret ...... l [156]Ex.30:13,Lev.27:25,Num.3:47,18:16,Ezek.45:12; [157]Ex.38:26; [158] dinar...... c,w ketanah...... l metzora...... w shavua ...... t zin ...... c Shek.6a, Bek.51a; [159]Shek.5a; [160]Erub.19a,Pes.57a,Hag.27a,Naz.31a-b, dinar zahav...... c kezayit...... v middle finger.... l step...... l zuz...... c,w B.K.36a-b,62a,B.M.48a,49a; [161]Gen.37:28; [162]Istera=½ Zuz (Kidd.11b);