בָּחַר (b. h.; √בח , v. preced.) 1) to try, examine; v. infra. v. infra. —2) (with ב) to choose, select, prefer. Tanḥ. Mishp. 11 בָּחַרְתָּ ביסורים יותר וכ׳ thou didst prefer sufferings to poverty. Mass. Sof’rim XIII, 9; a. e.—Part. Hof. מוּבְחָר chosen. מן המ׳ of the best, the best way. Bicc. I, 3; a. fr.—מצוה מן המ׳ the most preferable way of performing a religious act. B. Kam. 78ᵇ; a. fr.—מ׳ מן המ׳ the very best. Y. Pes. VI, 33ᵇ top מ׳ דוחה וכ׳ for doing a thing (in the Temple) in the preferable way, you may set aside (the Sabbath law); for doing it in the best way, you dare not &c.; a. fr.
Pi. - בִּיחֵר to examine. Pesik. R. s. 33 (ref. to אבחר Job XXIX, 25) הייתי שואלו וּמְבַחֲרוֹ I was in the habit of investigating and examining it; [ed. Fr. emends ומְבַהֲרוֹ, v. בָּהַר].