Jastrow: גְּרַס II

גְּרַס II, גְּרֵיס (cmp. גרר, גּוֹרֶן) to scrape together; to collect, accumulate. Denom. גּוּרְסִינָא. [Targ. Prov. XVIII, 10; V, 19, v. גְּרַם II.]—Trnsf. to acquire knowledge, to commit traditions to memory, as a preliminary stage to speculation and analysis compared to grinding, v. טחן. Ab. Zar. 19ᵃ לעולם יגמר ואע"ג דמשכח ולִיגְרַס ואע"ג דלא ידע וכ׳ Ms. M. one must at all events acquire readiness (v. גְּמַר II), though one may afterwards forget, and one must study by heart though one does not understand, for Holy Writ says (Ps. CXIX, 20) gar’sah &c.; it says גָרְסָה and not טָחֲנָה (my soul heaps up, but not it grinds, learns but not analyzes); (ed. לִיגְרִיס, and other Variants); Yalk. Ps. 876.—Ber. 8ᵃ הוה גְרִיסְנָא בגו ביתאי Ms. M. (v. Rabb. D. S. a. l.) I used to study in my house; Meg. 29ᵃ. Ber. l. c. bot. turned his face וגריס and reviewed (what he had learned). Taan. 10ᵇ למִיגְרַס to recite traditions, opp. לעיוני to speculate. Ber. 13ᵇ (ref. to Deut. XI, 18, v. Targ. Y. a. l.) teach your children …, כי היכי דלִיגְרְסוּ בהו (Ms. M. ונִגְרְסוּ בהו) so that they be able to review them (by themselves); a. fr.—Part. act. גָּרֵיס well-versed, knowing by heart. B. Bath. 21ᵃ ג׳ ולא דייק knowing Bible verses by heart, but being inexact.—Part. pass. גְּרִיס, f. גְּרִיסָא known by heart. Men. 32ᵇ מיגרס גְּרִיסִין; Meg. 18ᵇ מיגרס גְּרִיסָן they are known by heart.