Jastrow: הֶבֶל

הֶבֶל m. , constr. הֲבֵל or הֲבַל (b. h.) 1) breath, vapor, air, heat. Sabb. 88ᵇ בה׳ שבפיהם with the (fiery) breath of their mouths. Ib. 119ᵇ ה׳ תינוקות וכ׳ the breath of school children. Ib. ה׳ שאין בו חטא a sinless breath (of children). Y. Ab. Zar. III, 42ᵈ bot. ה׳ המרחץ וכ׳ the vapor of the bath room is injurious to the teeth. Yeb. 80ᵇ אין בשרו מעלה ה׳ his body (after bathing) does not steam. Pesik. Baḥod. p. 154ᵃ; Lev. R. s. 29 (ref. to Ps. LXII, 10) עד שהן עשויין ה׳ בתוך וכ׳ while they are yet a gas (in the first embryonic stage) …, they are predestined for marital union. Y. Ter. X, 47ᵃ bot. הה׳ כובש the heat (of the fresh bread placed on top of an open wine casket) keeps the evaporations of the wine down. B. Kam. 50ᵇ להַבְלוֹ for injuries suffered through the bad air of the pit (into which the animal fell), opp. to לחבטו injuries arising from knocking against the ground. Koh. R. to I, 2 ה׳ של תנור the hot air of the stove; ה׳ של עליונה the vapor of the topmost pot; Yalk. ib. 966 ה׳ שביעית; a. e.— 2) (b. h.) vanity. B. Bath. 16ᵇ תנחומין של ה׳ vain consolations. Koh. R. l. c.; Yalk. l. c. (ref. to Ps. CXLIV, 4) לאיזו ה׳ to what kind of hebel (breath) man is like; a. fr.—Pl. הֲבָלִים. Ib. שבעה ה׳ וכ׳ the seven times that Solomon used the word hebel. Pesik. Baḥod. l. c.; Lev. R. l. c. כל ה׳ וכזבים וכ׳ all the vain things and falsehoods which the Israelites commit.