טָהֵר, טָהַר (b. h.; cmp. צהר, זהר) [to be bright, to glitter,] 1) to be clean, pure, esp. to be levitically clean; to be unsusceptible of levitical uncleanness. Neg. X, 8 שט׳ שעה אחת which has been declared clean once. Mikv. II, 2 עד שיודע שט׳ until it is ascertained that it has become clean. Ib. III, 2 ויִטְהֲרוּ העליונים מן וכ׳ so that the waters coming from above become cleansed from the impurity of the lower waters. Neg. VII, 4 ויִטְהַר ממנו and is declared clean from it (the last scall); a. fr. —2) to be cleared, removed. Ber. 2ᵇ, v. next w.
Pi. - טִיהֵר 1) to purify, make (levitically) clean; to absolve from sin. Yoma VIII, 9 מי מְטַהֵר וכ׳ who is it that absolves you? Ib. (ref. to Jer. XVII, 13) מה מקוה מט׳ וכ׳ as the ritual bath (v. מִקְוֶה) cleanses the unclean, so does the Lord &c.; a. fr. —2) to keep clean, guard against contact with unclean things. R. Hash. 16ᵇ חייב … לטַהֵר את עצמו וכ׳ one is bound to keep one’s self clean for the festive days. —3) to declare טָהוֹר, to decide in favor of cleanness. Snh. 17ᵃ bot. מי שיודע לטַ׳ וכ׳ one who knows how to prove a creeping thing to be clean. Ib. אני אדון ואֲטַהֲרֶנוּ I will argue and prove it to be clean. Eduy. VIII, 7 לטמא ולטַ׳ to decide on unclean and clean; a. v. fr.—Part. pass. מְטוֹהָר, pl. מְטוֹהָרִים. Ber. 2ᵇ, v. preced. —4) to become clean. Snh. 94ᵇ מיד ט׳ it becomes clean at once. Ḥull. 60ᵇ טִיהֲרוּ; Gitt. 38ᵃ טהרו, v. סִיחוֹן.
Nif. - נִטְהַר to become clean. Tanḥ. Metsora 7 נִטְהֲרָה וכ׳ she became clean on the eighth day. Ib. ונִטְהֶרֶת and becomes clean; a. fr.
Hithpa. - הִטָּהֵר to be cleansed, to cleanse one’s self; to amend. Yoma 38ᵇ בא לִטָּהֵר מסייעים אותו (Ms. M. 2 להִטָּהֵר) if one is willing to do good, he will be assisted; Sabb. 104ᵃ; Yalk. Prov. 935 לִיטָּהֵר; a. e.—Yoma VIII, 9 (85ᵇ) לפני מי אתם מִיטַּהֲרִים Mish. a. Y. ed. (Bab. ed. מִטַּ׳) before whom do you cleanse yourselves (from sin)?; a. e.