Jastrow: מִתְלַהֵם

מִתְלַהֵם m. , pl. מִתְלַהֲמִים(b. h.; professing attachment, flatterers, hypocritical sympathizers. Sifré Num. 85 (ref. to Num. XI, 1 [read:] אין כמתאוננים אלא כמ׳ וכן הוא אומר ותרגנו וכ׳ k’mithon’nim means like those who pretend to sympathize (with their neighbors’ troubles, v. אוֹנָן), and even so we read (Deut. I, 27) vatterag’nu &c. מהו ותרגנו שהיו מדברים כמ׳ וכ׳ what does vatterag’nu mean? They were speaking like sympathizers (with ref. to Prov. XXVI, 22); Yalk. Num. 732. Sifré Deut. 24 (ref. to Deut. l. c.) מלמד שהיו יושבים … ואומרים דברים כמ׳ ומתרגנים כמ׳ שנ׳ וכ׳ which intimates that they sat in their tents and spoke words like sympathizers and formed crowds like sympathizers, as we read (Prov. l. c.) &c.; Yalk. ib. 805. Ib. בוכין ומבכין כמ׳ (or כמתלהם, sing.; not כמת להם) weeping and moving to tears like sympathizers.