Jastrow: עֵקֶל

עֵקֶל, עִקָּל ) m. (preced.) 1) a bale of loose texture containing the olive pulp to be pressed. Maasr. I, 7; Tosef. ib. I, 7 (Var. עוקל). Toh. X, 8; Y. Ab. Zar. V, end, 45ᵇ הע׳ של נצרים, v. infra. Sabb. 144ᵇ מוחל היוצא מע׳ בית הבד Ar. (ed. מעיקול) the watery fluid which oozes out of the bale made up for the press; (Tosef. Toh. X, 3 מעיקת; R. S. to Toh. IX, 1 מן שוקת, corr. acc.). Tosef. l. c. כינסו ועשאו עיקל (R. S. l. c. שוקת) if he collected the fluid and put it back into the bale. Snh. 26ᵃ יכול לומר לע׳ בית הבד וכ׳ he (who trims vines in the Sabbatical year) may say, I need the twigs to make a bale for the press. Ib. (proverbial expression) הלב יודע אם לע׳ אם לעקלקלות the heart knows whether it is done for ʿekel (a legitimate purpose) or out of ‘ãḳalḳaloth (perverseness); Y. Shebi. IV, 35ᵃ; Lam. R. to I, 5; a. e.—Pl. עֲקָלִים, עֲקָלִין (or עִקָּ׳). Y. Shebi. l. c. (in Chald. dict.) לע׳ אנא בעי I need the twigs for &c., v. supra. Ab. Zar. 75ᵃ; Tosef. ib. VIII (IX), 3 הע׳ של נצרין וכ׳ bales made of wicker or hemp &c.; Tosef. Toh. XI, 16 הע׳ של נוצרין. Ex. R. s. 15 ע׳ של זיתים olive pulp. —2) (from its shape) a mass of iron used for ballast. Tosef. Kel. B. Mets. I, 1. Makhsh. V, 7 המים העולים … ובע׳ וכ׳ (ed. Dehr. ובעיקל) water that comes up (and settles) in the hull, on the ballast or on the rudders; [Maim.: in the cavity in the hull made for the reception of drippings from the deck; cmp. עוּקָה].