עָמֵל I (b. h.) to labor, take pains; to be wearied. Deut. R. s. 11 זו היא שילום … שעָמַלְתִּי וכ׳ is this the payment for the service of forty years during which I worked hard, until they became a holy and faithful people? Yalk. Prov. 950 מדבר בעוֹמְלֵי תורה it refers to those studying the Law industriously; Tanḥ. ed. Bub., Mick. 2 בעֲמֵלֵי; a. fr.—Part. or adj. עָמֵל; f. עֲמֵלָה; pl. עֲמֵלִים, עֲמֵלִין; עֲמֵלוֹת. Cant. R. to I, 2 מה המים … כל מי שהוא ע׳ בהן וכ׳ as water raises plants, so the words of the Law raise him who works at (studies) them sufficiently. Deut. R. l. c. ולא אמר בעֲמֵלֶיהָ … בעושיה and he (Moses) did not say (in his blessing, blessed be who delights) in those laboring to study it, or in those who meditate on it, but in those who do it. Ber. 28ᵇ אני ע׳ והם ע׳ I wear myself out (in study), and they wear themselves out (in vanities). Ab. II, 2 כל הע׳ עם הצבור יהיו ע׳ וכ׳ (Var. העוסקים … עוסקים) all those who are engaged in public affairs must do their work for the sake of heaven (disinterestedly); a. fr.
Pi. - עִימֵּל to work through, knead, esp. to stimulate and heat the body (v. Hithpa.). Sabb. 147ᵇ מפני שמְעַמֶּלֶת ומרפא (read with Alf.: ומרפאת, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note 10) because it (the mud of Dimsith) exercises the body and loosens (the bowels).
Hithpa. - הִתְעַמֵּל 1) to be kneaded, have massage. Ib. XXII, 6 סכין … אבל לא מִתְעַמְּלִים וכ׳ you may have yourself ointed and rubbed on the Sabbath, but not kneaded or scraped. —2) to wear one’s self out, esp. to exercise (and heat) the body. Tosef. Peah IV, 10 Hillel bought for a poor man of good breeding סוס שהיה מִתְעַמֵּל בו a horse on which to take exercise; Y. ib. VIII, 21ᵃ bot. להִתְעַמֵּל בו; (Keth. 67ᵇ לרכיב עליו). Tosef. Sabb. XVI (XVII), 22 אין רצין בשבת כדי להִתְעַמֵּל וכ׳ you must not run on the Sabbath for the sake of exercise, but you may walk in an ordinary way the entire day.