Jastrow: פִּיחָה

פִּיחָה f. (preced.) 1) wind, flatus. Ab. Zar. 17ᵃ —2) [blowing away,] reduction, diminution. Ex. R. s. 43 (ref. to יפיחו, Prov. XXIX, 8) אלו ישראל שנתנו פ׳ בעולם וכ׳ this means the Israelites who brought diminution into the world by the calf which they made, for … there is not a generation that suffers not at least a particle of punishment &c. (v. אוּנְקְיָא). Cant. R. to II, 17 (play on שיפוח, ib.) עד שאכניס פ׳ בלילן של מלכיות until I allow a reduction to enter into the sufferings (v. לַיִל) from foreign governments, i.e. shorten the term of the exile. Ib. כבר הכנסתי פ׳ וכ׳ I did once before shorten the exile in Egypt.