Jastrow: פָּטַר

פָּטַר (b. h.) 1) to break through, open. Bekh. VIII, 1 (46ᵃ) (ref. to Ex. XIII, 2) עד שיִפְטְרוּ רחם מישראל (not שיפטרוה) provided they open the womb when the mother is an Israelite (although she conceived before her conversion); ib. 47ᵃ.—2) to send off, discharge, dismiss. Keth. XIII, 5, a. fr. או כנוס או פְּטוֹר (the betrothed has a right to say) either marry or release (me by divorce). Gitt. VI, 5 פִּטְרוּהָ … לא אמר כלום if one says to friends, ‘release her’ … he has said nothing (they are not authorized to write a letter of divorce, as it might mean, release her of her debts &c.); ib. 65ᵇ ר׳ נתן אומר פַּטְּרוּהָ דבריו קיימין פִּיטְרוּהָ לא אמר כלום R. N. says, if he said paṭṭ’ruha (Pi.), his words stand (a divorce is meant), but if he says piṭruha (Kal) &c. Ib. ר׳ נתן דבבלאה … בין פיטרוה לפטרוה וכ׳ R. N. who is a Babylonian, draws a distinction between piṭruha and paṭṭ’ruha; our Tannai (in the Mishnah) being a Palestinian does not &c. Ib. VIII, 4. פּוֹטֵר … בגט ישן a man may divorce his wife with an old letter of divorce (having been closeted with her after he had written it); Tosef. ib. VIII (VI), 3 אינו פוטר וכ׳ he must not divorce with an old letter, in order that the letter of divorce may not date farther back than (the conception of) her child; a. fr. —3) to dismiss, give leave, let go. Sot. IX, 6 ופְטַרְנוּהוּ בלא מזון and we let him (the stranger) go without provision. Midr. Till. to Ps. XCI מי גדול הפּוֹטֵר או הנִפְטָר which is the superior of the two? he who gives leave, or he who takes leave? Ib. (ref. to Gen. XXXII, 27) הרי יעקב פוטר למלאך behold, Jacob gives leave to the angel; a. fr. —4) (law) to discharge, acquit; (ritual) to exempt from obligation, to declare free from punishment, eventually from sacrificial atonement, opp. חִיֵּיב. Erub. 65ᵃ יכול אני לִפְטוֹר וכ׳ I can (by my plea) release from judgment the whole world (all Israelites) from the destruction of the Temple to the present time, for we read (Is. LI, 21), Hear now this, thou afflicted and drunken &c. (a drunken person is irresponsible); ib. מאי יכולני לפטור נמי מדין תפלה this ‘I can release’ means also from responsibility for neglect of prayer (the drunken not being permitted to pray). Succ. 45ᵇ. Sabb. II, 5 ר׳ יוסי פוטר בכלן וכ׳ R. J. declares (him that did it) free from punishment or eventual sacrifice in all those cases, except &c. Ker. IV, 2 ר׳ יהושע פוטר R. J. absolves him from bringing a sin-offering, opp. מחייב חטאת. Snh. V, 5 אם מצאו לו זכות פְּטָרוּהוּ if they found evidence in his favor, they (the court) acquitted him; a. v. fr.—Trnsf. to cause exemption; to cover, include. Ber. VI, 5 ברך על היין … פ׳ את היין וכ׳ if he recited the blessing over wine before the meal, he has therewith exempted the wine offered after the meal (from an additional blessing). Ib. 7 מברך על העיקר ופוטר את הטפלה he says the blessing over the chief dish, and with this he covers that which goes with it (v. טְפֵלָה). Yeb. I, 1 חמש … פּוֹטְרוֹת צרותיהן fifteen women (of various kinship with the yabam, by which he is prevented from marrying any of them) cover their rivals (making them free from dependence on the yabam for marriage or discharge); a. fr.—Part. pass. פָּטוּר; f. פְּטוּרָה; pl. פְּטוּרִים, פְּטוּרִין; פְּטוּרוֹת (is, are) exempt, free, opp. חַיָּיב. Peah I, 6 ופ׳ מן המעשרות וכ׳ and he need not give the tithes, until &c. B. Mets. VIII, 1 פ׳ (sub. מלשלם) he is free from indemnity. Ib. VII, 10 מתנה … להיות פ׳ משבועה may have an agreement to be eventually exempt from making oath; להיות פ׳ מלשלם to be exempt from responsibility. Kidd. I, 7 כל מצות הבן על האב … ונשים פ׳ to all paternal duties men are bound, but women (mothers) are exempt from them. Yeb. I, 2 כשם שבתו פ׳ כך צרתה פ׳ as well as his (the yabam’s) daughter is exempt (from the law of levirate marriage, because the yabam cannot marry her), so her rival is exempt; a. v. fr.