Jastrow: צֶלֶם

צֶלֶם m. (b. h.; denom. of צֵל; v. Del. Proleg. , p. 141 note) shadow, picture, image. Gen. R. s. 8 העליונים נבראו בצ׳ ובדמות וכ׳ the celestials are created in the (divine) image and likeness &c.; הריני בורא אותו בצ׳ ובדמות וכ׳ I will create him (man) in an image and likeness that he may partake of the nature of the celestials &c. Ib. (ref. to Gen. I, 26; 28) את שהוא בצַלְמֵינוּ כדמותינו ורדו וכ׳ of him who is in our image and likeness (who imitates the Creator) it is said, ur’du (rule); of him who is not &c., it is said yerʾdu (they shall go down); Yalk. ib. 14. Ab. III, 14 שנברא בצ׳ that he was created in the image (of God). Tanḥ. Mishp. 19 תנו כבוד לצַלְמוֹ וכ׳ pay honor to the image of the Lord! Gen. R. s. 89 (Daniel divined) חלמא … חלום הצ׳ וחלום האילן the dream and its interpretation, the dream of the shadow (imagination) and the dream of the tree (reality). Midr. Till, to Ps. XXV, 8 על כל … צ׳ והיתה וכ׳ every mile was a station, and at every station was a figure with a curved hand which pointed towards the places of refuge &c.; a. fr.—Esp. idol. Ex. R. s. 24 צלמו של מיכה; Esth. R. to III, 7, v. מִיכָה I. Taan. IV, 6 (26ᵇ) והועמד צ׳ בהיכל Ms. M. (ed. והעמיד) and an idol was placed in the temple. Ruth R. to II, 14 אדם שהעמיד צ׳ וכ׳ wilt thou receive in repentance the man (Manasseh) that put an idol in the Temple? Lam. R. to I, 9 צ׳ חלול a hollow idol. Ib. introd. (R. Josh. 1), v. לוֹכְסָן; a. fr.—Pl. צְלָמִים, צְלָמִין. Meg. 15ᵇ כיון שהגיעה לבית הצ׳ וכ׳ when she (Esther) reached the room of the idols (in the palace), the Divine Presence left her; a. e.—[Kil. IV, 9, v. צַלְמוֹן.]