Jastrow: קַמָּא

קַמָּא, קַמָּאָה m. (= קדמא) 1) first, former, previous. Targ. Y. Ex. XL, 2. Targ. Y. Lev. XXIII, 11; a. fr.—Ber. 13ᵇ בפסוקא ק׳ at the recitation of the first verse of the Sh’mʿa; a. fr.—תנא ק׳ (abbrev. ת"ק) the first of the quoted authorities. Ib. 48ᵇ; a. fr.—בבא ק׳, v. בָּב I.—Pl. קַמָּאֵי. Naz. 56ᵇ Rashi (ed. קדמאי). Gen. R. s. 38 לא הוה להון למילף מן ק׳ ought they not to have taken a lesson from (the fate of) their predecessors? Ber. 20ᵃ ק׳ … מסרי וכ׳ the former generations gave up their lives &c. B. Bath. 46ᵇ ק׳ דקמך those who have long preceded thee; a. fr.—Fem קַמַּיְיתָא. Targ. Prov. XXIV, 14 (ed. Lag. a. oth. קדמיתא).—Kidd. 66ᵃ הך ק׳ that first clause. B. Bath. 89ᵃ bot. הך ק׳ דמאי that first described balance, what is it used for?; a. fr.—Pl. קַמְּיָיתָא. Targ. Y. Gen. XLI, 20. —2) before, in presence of, v. קמֵּי.