Jastrow: שָׁמַשׁ

שָׁמַשׁ, שִׁימֵּשׁ (Shaf. of מוש, משש) 1) [to handle, be busy,] to minister, officiate. Yoma VII, 5 כהן גדול מְשַׁמֵּשׁ וכ׳ the high priest officiates in eight garments, and the common priests in four. Y. ib. 44ᵇ bot. מפני מה אינו משמש וכ׳ why does he not officiate (on the Day of Atonement) dressed in gold? Lev. R. s. 21 מקדש ראשון ע"י שׁשִׁמְּשׁוּ בו וכ׳ during the first Temple, because they ministered in faithfulness, only eighteen high priests officiated in it. Yoma 47ᵃ ש׳ תחתיו officiated in his place. Ib. וכולן שמשו בכהונה וכ׳ and all of them performed the functions of high priesthood. Y. Sot. IX, 24ᵃ אלו שימשו פרנסות the former served in an administrative capacity (not merely as scholars). Tanḥ. Bo 4 חשך ואפלה שמשו … ולא עתידין לשַׁמֵּשׁ ‘darkness and mist’ served (as divine agents) in Egypt, but ‘void and waste’ never served, and never shall serve; Yalk. Is. 360. Gen. R. s. 33, end לא שמשו מזלות וכ׳ the planets did not perform their functions during all the twelve months (of the flood); שמשו אלא … ניכר they did act, only that their mark was not recognizable. Y. Yoma III, 41ᵃ top חמשה … הסגן משמש the Sagan had five functions to perform. Tam. V, 5 שלשה … מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת it served three purposes. Midd. I, 6 ומה היו מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹת and what were they used for? R. Hash. 3ᵃ כי משמש וכ׳ ki serves for four meanings &c., v. דִּילְמָא I; a. fr.—Euphem. ש׳ מטתו, or only ש׳ to perform the marital duty; in gen. to couple (also of animals). Nidd. 17ᵃ. Ib. II, 1. Bekh. 8ᵃ; Gen. R. s. 20; a. fr.—Mikv. VIII, 4 שִׁמְּשָׁה את ביתה, v. בַּיִת.—Ned. II, 1 קונם שאיני מְשַׁמְּשָׁךְ I vow that I will not have intercourse with thee. Ib. 15ᵇ; Keth. 71ᵇ מְשַׁמַּשְׁתּוֹ she must allow him marital intercourse; a. fr. —2) (denom. of שַׁמָּשׁ) to attend, serve, wait upon. Ab. I, 3 המְשַׁמְּשִׁין את הרב, v. עֶבֶד. Sabb. 32ᵇ זוכה ומשמשין לו וכ׳ he will live to see himself waited upon by two thousand … servants. Kidd. 32ᵇ מצינו גדול ממנו שש׳ we find that a greater man than he waited (upon his guests); Yalk. Ex. 229; a. fr.—Esp. (of students) to be in attendance upon a scholar as a disciple. Ber. 47ᵇ אפי׳ … ולא ש׳ תלמידי וכ׳ even if one has studied the Bible and the Mishnah, but has failed to wait upon scholars, he is considered an ʿam haarets (v. אֶרֶץ). Sot. 47ᵇ שלא שִׁימְּשׁוּ כל צורכן who did not wait upon scholars sufficiently. Y. Sabb. X, 12ᶜ bot. שִׁמַּשְׁתִּי את אבא וכ׳, v. יְשִׁיבָה Ib. III, 6ᵃ (in Chald. dict.) ולא שי׳, v. סָבוֹרָא; a. fr.