שָׁפַט (b. h.; v. פטט, s. v. פַּטָּטָא) [to divide; cmp. גזר,] to decree, decide, judge. Ruth R. to I, 1 אוי לדור שׁשָׁפְטוּ … צריכין להִשָּׁפט woe to the generation that judge (criticise) their judges, and woe to the generation whose judges need to be judged; B. Bath. 15ᵇ (ref. to Ruth l. c.) דור שׁשׁוֹפֵט וכ׳ it was a generation that judged its judges &c., v. קִיסָּם. Sot. 10ᵃ זכור לי … שׁשָׁפַטְתִּי וכ׳ remember unto me the twenty (-two) years that I judged Israel, and never did I say to them, carry a stick for me from one place to another; a. fr.—V. שׁוֹפֵט.
Nif. - נִשְׁפַּט to be judged, criticised. Ruth R. l. c., v. supra.