Jastrow: תּוֹחֶלֶת

תּוֹחֶלֶת f. (b. h.; יָחַל) 1) hope, expectation; that which may be looked for, good, use. Y. Pes. VI, beg. 33ᵃ אפשר שיש ממנו ת׳ possibly something good can come from him (may be he can enlighten us). Ib. כבר אמרנו שיש ממך ת׳ we have said that a good thing may be expected of thee. Ib. כבר אמרנו אם יש ת׳ מבבלי we have said, can we expect anything of a Babylonian? Num. R. s. 215 אין הימנו ת׳ וכ׳ nothing of consequence can come of him, he cannot beget &c. Ib. וכי יש בו ת׳ is there any good in it (can the golden calf produce any effect)? Midr. Till. to Ps. XXXVII, 2 חציר הם תּוֹחַלְתָּם what good there is in them is mere grass (cmp. Is. XL, 6). Yalk. Job 909; Gen. R. s. 27 (ref. to Gen. VI, 5) משהיתה … לא היתה בהם ת׳ from sunrise to sunset they achieved nothing good; Yalk. ib. 47. Ib. 35, v. תּוֹעֶלֶת. Num. R. s. 208 אם יבוא … אין בו ת׳ if he (Balaam) will be ready to go with us, he will succeed, but if he should delay even one hour, he will be of no use; a. e. —2) (homilet.) prayer (as if from חָלָה). Ber. 32ᵇ; 55ᵃ כל המאריך … שנ׳ ת׳ וכ׳ he who makes long prayer and speculates on it (v. עוּן h.) comes to sickness of heart, for it is said (Prov. XIII, 12) a prolonged prayer makes the heart sick; Yalk. Prov. 950; Yalk. Deut. 854.