לָמָה

לָמָה(v. לְמָא II) naught, vanity. Gen. R. s. 2 (ref. to תהו, Gen. 1:2) שהיה לל׳ ולא כלום who was reduced to naught and nothing (on account of his sin, v. כְּלוּם). Ylamd. to Ex. 5:4, quot. in Ar. (play on לָמָּה ib.) אתם ל׳ ודבריכם ל׳ you are vanity, and your words are vanity; Yalk. Ex. 176 ל׳ אתם ל׳ דבריכם. Cant. R. to I, 7 (play on שלמה, ib.) שלא אֵעָשֶׂה ל׳ בעיניוכ׳ that I may not appear a nonentity in the sight of , a. e.