עָקָר

עָקָרm., עֲקָרָה f. (b. h.; preced. wds.) (rootless, sterile, impotent, barren. Bekh.44b נמצא ע׳ he becomes impotent. Ib. (ref. to Deut. 7:14) (read:) לא יהיה בך ע׳ שלא יהיה ביתך ע׳ מן התלמידים ‘there shall be no barren one among thee, means that thy house shall never be barren of scholars (v. Yalk. Deut. 848); Deut. R. s. 3 עקר ועקרה מן התשובה impotent to give a proper answer (to heretics). Ib. לא תהא תפלתך ע׳, v. עָקַר. Gen. R. s. 53 לא היית אומר אברם פרדה ע׳וכ׳ didst thou not say, Abram is a barren mule ?; B. Bath.91a (in Chald. dict.) כודנא עקרה, v. כּוּדְנָא; a. fr.Num. R. s. 14 (play on עקרת, Num. 7:55) א״ת קערת אלא עֲקֶרֶת כנגד יעקבוכ׳ read not ḳaʿărath (dish), but ʿăḳereth (uprooted), corresponding to Jacob who wrested the birthright from Reuben and gave it to Joseph.Pl. עֲקָרִים; f. עֲקָרוֹת. Gen. R. s. 39 אברהם … על הע׳וכ׳ Abraham prayed for the childless women, and they were visited. Ib. s. 53 הרבה ע׳ נפקרו עמה many childless ones were visited at the same time with her (Sarah); a. fr.