עֵתֶר

עֵתֶרm. (עתר, v. עֲתִירָה) shovel or pitchfork. Tosef.Ukts.I, 5 מפני שהופכה בע׳ because he is used to turn it up with the shovel; Succ.14a מפני שראויות להופכן בע׳. Ib.; Yeb.64a למה … כע׳ מה ע׳ זה מהפךוכ׳ why is the prayer of the righteous symbolized by a shovel (the root עתר being used for praying, v. עֲתִירָה II)? As the shovel turns the grain from place to place, so the prayer of the righteous turns the dispensations of the Lord from anger to mercy; Num. R. s. 10 (with ref. to ויעתר, Jud. 13:8).