רכן I

רָכַןI (cmp. preced. wds.) to be tender, soft. Pi. רִיכֵּן, Hif. הִרְכִּין to make tender; to prevent onion plants from forming hard bulbs. Y.Shebi.V, 36a top (read:) היתה שניה … אינו מְרַכְּנוֹ … בשביל שיהא מעשר שני in the second year (of the Sabbatical period) going over to the third, you must not ‘soften it (the onion plant) nor deny it water, in order that it may be subject to the second tithes (as a growth of the second year, to the deprivation of the poor man); היתה שלישית … מרכנו … מעשר עני in the third year going over to the fourth, you may ‘soften and deny it water, in order that it be subject to the poor mans tithes (as a growth of the third year); Tosef. ib. II, 10 מַרְכִּיכִין ed. Zuck. (Var. מודכין, prob. to be read מוֹרְכִין fr. מָרַךְ). Ib. מותר לרַכֵּן ברגל ed. Zuck. (Var. לדכן, oth. ed. לדוכן) it is permitted to ‘soften during the festive week.Y.Ter.IX, beg.46c המרכין, v. רָכַס.