זקן I

זָקֵןI (b. h.) (to be thin, shrunk, hard, to be old. Gen. R. s. 48 (ref. to Gen. 18:13) ואני זָקַנְתִּי מלעשותוכ׳ am I (the Lord) too old to do wonders? Hif. הִזְקִין 1) to grow old. Snh.100b הִזְקִינָה שמאוכ׳ when she arrives at old age, he is afraid lest Erub.56a מַזְקִינִים בחציוכ׳ they age in the middle of their days (prematurely). Sabb.152a כל זמן שמַזְקִינִין the older they grow; a. fr. 2) to make old, consider old (feeble). Gen. R. s. 48 אתם … ומזקינים חביריכם you consider each himself young, and each his partner old (Yalk. Ib. 82 ומז׳ אדניכם and believe your Lord too old (to do wonders)); v. supra. Nif. נִזְקַן, Nithpa. נִזְדַּקֵּן 1) to become old, weak, frail. Y.Ber.9, end 14c (ref. to Prov. 23:22) אם נִזְדַּקְּנָה אומתךוכ׳ if thy nation is decaying (in faith), stand up and fence her in (prevent her being trodden upon); Yalk. Prov. 960. 2) (cmp. דקדק) to be maturely considered, be clear (beyond doubt); 3) (cmp. קשיש) to be hard, difficult. Tosef.Snh.VII, 7 (the presiding judge declares) (נִיזְקַן) נִזְקַן הדין ed. Zuck. (Var. נזדקן, נזדקק); discussed in Snh.42a מאי נזד׳ הדין what does nizdakken mean? Does it mean קש דינא the case is hard (difficult, so as to demand a reconsideration)?… It means חכם דינא the case is clear; Y.Snh.5, end, 23a.