Commentary for Sotah 96:18

כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (תהלים נד, ב) בבא הזיפים ויאמרו לשאול הלא דוד וגו' מאי זיפים אמר רבי יוחנן בני אדם המזייפין דבריהם ורבי אלעזר אומר על שם מקומן כדכתיב זיף וטלם ובעלות

AND NOFETH ZUFIM. What means NOFETH ZUFIM? — Rab said: The fine flour which floats [zofah] upon the top of a sieve [nafah] and resembles dough kneaded with honey and oil. Levi said: It is two loaves attached to [opposite sides of] an oven which keep on swelling until they touch one another.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The dough is blessed and so increases in size. The loaves float (Zaf) in the space of the oven. ');">³⁰</span> R. Joshua b. Levi said: It is the honey which comes from the hills [zofim].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is another reading: zipya which Jastrow explains as the inner cells of the honeycomb. ');">³¹</span>

Explore commentary for Sotah 96:18. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.