אֶשְׁכּוֹל, bunch, cluster (of grapes). Y. Naz. II, beg. 51ᵈ תורה קראת לא׳ וכ׳ the Bible calls the (berry in the) cluster must (tirosh, ref. to Is. LXV, 8) while people (at present) call the dried berry must (i.e. in common parlance abstinence from ‘berry’ means from grape-juice, must &c.).—אשכול של בצים the ovary (of birds). Tosef. Zab. V, 9; Bets. 7ᵃ.—Midd. III, 8 א׳ של זהב a gold imitation of a cluster of grapes.—2) Trnsf. a distinguished scholar (opp. עַלִּין leaves = the ignorant); v. infra. Cant. R. to I, 14, a. e. (play on the word) א̇ישׁ שהכ̇ל̇ בו a man in whom all is contained, i.e. universality of knowledge.—Pl. אֶשְׁכּוֹלוֹת, אֶשְׁכֹּלוֹת. Ḥull. 92ᵃ א׳ שבה וכ׳ the grapes thereon (on the nation), that means the scholars; cmp. Lev. R. s. 36.—Esp. the scholars of the early Maccabean period. Sot. IX, 9 (47ᵃ); Tem. 15ᵇ. Y. Sot. IX, 24ᵃ top, v. זוּגוֹת; Tosef. B. Kam. VIII, 13 אישכלות. Ch. אֶתְכָּלָא.