זָהַם (b. h.; cmp. זהה) [to be glistening; cmp. צחן a. צחח)] to be filthy, smell offensively, be offensive.—Part. זוֹהֵם, or part. pass. זָהוּם. Y. Ab. Zar. II, 41ᶜ bot. ר"ל אמר ככוס ז׳ (not בכוס) R. L. says, It is like drinking out of an offensive cup; השותה בכוס ז׳ וכ׳ he who drinks (sacred wine &c.) out of &c. Y. Nidd. IV, end, 51ᵇ דם נידה זהום (Tosef. ib. IX, 10 זוהם; Bab. Nidd. 65ᵇ) the blood of a menstruant is sticky (or ill-smelling).
    Pi. - זִיהֵם 1) to smear plants with rancid oil for keeping off vermin, [oth. opin.: to cover a wound in a tree with dung and tie it up.] Shebi. II, 4. Y. ib. 33ᵈ (expl. מְזַהֲמִין of Mish.) מתלעין to keep the worms off. Ib. המְזַהֵם אינו וכ׳ oiling a plant is merely like appointing a watchman (it does not advance growth). Y. Sabb. VII, 10ᵃ top, v. בָּחַל II.—Part. pass. מְזוּהָם, f. מְזוּהֶמֶת ill-smelling, filthy, offensive. Bekh. VI, 12 ומז׳ and an animal of offensive smell or sight. Ber. 53ᵇ מז׳ an offensive-looking priest. Y. Gitt. VIII, 49ᵈ top מז׳ היא מלפניו she is disgusting to him (on account of her conduct); a. e.—Pl. מְזוּהָמִים, מְזוּהָמִין; fem. מְזוּהָמוֹת. Ber. l. c. ידים מ׳ smelling hands (after a meal, when not perfumed). Lev. R. s. 16; Esth. R. to III, 1 מה … מ׳ וכ׳ as ordure is offensive, so is he (the leper); a. e. —2) to declare unfit for priestly or levitical service (or connection), to reject. Bekh. 47ᵃ אין מְזַהֲמִין וכ׳ the child is not rejected (as the child of a gentile).—Y. Yeb. X, 11ᵃ; XIII, 13ᵈ bot. ואין ב"ד מזהמין אותה but the court does not declare her unfit to marry a priest. —3) (v. זוֹהֲמָא) part. pass. מְזוּהָם, pl. מְזוּהָמִין inclined to lasciviousness, unchaste. Sabb. 145ᵇ bot.
    *. - הִזְהִים to become unfit for offering through offensiveness. Pesik. Vayhi, p. 10ᵃ לא הִזְהִימוּ (perh. to be read הוּזְהָמוּ Hof.; (Yalk. Num. 713 הוזמו, expl. חוסמו, corr. acc., or הוּמָמוּ as Num. R. s. 12, end, a. e., v. Bub. note to Pesik. l. c.).