טְעַם ², reason, argument, sense &c. Targ. Job XII, 20; a. e.—B. Bath. 173ᵇ דלא יהבי ט׳ וכ׳ who give no reason for their decisions (judge arbitrarily). Ib., a. fr. מאי ט׳ (abbr. מ"ט) what is the reason (of the law of the Mishnah)?—Kidd. 68ᵇ, a. fr. דריש ט׳ דקרא interprets the biblical law on its reason and accordingly modifies it, extending or limiting, e.g. (B. Mets. 115ᵃ) applying the law Deut. XXIV, 17 only to poor widows. Ib. אלא לרבנן מאי טַעֲמֵיה but according to the Rabbis (who do not interpret the law on its reason), where is the argument for it? (prob. to be read: טַעֲמַיְיהוּ; Yeb. 23ᵃ מנא לן). Ber. 7ᵇ מ"ט לא אתי מר וכ׳ why do you not come to synagogue for prayer?—Ib. 11ᵃ קא מפרשי טַעֲמַיְיהוּ וט׳ וכ׳ they give their reason for their own opinion and for differing with Beth-Sh.—Keth. 83ᵇ הלכה כר׳ … ולא מטַעֲמֵיה the rule (practice) is in agreement with R. S.’s opinion, but not for the reason he had for it. Ib. 84ᵃ כטעמיה וכהלכתיה in agreement both with his argument and his legal opinion; a. fr.—Pes. 21ᵇ, a. fr. ט׳ דכתב וכ׳ the reason (of this) is, because &c., i.e. this is so only because &c.—וּלְטַעֲמֵיךְ now, according to your argument (assuming it to be correct,—what then?). Ber. 43ᵃ; a. v. fr.
טְעַם ², argument on the cause of bereavement, consolation (v. טַמָּא). M. Kat. 18ᵃ למישאל ט׳ מיניה (Ms. M.; second time, לשיולי ביה ט׳) to get his permission to argue (with him), i.e. to console him. Snh. 113ᵃ [read:] למשאל ביה ט׳ (or טמא, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note 7) to console him.—בֵּי טַעֲמָא, v. טַמָּא.
טְעַם ², taste. Targ. Num. XI, 8; a. e.—Yoma 78ᵇ ט׳ דמיתותא a foretaste of death. Hor. 11ᵃ, v. טְעַם. Ḥull. 97ᵃ בט׳ it depends on the taste (whether a mixture be forbidden), v. preced. Ib.ᵇ מין בשאינו מינו … בט׳ in case of a mixture of heterogeneous things which are permitted, we decide by the taste; a. fr.—Pl. טַעֲמִין. Targ. Cant. V, 11; 13.
