לָמָה, (v. לְמָא II) naught, vanity. Gen. R. s. 2 (ref. to תהו, Gen. I, 2) שהיה לל׳ ולא כלום who was reduced to naught and nothing (on account of his sin, v. כְּלוּם). Y’lamd. to Ex. V, 4, quot. in Ar. (play on לָמָּה ib.) אתם ל׳ ודבריכם ל׳ you are vanity, and your words are vanity; Yalk. Ex. 176 ל׳ אתם ל׳ דבריכם. Cant. R. to I, 7 (play on שלמה, ib.) שלא אֵעָשֶׂה ל׳ בעיני וכ׳ that I may not appear a nonentity in the sight of &c., a. e.