פִּלְפֵּל (v. פָּלַל a. פּוּל) 1) to search. Tanḥ. Vayesheb הוצרך … לפַלְפֵּל בעפר וכ׳ (some ed. לפַשְׁפֵּשׁ) the king had need of searching in the dust and among the pebbles to find the pearl. Tosef. B. Bath. VII, 5 כל דבר שלא פִּלְפְּלוּ בו יתומין וכ׳ the first-born gets a double share of whatever the heirs had no need of searching for (being ready on hand at the father’s death). Sabb. 31ᵃ (among the questions which the dead are asked on appearing before the seat of judgment) פִּלְפַּלְתָּה בחכמה hast thou been a searcher after wisdom? —2) to argue, debate. B. Mets. 85ᵇ לא פִּלְפַּלְתִּי בתורה כמותו Ms. R. (ed. תורה) did I not argue on the Law like him? תורה כמותו פִּלְפַּלְתָּ וכ׳ thou didst argue … like him, but thou didst not spread learning like him; a. e.