פְּתִיחָה f. (פָּתַח) 1) opening. B. Kam. 49ᵇ (ref. to Ex. XXI, 33) אם על פ׳ חייב על כרייה וכ׳ if he is responsible for opening a pit, how much more is he so for digging! Ib. על עסקי פ׳ וכ׳ for the act of opening &c. (the pit itself being on private ground). Ib. 50ᵃ. Pes. 54ᵃ פְּתִיחַת פי האתון the opening of the mouth of (Balaam’s) ass; פ׳ פי הארץ the opening of the mouth of the earth (to swallow Korah). Sabb. 129ᵃ, v. קֶבֶר. Gen. R. s. 13 בזו פ׳ ובזו פ׳ with reference to the one (sustenance) opening (the stem פתח) is used (Deut. XXVIII, 12) , and with reference to the other (resurrection) opening is used (Ez. XXXVII, 1; a. fr.— פְּתִיחַת נדר (v. פָּתַח) offering reasons for regretting a vow. Y. Ned. VIII, end, 41ᵃ; Y. Naz. VII, 52ᵃ top; a. e. —3) introduction to a lecture, text. Cant. R. to I, 2 רבנן עבדין יתהון פ׳ לויהי וכ׳ the Rabbis used them (the verses Cant. I, 2 sq.) as a text for a lecture on Vayhi &c. (Num. VII).