שָׁאַל (b. h.) 1) to ask, beg; to inquire, question. Yoma 75ᵃ bot. בשר ששָׁאֲלוּ שלא וכ׳ flesh for which they asked unreasonably was given them at an unreasonable time (in the evening) &c. Taan. 4ᵃ, v. הוֹגָן. Ber. V, 2 (33ᵃ) הגשמים וכ׳ (את) ושׁוֹאֲלִין (Bab. ed. ושְׁאֵלָה, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l.) and the prayer for rain is inserted in the Benediction of Years (the ninth section of the Prayer of Benedictions, v. שָׁנָה). Taan. I, 1 אף אני לא אמרתי לִשְׁאוֹל אלא להזכיר I also did not say, ‘to ask’ for rain, but to mention rain. Ib. 2. Y. Ber. V, 9ᵇ bot. שׁוֹאֵל צרכיו, v. צוֹרֶךְ. B. Bath. IX, 1 יִשְׁאֲלוּ וכ׳, v. פֶּתַח. Ab. IV, 18 ואל תִּשְׁאַל לו בשעת נדרו ask not thy neighbor (as to circumstances which may change the aspects of his vow) at the moment of his vow, v. infra Nif. Ib. V, 7 שואל כענין ומשיב וכ׳ he (the wise student) asks pertinent questions, and (when asked) replies in agreement with the adopted law. Bekh. 36ᵃ עמד השואל וש׳ יכ׳ the questioner (at college) arose and asked &c. Ned. 20ᵃ שָׁאֲלוּ את וכ׳ they asked Imma Shalom &c. Nidd. 68ᵇ בראשון לא שָׁאַלְתִּי … שלא שאלתי as to the first day I did not ask, and I made a mistake in not asking. Gen. R. s. 68 מטרונה שָׁאֲלָה וכ׳ a Roman matron asked R. José &c.; a. v. fr.—Yoma 73ᵃ כיצד שׁוֹאֲלִין השואל פניו כלפי נִשְׁאָל הנשאל וכ׳ how were the Urim and Tummim consulted? The inquirer had his face directed to him (the priest) who was consulted, and the latter directed himself to the Divine Presence (the Urim and Tummim). Ib. אין שואלין שני וכ׳ you must not ask two questions at a time; a. fr.—ש׳ בשלום (or sub. בשלום) to salute. M. Kat. 21ᵇ הוא שואל בשלום אחרים … אחרים אין שואלין בשלומו וכ׳ he (the mourner during the first thirty days) may inquire after the peace of others, for they dwell in peace, but others must not inquire after his peace, for he does not dwell in peace. Ib. משיב ואינו שואל, v. שׁוּב; a. fr. —2) (cmp. דָּרַשׁ) to discuss, lecture. Tosef. Meg. IV (III), 5 שואלין הילכות וכ׳ the laws of Passover are expounded on Passover &c., v. עִנְיָן; Meg. 29ᵇ שואלין בהלכות וכ׳; Y. Pes. I, 27ᵇ bot.; Bab. Pes. 6ᵃ שואלין בהלכות וכ׳ Ms. M. (ed. שואלין ודורשין, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note); Snh. 12ᵇ; a. fr. —3) (cmp. בְּעֵי I) to beg to remark, to submit. Y. Shek. I, beg. 45ᵈ ר׳ חזקיה ש׳ מעתה וכ׳ R. Ḥ. remarked, according to this &c. Ib. 46ᵇ. Y. Snh. IX, 27ᵃ bot.; a. fr. —4) to ask for a loan, to borrow. Sabb. XXIII, 1 שואל אדם מחבירו וכ׳ a man may borrow of his neighbor vessels of wine or oil (on the Sabbath), but must not say הַלְוֵינִי (v. infra Hif.); a. fr.—Esp. to borrow an object for use (with ref. to Ex. XXII, 13 sq.). B. Mets. 103ᵃ שואל אדם בטובו לעולם if a person borrows an object (saying, ‘lend it to me) for its usefulness’, it is a standing loan (he is permitted to take it whenever he desires to use it). Ib. VIII, 1 השואל את הפרה וש׳ בעליה עמה if a person borrows a cow for work, borrowing her owner with her (the owner lending his personal service). Ib. 95ᵇ שָׁאֲלָהּ ואחר כך ש׳ וכ׳ if he borrowed the cow only, and after a while borrowed her owner; a. fr.—שׁוֹאֵל the borrower of an object. Ib. 95ᵃ חיובא דש׳ the responsibility of the borrower. Ib. 96ᵇ top ש׳ הוי או שוכר הוי is he legally considered a borrower or a hirer? Ib. III, 2 והש׳ ישלם וכ׳ and the borrower must indemnify the hirer; a. fr.—Sabb. 96ᵇ אורגי … לשׁוֹאֲלֵיהֶן (Ar. לשווליהן, v. שְׁוַולְיָא) the curtain weavers were wont to throw the clue over to such as would borrow it from them.—Part. pass. שָׁאוּל; f. שְׁאוּלָה &c. Taan. 23ᵇ טלית ש׳ היתה וכ׳ it was a cloak that had been lent to me, I had borrowed it for such a purpose (for ordinary wear), but not for that purpose (to wear it when carrying a load). Ib. IV, 8 שבחן … בכלי לבן שְׁאוּלִין וכ׳ on those days the maidens of Zion went out (to the vineyards) in white garments borrowed for the purpose, in order not to put to shame those who had none; a. fr.— [Gen. R. s. 65 לא שאול … ולא שאולה, v. next w.—Gen. R. s. 19 שאולת חומץ, read: שׁוֹאֶלֶת, a woman asking for some vinegar.]
    Hif. - הִשְׁאִיל 1) to cause inquiry, to inquire. Ber. 6ᵇ כל הרגיל … הקב"ה מַשְׁאִיל בו if one who comes regularly to synagogue fails to come one day, the Lord holds inquiry about him. Yeb. 76ᵇ עד שאתה משאיל עליו … שְׁאַל וכ׳ instead of inquiring about him whether or not he is fit for government, ask whether &c. Ib. (in Chald. dict.) אאבוה קא משאיל he (Saul) asked (Abner) to inquire who his (David’s) father was. B. Bath. 123ᵃ היתה יושבת … ומַשְׁאֶלֶת וכ׳ she sat at the cross-roads and made inquiries; a. e. —2) to lend. Sabb. 148ᵃ (ref. to Mish. ib. XIII, 1, v. supra) מאי שנא הַשְׁאִילֵינִי ומאי שנא הלויני what is the difference, whether you say hashileni (lend me) or halveni (loan me)? השאיליני לא אתי למיכתב וכ׳ when you say ‘lend me’, no document is expected to be written for it &c. Ned. IV, 6 חמודר … לא יַשְׁאִילֶנּוּ ולא יִשְׁאַל ממנו he who by his neighbor’s vow is forbidden any benefit at his hand, must neither lend him nor borrow from him &c. B. Mets. 116ᵃ דברים העשויין להַשְׁאִיל וכ׳ things which are frequently lent out or hired out; a. fr.—מַשְׁאִיל the lender, owner of the lent object. Ib. 96ᵃ; a. fr.—[Pesik. Vayhi, p. 63ᵃ שאילו השאיל, v. שָׁחַל II.]
    Nif. - נִשְׁאַל 1) to be asked, consulted. Yoma 73ᵃ בגדים … נ׳ בהן when the war chaplain is consulted, he wears the garments which the high priest wears when he officiates, v. supra. Ib. 85ᵃ נִשְׁאֲלָח שאלה וכ׳ the following question was asked in their presence; Kidd. 40ᵇ. Ned. 81ᵃ דבר זה נ׳ לחכמים וכ׳ this problem was placed before the scholars and the prophets, and they could not solve it &c.; a. fr. —2) נ׳ על to allow one’s self to be asked about the circumstances of a case, to appear before a scholar for a decision on a ritual case. Y. Ter. VIII, 46ᵃ bot. שדעתו להִישָּׁאֵל עליה a case (of T’rumah) which he had intended to have a scholar decide. Ib. הריני מניחה על מנת שאֶישָּׁאֵל עליה I put it (the doubtful T’rumah) aside with the intention of having it decided &c. Toh. III, 6 שאין בו דעת להִשָּׁאֵל (a child) whose mind is not sufficiently developed to be questioned. Ib. V, 5 אם נִשְׁאֲלוּ זה וכ׳ if they come for a decision, each of them separately; a. fr.—Esp. (על נדרו) נ׳ to come before a scholar for absolution from a vow. Ned. 90ᵃ קונם … ולמי שאֶשָּׁאֵל עליו if one vows, I will not be benefited by N. N., nor by any scholar to whom I may apply for absolution from this vow; נ׳ על הראשון וכ׳ he must first apply for absolution from the first part of the vow, and then from the second. Ib. נ׳ על נדרו … נזרו he must first apply for absolution from his vow of abstinence, and then from his nazaritic vow. Ib. 69ᵃ נִשְׁאָלִין על ההקם וכ׳ you may apply for absolution in order to revoke your confirmation (of your daughter’s vow), but you cannot do so in order to revoke your invalidation; a. fr. —3) to be borrowed, to do gratuitous service. B. Mets. 96ᵃ שותפין ששאלו ונ׳ לאחד מהן if partners borrow an animal for work, and its owner lends his services to one of them individually. Ib. האומר לשלוחו צא והִשָּׁאֵל לי וכ׳ (not והשאיל) if a person says to his deputy, go out and do work in my behalf together with my cow (lent to my neighbor). Ib. האומר לעבדו צא והשאל עם וכ׳ if he says to his slave, go out and do work &c.; a. e.