שָׁמַר (b. h.) [to be still,] to watch, guard, wait; to observe; to keep. Snh. 63ᵇ לא … שְׁמוֹר לי וכ׳ one should not say to his neighbor, wait for me at such and such an idolatrous statue (or temple). B. Mets. 58ᵃ השוכר … לִשְׁמוֹר את וכ׳ if one hires a workingman to guard a cow, a child &c. Sabb. 118ᵇ אלמלי שָׁמְרוּ ישראל וכ׳ if Israel had observed the first Sabbath &c.; a v. fr.—Part. pass. שָׁמוּר; f. שְׁמוּרָה &c. Ib. XXII, 4 נותנין … בשביל שיהא ש׳ you may put a dish into the well that it be kept (cool); a. e.
    Pi. - שִׁמֵּר 1) same. Ib. 118ᵇ אילמלי מְשַׁמְּרִין ישראל וכ׳ if Israel would observe two Sabbaths as they ought do, they would at once be redeemed. Keth. 62ᵇ ענייה זו לשוא שִׁימְּרָה the poor woman has in vain waited (for her husband). Ab. Zar. IV, 11 אין … יושב ומְשַׁמֵּר וכ׳ the watchman (guarding wine against idolatrous defilement) need not sit and watch &c. Y. Kidd. I, 58ᵈ top המקום משמר וכ׳ God has watched, and such a case has never occurred. Y. M. Kat. III, 82ᶜ שי׳ הקב"ה … שבעה the Lord observed the seven days of mourning for his world (before the flood, ref. to Gen. VII, 10); a. fr. —2) (denom. of שְׁמָרִים) to clear wine from lees, filter, strain (v. מְשַׁמֶּרֶת). Sabb. 138ᵃ שי׳ חייב וכ׳ if one filtered wine (on the Sabbath), he is bound to bring a sin-offering; Y. ib. XX, 17ᶜ; VII, 10ᵇ, a. e. המשמר חייב שום בורר he who filters is guilty &c., v. בָּרַר. Ib. המשמר יין למטן וכ׳ when one filters, the wine goes down, and the lees remain above (in the filter); a. fr.—Bab. ib. 146ᵇ מקום העשוי לְשַׁמֵּר a place in the keg where a hole has been made for the purpose of letting the wine off, clear of lees (and has been closed again; Ar. s. v. חזק; Rashi: where the hole has been closed in order to preserve the flavor).—Part. pass. מְשׁוּמָּר a) guarded. Pes. 109ᵇ (ref. to שמרים, Ex. XII, 42) ליל המש׳ ובא מן המזיקין a night which is for all time guarded against dangers (v. מַזִּיק); R. Hash. 11ᵇ.—b) kept, preserved, designated. Ib. ליל המש׳ ובא מששת וכ׳ a night which has been designated for redemption since the six days of creation. Snh. 99ᵃ; Ber. 34ᵇ יין המש׳ וכ׳, v. עֵנָב; a. e.
    Hithpa. - הִשְׁתַּמֵּר 1) to be on one’s guard, be observant. Mekh. Bo, s. 14 (ref. to שמרים, v. supra) מגיד … צריכין להִשְׁתַּמֵּר בו this intimates that all Israelites must be careful in it (to observe its ceremonies); Yalk. Ex. 210; Tanḥ. Bo 9. —2) to be guarded. B. Mets. 11ᵃ המִשְׁתַּמֶּרֶת, v. חָצֵר. Erub. 54ᵇ אם ראשון … מִשְׁתַּמֵּר וכ׳ if the fowler breaks the wings of each bird as he catches it, it is kept (from flying off) &c. Men. 99ᵇ כל המשמר … נשמתוֹ משתמרת who guards the Law (takes care not to forget it), his soul is guarded; a. e.
    Nif. - נִשְׁמַר same, to be on one’s guard. Ib. כל מקום שנאמר הִשָּׁמֶר פן ואל וכ׳ wherever the Scripture has the words, ‘be on thy guard, lest’, or ‘be on thy guard that not’, it is a prohibitive law; ib. השמר ופן וכ׳ ‘be on thy guard’ and ‘lest’ make two prohibitions. Ib. 36ᵇ השמר דלאו לאו hishshamer followed by a negative is a prohibitory law; השמר דעשה עשה hishshamer connected with a positive order, is a positive command (v. עָשָׂה).—[Tanḥ. Vayḥi 13 ומשמירין, v. שָׁפַר.]