More Discussions for this daf
1. Shimshon's "Pa'am" 2. Pundak Inn 3. Shimshon
4. Embarrasing a friend 5. Embarrasing a friend 6. Embarrasing a friend
7. Yehareg v'Al Ya'avor 8. Embarrasing a friend 9. Pundak
10. Avshalom 11. Yehudah and Tamar 12. Na is a language of request
13. "Lo Yasaf" -- Yehudah and Tamar 14. david hamelech was born circumcised 15. Sotah 010; Shimshon and Giluy Arayot
16. David ha'Melech's efforts on behalf of Avshalom 17. Shem's daughter? 18. Pundak
19. בת שם
DAF DISCUSSIONS - SOTAH 10

D Fhima asks:

His hair weighed 200 Shekalim, weighed with the Royal Shekalim, heavier than usual.

any idea what this translates to in the metric system?

D Fhima, Gateshead, UK

The Kollel replies:

Shalom,

Great to hear from you.

Some writers assume that the Shekel here weighs around one half of a modern day ounce. If so, then the total weight would be around 100 ounces, which is over 6 pounds.

But this is not taking account of Chazal in Tanchuma (Vayera 4 and Reeh 4) whom the Malbim (II Shmuel 14:26) cites. They point out that when a Shekel is mentioned in Navi, it means a Litra. Incidentally, Rashi in Eruvin (29a DH Ukla) tells us that a Litra is a Log. But one should be careful not to get confused between units of weight and units of volume. In any event, if one Litra weighs around 12 ounces, or 0.75 pounds, then according to this view the hair weighed about 150 pounds, which is a staggering amount.

Josephus (The Antiquities of the Jews 7:8), writing almost two millenia ago, tells us that the hair weighed 5 pounds. Based again on the premise that a pound from Josephus's time is equal to 12 modern day ounces, that would translate to a total weight of around 3.8 pounds.

I'm sorry there is some ambiguity because of the discrepancy in units and conversions, but I hope this helps you!

Warmest regards,

Yishai Rasowsky