Rashi DH 'Lo Bekardum' describes a kardum as a cutting tool used by an uman to make saddles and other kelim; having a wide and a pointy edge. If so- why would the Mishna in Pirkei Avos 4:7 say "velo kardum lachfor bo"-that one should not use Torah like a 'kardum' to dig with. Who uses a kardum to dig with?! Or as my friend Shimon Schonblum put it; Why not call a spade, a spade?!
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.
Alex Lebovits, Toronto, Canada
The Mishnah in Kelim 29:7 tells us there were two types of Kardum, one for digging and one for chopping (and a third for hoeing or softening clods of dirt). In Kelim 13:3 we see that the one for chopping had two cutting edges - as is evident from our Gemara as well.
Be well,
Mordecai Kornfeld