Talmudic into modern-day measurements – making sense out of what those rabbis were talking about
Talmudic Measure |
Modern equivalent |
Equivalent to |
Also equivalent |
Familiar equivalent |
| Thumb-breadth | 2cm | Cherry | ||
| Handbreadth | 8cm | 4 thumb-breadths | Credit Card | |
| Handspan | 24cm | 3 handbreadths | 12 thumb-breadths | 11 Piano Keys |
| Cubit | 48cm | 2 handspans | 6 handbreadths | Ruler |
| 4 Cubits | 192cm | 75 inches | 6.25 feet | bed or grizzly bear |
Dry Measures |
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| Chomer | 220 litres | 200 dry quarts | Coleman chest | |
| Eipha | 22 litres | 20 dry quarts | Backpack | |
| Omer | 2.2 litres | 2 dry quarts | Large matzo meal canister (almost) | |
| Kav | 1.2 litres | 1.1 dry quarts | Quart of fruit | |
Liquid Measures |
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| Cor | 220 litres | 55 US gallons | 30 se’as | 55 gallon drum |
| Bath | 22 litres | 5 US gallons | 72 logs/6 hin | Potable water jug |
| Se’a | 7.3 litres | 1.9 US gallons | Stock Pot | |
| Hin | 3.7 litres | 0.98 US gallons | Gas Can | |
| Log | 0.31 litres | 310 millilitres | 1/12 of a hin | Drinking glass |
Talmud measure |
Daf reference |
Approximate equivalent |
Pictorial reference |
| 1 handbreadth | Shabbat 22, 54, 85, 92, 138, 157 | 8cm/3.1” | Credit card |
| 4 x 4 handbreadths | Shabbat 4, 76, 79, 91, 100, 101, 155 | 32 x 32cm/12.6” | Chess board |
| 10 handbreadths | Shabbat 4, 21, 91, 92, 96, 97, 99, 100, 101, 117, 155 | 80cm/31.5” | Long shoehorn |
| Multiples of Log | Shabbat 76, 77, 78, 79, 82, 95, 109, 129, 132 | 310 millilitres/10.5 fl oz | Drinking Glass |
| Kav (of dough, etc) | Shabbat 15, 103, 140, 156 | 1.22L/1.1 dry quart | Flower pot |
| 4 cubits | Shabbat 5, 52, 53, 57, 61, 62, 73, 82, 96, 97, 98, 100, 101, 102, 110, 118, 127, 130, 141, 146, 153 | 192cm/6.25’ (feet) | Bed or Grizzly Bear |
| 10 cubits | Shabbat 92, 98 | 480cm/15.7’ (feet) | Conference Table |
| 20 cubits | Shabbat 22 | 960cm/31.5’ (feet) | Powerboat/Caravan Awning |
| Multiples of cor | Shabbat 4, 35,127, 155, 156 | 220L/200 dry quarts | Coleman cooler |
| se’a | Shabbat 59, 119, 142, 153 | 7.3L/1.9 gallons | Stock Pot |
| 40 se’as | Shabbat 35, 44, 46, 84 | 288L/76 gallons | Hot water heater (tank) |
| 1 mil | Shabbat 34, 88, 109, 129 | 960m/0.6 mile | Free suspension part of Sutong Bridge |