Biblical Units and Measurements

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
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
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