ABSTRACT
The term asthenes occurs numerous times in both tannaitic and amoraic literature and is clearly derived from the Greek word ἀσθενὴς (‘without strength’). Saul Lieberman in his book Tosefta Ki-Fshuṭah argues that the term asthenes refers to ‘a person who is weak and sickly by nature’. In my chapter, I will treat the passages in which the word is used, examining how it developed in rabbinic literature and propose a comprehensive understanding of the term.
