טָמַן יָדוֹ בַּצַּלַּחַת
TAMAN YADO BA-TSALACHAT
Buried his hand in the plate
We use the expression "buried his hand in the plate" when we want to talk about someone who is lazy or refrains from doing something.
אֲנַחְנוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בַּבִּיטּוּי "טָמַן יָדוֹ בַּצַּלַּחַת" כְּשֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ רוֹצִים ל ְהַגִּיד עַל מִישֶׁהוּ שֶׁהוּא עַצְלָן אוֹ נִמְנַע מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת מַשֶּׁהוּ.
For example: The boy saw that his friend was being hurt but he 'buried his hand in the plate'.
לְדוּגְמָא: הַיֶּלֶד רָאָה שֶׁפּוֹגְעִים בַּחֲבֵרוֹ אֲבָל טָמַן יָדוֹ בַּצַּלַּחַת.
In the book of Proverbs, chapter 19, we are told about a man who reached for his plate, but did not bring the food to his mouth because he was so lazy.
בְּסֵפֶר מִשְׁלֵי פֶּרֶק יט' מְסַפְּרִים לָנוּ עַל אָד ָם שֶׁהוֹשִׁיט אֶת יָדוֹ לַצַּלַּחַת, אֲבָל לֹא הֵבִיא אֶת הָאוֹכֶל אֶל פִּיו מֵרוֹב שֶׁהָיָה כָּל כָּךְ עַצְלָן.
This expression can be used in the negative, meaning "did not bury his hand in the plate," and then we mean someone who makes an effort.
For example: All the students participated in the preparations for the ceremony. No one 'buried their hand in the plate'.
אֶפְשָׁר לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּבִּיטּוּי הַזֶּה עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַשְּׁלִילָה, כְּלוֹמַר "לֹא טָמַן יָדוֹ בַּצַלַּחַת" וְאָז אֲנַחְנוּ מִתְכַּוְּנִים לְמִישֶׁהוּ שֶׁמִּתְאַמֵּץ.
לְדוּגְמָא: כָּל הַתַּלְמִידִים הִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ בַּהֲכָנוֹת לַטֶּקֶס. אַף אֶחָד לֹא טָמַן אֶת יָדוֹ בַּצַּלַּחַת.