> The saying is addressed to a
> reader. As I said, it often
> appears in Talmud in the short
> version. It says nothing
> of the background, but just
> terminates some words of wisdom.
>
> You may want to check this with a
> rabbi in your neighborhood.

You raised my curiosity.

Can we settle on my father's CD which contains about 400 searchable books, including the Bible,Talmud, Gmara, Rashi, etc. ? A Rabbi is not available to me.

OK. My father found 37 hits "vedai lechacham" in the CD. All 37 from the "SHO"T" = She'elot ve-tshuvot all 37 from the last 200 hundred years. Note: "vedai lechachima birmiza" is in Aramith and probably much older then 1800 AC.

For more details you will have to wait until I'll do the search by myself.For the moment, I withdraw from my remark.

Boaz