A Proposed Explanation for the Replacement of חותל by חותם in the Mishnah / החותל והחותם של התמר

The term חותל found in m. 'Uqẓin 2:2, which relates to the stones of dried ripe dates, has a unique meaning connected to the biblical והחתל לא חתלת (Ezek. 16:4). Actually, only very dry, hard date varieties, such as the south Egyptian Ibrimi and Bartamuda, have a חותל that envelops the edible part from the inside and fits the mishnaic text. Carbonized dates from these varieties, dated to the late Second Temple period, have been recovered at Masada. However, due to the absence of such dry date varieties in Iraq and the northern Mediterranean regions, medieval scholars had difficulty explaining the mishnaic distinction between the stones of fresh and dried dates. Therefore, we suggest that the original and rare word חותל was replaced by the vocally similar חותם (a stalk; the perianth which seals juicy fruit), thereby giving the Mishnah a different meaning. The earliest known substitution comes from the geonic period.