Hebrew Words & Definitions
-Glossary -
| A |
AB:
Name of a Partzuf
AB SAG:
Name of a special Light
ABYA:
Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Asiya
Abraham:
(1813-1638 BCE) The first of the three Patriarchs; the first Jew. He discovered G-d on his own and rejected the idolatry of his contemporaries. G-d commanded him to travel from his Mesopotamian homeland to Canaan, where He bequeathed the land to his descendants in the Covenant between the Parts. He successfully withstood ten tests with which G-d challenged him, including the Binding of Isaac incident. Husband of Sarah and Hagar, father of Ishmael and Isaac --his heir.
Acharon shel Pesach:
The final day of Passover
Adam:
(3760-2830 BCE) The first man, created by G-d. Married Eve, and together they are the progenitors of the human race.
They were placed in the Garden of Eden, but were banished from there after eating from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge.
Adam Ha Rishon:
The First Man
Adam Kadmon:
The Primodial Man
Adar, Month of:
Twelfth month in the Jewish calendar; the month in which
Purim is celebrated
Afikoman:
Meaning dessert; from the Aramaic fiku man, the piece of matzah that is hidden and then eaten at the conclusion of the Seder meal to recall the Paschal sacrifice
Ahavah:
Love, affection
Akedah:
Meaning the binding; Abraham’s preparation of Isaac as a sacrifice
Aleph-Beit, The:
The Hebrew alphabet
Aliyah:
(lit. “ascent”); immigration to the Land of Israel
Aliyah:
The honor of being called up to recite one of the blessings over the Torah
Al Menat Lehashpia:
In order to bestow
Al Menat Lekabel:
In order to receive
Amidah, The:
Referred to as Shemonah Esrei (Eighteen Benedictions); the main section of prayer, recited standing
Arvit:
The evening prayer services
Arich:
Long
Arich Anpin:
Long Face
Asseret HaDibrot:
The Ten Commandments
Assiah; World of Action, The:
In Kabbalistic terminology, this refers to the lowest of the four spiritual worlds, the final level in the creative process which includes the physical universe
Atara (Atarot):
Crown
Atik Yomin:
The inner dimension of Keter, a level which transcends the entire scheme of the ten Sefirot; an elevated spiritual level that is in absolute oneness with G-d’s essence
Atonement:
repentance, return to a Jew’s true essence
Atzilut; World of Emanation, The:
In Kabbalistic terminology, the highest of the four spiritual worlds, the realm of spiritual existence which, although encompassing attributes which have a specific definition, is in a state of infinity and at one with the Infinite Divine Light
Avinu:
Often used in reference to the Patriarchs, as in “Avraham (Abraham) Avinu”, our father
Avodah:
The Holy Temple service
Avodah SheBeleiv:
service of the heart; prayer
Avot:
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, from whom the entire Jewish nation descended; the husbands of the Matriarchs
Avraham Avinu:
"Abraham our Father." (1813-1638 BCE) The first of the three Patriarchs; the first Jew. He discovered G-d on his own and rejected the idolatry of his contemporaries. G-d commanded him to travel from his Mesopotamian homeland to Canaan, where He bequeathed the land to his descendants in the Covenant between the Parts. He successfully withstood ten tests with which G-d challenged him
Awe of G-d:
The fear or awe of Heaven, which compels us to refrain from sin. Divided into lower and higher levels: Yirah Ila'ah (supernal fear) is the awe one feels when contemplating G-d's greatness, Yirah Tata'ah is fear of the negative consequences that result from sin
Ayin Hara:
Evil Eye
| B |
Beinoni, The:
An individual whose spiritual labours have brought him to a level of perfection in thought, word and deed, despite his still-active evil inclination, literarily “Intermediate one”
Beit Din:
(lit. "house of law"); rabbinical court
Beit HaMidrash: (lit. "house of study"); study hall
Beit HaMidrash:
(lit. "house of study"); study hall
Beit Hamikdash:
the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
Beriah; World of Creation, The:
More specifically creation ex nihilo; in Kabbalistic terminology, the second of the four spiritual worlds, the realm of spiritual
existence which represents the first beginnings of a consciousness of self
BeSimchah:
in a state of joy
B'ezrat Hashem:
"with G-d's help"
Bikurim (first fruits):
the first fruits which the Jews would bring to the Temple
in Jerusalem
Bimah:
Raised platform at which the Torah is publicly read in the synagogue, and from which a sermon is often delivered
Bina:
Intelligence
Binah (Understanding; Analysis):
The second of the ten Sefirot, in Chassidic thought, the second stage of the intellectual process of Chab”ad, the power that
develops abstract conception of chochmah, giving it breadth and depth
Birkat Hamazon:
Grace after meals, the blessings of thanksgiving after a meal
that included bread
Bnei Noach:
Descendants of Noah; non-Jews, individuals not obligated to
observe the Torah’s laws
Bnei Noah:
Sons of Noah. The halachic term for non-Jews Bracha: (a) ritual blessing recited before eating, the performance of certain mitzvot, and at certain other occasions; (b) a blessing shared with another for good health, etc
Brit Bein HaBetarim:
Covenant between the Parts
Brit Milah; Circumcision:
The ritual circumcision of a Jewish boy, generally at eight days old
BYA:
Beria, Yetzira, Asiya
| C |
Canaan:
the land which G-d promised to Abraham's descendants through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob. Later called the Land of Israel, at the time of G-d's promise it was inhabited by the descendants of Canaan, son of Ham and grandson of Noah, who took the land by force from the children of Shem
Cantor:
One who leads the congregation in prayer
Cave of Machpelah:
The cave in Hebron, Israel, wherein are buried Adam, Eve,
Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah
Chag:
Festival. Usually a reference to one of the three biblical
festivals: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot
Chag HaMatzot:
(lit. “festival of Matzot"); another name for the festival of
Passover Challah: Bread loaf;
(a) a tithe of dough for the Kohen;
(b) a braided loaf baked in honor of Shabbat
Chametz: Leavened products derived from wheat, barley, oat, spelt or rye. Chametz is forbidden throughout the holiday of Passover
Chamin:
Casserole-like dish prepared before the start of Shabbat and kept warm, usually for Shabbat lunch, developed to avoid the prohibitions against cooking on Shabbat
Chanukah (Hanukkah):
Eight-day festival beginning on 25 Kislev, celebrating
the Maccabees’ recapture of the second Temple from the Syrian Greeks, and its re-dedication, marked by the kindling of lights on a menorah or chanukiah
Chanukah Menorah:
The eight-branched menorah (candelabra) kindled on
Chanukah commemorating the miracle of Chanukah
Charoset:
A paste similar to clay reminiscent of the clay the Jews used while enslaved in Egypt, made of apples, nuts and wine, into which the maror is dipped at the Passover seder
Chassidism:
(a) The movement within Judaism founded by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760), stressing service of G-d through the mystical in addition to the legalistic dimension of Judaism, the power of joy, love of G-d and one's fellow, emotional involvement in prayer, finding G-dliness in every aspect of one's existence, and the elevation of the material universe;
(b) the teachings and philosophy of this movement
Chayah:
The fourth (in ascending order) of the five levels of the soul
Chazan:
Cantor; one who leads the congregation in prayer
Chazeret:
(lit. "bitter vegetable"); the vegetable used for maror (bitter herbs) at the Passover seder
Chesed (Benevolence; Love, kindness, grace):
Used to refer to the Divine attribute (sefira) which parallels the abovementioned human qualities and thus is associated
with the dispersion of G-dly light and energy to lower levels of existence
Cheshbon HaNefesh:
A process of stocktaking and introspection with regard
to one’s Divine service Chinuch, The Mitzvah of: The obligation to teach one's child Torah and mitzvah observance
Chochmah:
In Kabbalistic-Chassidic terminology, refers to the first of the ten sefirot, or divine emanations and the first of the intellectual powers of the soul; (wisdom, conceptual knowledge)
chok: A mitzvah that transcends rational reason. Plural: chukim
Choshen (the breastplate):
the breastplate worn by the High Priest containing twelve precious stones inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel
Choshen Mishpat:
The breastplate of judgment; the fourth section of the legal
codes, the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, dealing with laws of judicial procedure, monetary affairs, real and personal property, property damages and personal injuries, etc
Chukim: "Decrees."
These are the mitzvot that transcend rational reason, unlike both mishpatim and edot. The quintessential chok (singular for chukim) is the mitzvah of the red heifer
Chumash:
The Pentateuch, the Five Books of Moses
Chupah:
Canopy;
(a) the canopy under which a wedding ceremony is solemnized;
(b) the wedding ceremony
Chutzpah:
Insolence
Counting of the Omer:
The formal counting of the 49 days from the second day of Passover to the eve of Shavuot, signifying our preparation for the receiving of the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot
Creation, The World of:
More specifically creation ex nihilo; in Kabbalistic terminology, the second of the four spiritual worlds, the realm of spiritual existence which represents the first beginnings of a consciousness of self
| D |
Daat (Knowledge; Awareness; Connection):
The third of the ten sefirot, or divine emanations; the third stage of the intellectual process at which concepts, having proceeded from seminal intuition (Chochmah) through meditative gestation (Binah), now mature into their corresponding dispositions or attributes of character (middot)
DAM:
Blood
Daven:
To pray
Derush:
Exposition; the non-literal, homiletic interpretation of Scripture, as in the Midrash or Talmudic aggadot
DHGT:
Daat, Chesed, Gevura, Tifferet Din, judgement: (judgement), the attribute of Divine judgment Din, law: A particular Torah law or ruling
Divine Providence:
the concept that every event in the universe and every
experience in a person's life, and their every aspect, is specifically guided and determined by the Divine will
Dor Haflagah:
The generation of the division, i.e., the generation who
constructed the Tower of Babel and as punishment were divided and dispersed throughout the world
Drashah:
sermon; exegetical rabbinical teaching
| E |
Echad:
G-d’s oneness which permeates all existence, One
Edut:
Testimony
Eglah Arufah:
The calf decapitated as penitence for an unsolved murder
Ein Sof:
The Infinite; used to refer to the infinite dimension of G-dliness
Elul, Month of:
the Hebrew month devoted to repentance and soul-searching in preparation for the High Holy Days; occurs in late summer
Emanation, The World of:
In Kabbalistic terminology, the highest of the four spiritual worlds, the realm of spiritual existence which, although encompassing attributes which have a specific definition, is in a state of infinity and at one with the Infinite Divine Light
Emunah:
faith
Erev:
(lit. “evening” or “eve of”); the day or evening preceding Shabbat or the festivals; Friday is often referred to as “Erev Shabbat”
Ethics of the Fathers:
Pirkei Avot in Hebrew; The Ethics of our Fathers, the
tractate of the Mishnah which contains the ethical teachings of our Sages
Etrog:
Citron, used during the festival of Sukkot for the mitzvah of the Four Species
| F |
Formation, The World of:
The third of the four spiritual worlds, the realm of spiritual existence in which the limited nature of the created beings takes on form and definition; the abode of the lower classes of angelic beings and of the souls of ordinary Jews
Four Exiles:
The Midrash speaks of four exiles in advance of Mashiach's arrival and the Final Redemption: Babylonian, Median, Greek, and Roman
Four Kinds, The:
the lulav, etrog, hadassim and aravot over which a blessing is
recited on each of the days of Sukkot
Four Kingdoms:
Inanimate, vegetation, animal kingdom, and human life
Four Worlds, The:
The main stages in the creative process resulting from the progressive self-screening of the Divine light known as tzimtzum; in descending order: Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, often referred to by their acronym Abiya
| G |
Galut (Exile):
exile; diaspora
Gan Eden (Spiritual Heaven):
The Garden of Eden; the spiritual realm of souls in the afterlife
Gehinnom:
Purgatory, the spiritual realm in which the souls are cleansed from the blemishes brought about by their conduct while on Earth
Geirah:
one-twentieth of a shekel, currency used in biblical times
Gemara:
Learning, a reference to the Babylonian Talmud
Gematria:
Hebrew numerolog: a tradition of interpreting biblical verses on the basis of the numerical equivalents of Hebrew letters
Gemilut Chassadim:
deeds of kindness, extending charity and kindness by
word and deed Generation of the Flood, The: The generation destroyed by the Flood
Get:
Jewish bill of divorce
Gevurah (Might; Restraint):
The second of the seven Divine middot, or attributes, associated with the holding back of Divine revelation and restricting the dispersion of Divine light to lower levels of existence
Gilui:
the revelation of light
Gimatria:
Calculations with Hebrew letters numerical values
Giving of the Torah:
Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai
| H |
Haftarah:
The concluding portion; reading from the Prophets at the conclusion of the weekly Torah reading
Hagbah (Raising the Torah):
The ritual of lifting the Torah scroll and displaying it to the congregation after the Torah reading
HaMelech:
The king
HaMotzi:
Blessing recited over bread
Hashpa’a:
Bestowal
Hassadim:
Mercy
Hesed:
Mercy, Kindness
Hochma:
Wisdom
Hod:
Splendor; the fifth of the seven Divine middot, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middot, or spiritual emotions
Holy of Holies:
the inner chamber of the Temple where the Divine Presence was most revealed; contained the Holy Ark, was only entered by the High Priest on Yom Kippur
| I |
Ibur:
gestation; in a spiritual sense, the interrelationship of souls
Ikvot Meshicha:
The heels of Moshiach (Aramaic), refering to the period
immediately before the coming of Moshiach, which so to speak, hears the approaching “footsteps of Moshiach”
Im Yirtzeh Hashem:
"G-d willing."
Israel:
Means "prince of G-d"; Israel is
(a) another name for the patriarch Jacob
(b) the Jewish people
(c) an Israelite - a Jew who is neither a Kohen nor a Levite
(d) a common given name
(e) the Land of Israel
| J |
Jerusalem Talmud:
the edition of the Talmud compiled in the Land of Israel at
the end of the fourth century
Jubilee:
the Jubilee year, the fiftieth year of the Shemittah cycle, during which allproperties return to their original owners and all slaves are freed
Judah Maccabee:
Judah Maccabee was one of the leaders of the Jewish guerilla
freedom fighters who drove the Seleucid Greek occupiers out of Judea in 139 BCE. Judah was the eldest son of Mattathias (Matisyahu), the High Priest, who instigated the revolt
| K |
Kabbalah:
Received tradition, the body of Jewish mystical teachings, the central text of which is the Zohar
Kabbalat Shabbat:
the Friday evening service that welcomes the incoming
Shabbat
Karet:
The cutting of the soul, causing premature death on the earthly plane and a
severing of the soul’s connection with G-d on the spiritual plane
Karpas:
(lit. "greens") the vegetable on the Passover seder plate that is dipped in saltwater and eaten at the beginning of the seder
Kashrut:
The laws of kosher
Kavanot:
Intentions, concentration; mystical themes for devout meditation during prayer and the observance of the mitzvoth
Kedushah:
Holiness
Kehunah:
Priesthood; G-d's sanctification of Aaron and his descendants to serve Him in the Holy Temple as the emissaries of the people of Israel
Keilim:
(a) Vessels; the powers which enclothe Divine light and express it in a limited form; the relationship between the keilim and the orot (“lights”, the Divine energy) is compared to that between the body and the soul
(b) the name of a tractate of the Mishnah
Kein Ayin Hara:
An evil eye should not be cast upon him.,
Keitz:
End; a particularly auspicious time for Moshiach to bring the exile to an end
Keli:
a vessel or utensil
Kelipah: Shell; the outer covering which conceals the G-dly light within all creation; hence, the unholy side of the universe
Kelipat Nogah:
The shining kelipah; dimension of kelipah in which the light is
intermingled with the shell; differs from the other kelipot in that its spiritual potential (the “brightness” within it) can be redeemed by man’s constructive intent while making use of the physicality in which it is vested
Keruvim (Cherubs):
angels resembling young children; relief images of two winged cherubim were part of the cover of the holy Ark in the temple
Kesher:
Connection or knot
Keter:
Crown; the sublime level of divine emanation which transcends the set of the ten Sefirot; in man’s spiritual personality it is the source of the corresponding “superconscious” faculties of pleasure and will
Ketubah:
Marriage contract
Kiddush:
Sanctification;
(a) blessing recited over a cup of wine expressing the sanctity of the Sabbath or of a festival;
(b) refreshments served in the synagogue after the recital of Kiddush
Kilayim:
a forbidden mixture; e.g.: the forbidden interbreeding of plant or animal species
Kipah (Head Covering), The:
Yarmulkeh or Skullcap. The head covering worn by Jewish men symbolizing recognition of G-d above
Kitrug:
an accusatory voice in the Heavenly Court
Kli:
Vessel
Klipot:
Shells
Kochot Makkifim:
the transcendent faculties of the soul
Kochot Pnimiyim:
he internalized, conscious faculties of the soul
Kohen:
priest, descendant of Aaron, responsible for the service in the Holy Temple
Kohen Gadol:
the “high priest,” or chief of the Kohanim; only he may enter the
Holy of Holies
Korban Pesach:
The sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb brought before Passover
Korban Tamid:
the daily sacrifice, offered in the Temple in the morning and
before nightfall
Kos Shel Brachah:
The cup of blessing; the cup of wine over which the Grace
after Meals has been recited
Kosher:
Fit; (a) complying with the dietary laws;
(b) fit to be used for ritual purposes
Kosher L'Pesach:
Kosher for Passover use
| L |
Lag BaOmer:
the 33rd day of the Omer, a minor festival falling between
Passover and Shavuot, commemorating the end of a plague which killed thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students; also the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar
Lashon HaKodesh:
The Holy Tongue; Biblical Hebrew
Lashon Hara:
Slander or libel
Latke:
Fried potato pancake, traditionally served on Chanukah
Levite:
A member of the priestly tribe of Levi
Loshon Horo:
The evil tongue; gossip and slander
Lulav:
the palm branch used during the festival of Sukkot for the mitzvah of the Four Species
| M |
Maariv (evening prayer):
The evening prayer services
Maccabees, The:
The Jewish army that revolted against the Syrian-Greek
occupation in 139 BCE, whose miraculous victory culminated in the festival of Chanukah. Their name is an acronym of their battle cry, whose Hebrew words mean “who is likened unto You amongst all powers, O, G-d.”
Mah Nishtanah:
What Is Different?; the "Four Questions" asked by the children
at the Passover seder
Maimonides:
Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, known by the acronym the “Rambam”, 1135-1204; Cordoba (Spain), Fez (Morocco) and Fostat (old Cairo, Egypt); codifier, philosopher, communal leader, and court physician to Sultan Saladin of Egypt; author of a commentary on the Mishnah, the Book of Mitzvot, Mishneh Torah, the Guide to the Perplexed and many other work
Mala’achim:
Angels
Malchut (kingship):
Sovereignty, the last of the ten Divine sefirot and their
corresponding mortal middot; acts as a transitionary link to a lower world
Mamzer:
A child born from an incestuous or adulterous relationship--specifically, a relationship between a man and a woman who halachically cannot be bonded in marriage
Manna, The:
the food from heaven provided to the Jews in the desert after the exodus from Egypt
Maror:
The bitter herbs eaten at the Passover seder
Masach:
Screen
Matan Torah:
Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai
Matriarchs, The:
Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel, from whom the Jewish
nation descended; the wives of the Patriarchs
Matzah:
unleavened bread eaten on Passover
Mayim:
Water
Mazal:
a) A medium that conveys spiritual influence to worldly beings; in its Talmudic usage, the celestial constellations that serve this purpose.
b) The root or main part of the soul, which is not experienced consciously
Mazal Tov:
A good mazal; traditional congratulatory wish for happy lifecycle events such as births, weddings, circumcisions, and bar or bat mitzvahs
Megillat Esther:
The Biblical book of Esther
Melaveh Malkah:
Accompany the queen; festive meal held on Saturday night to
escort the departing Sabbath Queen
Men of the Great Assembly:
A panel of 120 prophets and sages-- including Ezra, Nehemiah, Mordecai, Daniel, Simeon the Righteous and the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi--which constituted the ultimate religious authority at the onset of the Second Temple Era (4th century BCE). Among their accomplishments was the composition of the text of our standard prayers and blessings
Metzora:
a person afflicted with tzaraat
Mezuzah:
Doorpost; parchment scroll affixed to the doorposts of a Jewish home or business, containing portions of the Shema
Midbar:
Desert
Middot:
(a) Attributes of character; spiritual emotions (e.g., the love or awe of G-d); mental states.
(b) The seven lower sefirot, the Divine emotive attributes.
(c) Tractate of the Talmud that concerns itself with the structure of the Holy Temple
Midrash:
(a) the classical collection of the Sages’ homiletic teachings on the Torah, on the non-literal level of derush;
(b) any one such teaching
Mikdash:
Sanctuary; generally synonymous with Mishkan, though also with Beit HaMikdash
Mikveh, the:
Collection or gathering of water; ritual bathing pool in which a
person immerses himself as part of the transition to ritual purity
Minchah (afternoon prayer):
The offering; afternoon prayer service
Minyan, The:
Number; the quorum of ten necessary for communal prayer
Mishkan, The (Tabernacle):
a) the tabernacle or temporary Sanctuary in which the Divine Presence dwelled during the Jews’ journeys through the desert;
b) the portion of the tabernacle and the Temple building before the Holy of Holies which contained the inner altar, the table for the show-bread, and the menorah
Mishnah:
The first compilation of the oral law, authored by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi (approx. 200 C.E.); the germinal statements of law elucidated by the Gemara, together with which they constitute the Talmud; also, a single statement of law from
this work
Mishpatim:
(a) Judgments; rational commandments, one of the three categories
of mitzvot.
(b) One of the 53 Torah portions (in the Book of Exodus).
(c) The 13th book of Maimonides' Code of Law
Mitzrayim:
The biblical name for Egypt
Mitzvah; Mitzvot:
Commandment; one of the Torah’s 613 Divine commandments; a good deed or religious precept; according to Chassidut, the word mitzvah stems from the root tzavta, attachment, the mitzvah creating a bond between G-d who commands and man who performs
Mochin:
Brains; the three intellectual sefirot, chochmah, binah and daat, also referred to as immot (‘mothers’) because they are the source of the middot, the emotional attributes
Mohel:
The trained expert who performs ritual circumcisions
Moshiach: The anointed one; the Messiah. One of the 13 principles of the Jewish faith is that G-d will send the Messiah to return the Jews to the land of Israel, rebuild the Holy Temple and usher in the utopian Messianic Era
Mount Moriah:
he Temple Mount
Mussar:
(a) words of censure or admonishment;
(b) Jewish philosophic works dealing with personal conduct and character, and methods for self improvement in these areas
| N |
Nasi:
(a) in Biblical times, the head of any one of the twelve tribes; (b) in later generations, the civil and/or spiritual head of the Jewish community at large
Nazirite:
One who sets himself apart for Divine service by undertaking certain ascetic restrictions
Nedarim (Vows):
(a) Vows;
(b) A tractate of the Talmud that discusses the laws of vows
Nefesh:
(a) soul;
(b) the lowest of the five levels of the soul
Neshama:
(a) soul;
(b) the third (in ascending order) of the five levels of the soul
Nesi'im:
The presidents of the Sanhedrin in Roman-occupied Israel
Netzach:
Eternity; conquest; victory; the fourth of the seven Divine middot, or emotional attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middot, or spiritual emotions
Niddah:
(a) The state women enter with the onset of menstrual bleeding; a woman in this state. Physical contact between husband and wife is suspended during this period, until the woman immerses in a mikvah.
(b) A tractate of the Talmud that discusses the laws of niddah
Noah:
(a) (2704-1754 BCE) Tenth generation descendent of Adam, he and his immediate family were the only ones to remain righteous when all of humankind descended into a state of anarchy and lawlessness. He and his family survived the Flood that wiped out the rest of the human race by taking shelter in the Ark he constructed.
According to the Midrash, he invented the plow.
(b) A common Jewish name
Noahide Laws, The Seven:
Seven universal laws -- a morality code -- which form the basis of civilization. All descendants of Noah, i.e. all of humanity, are required to follow these laws
| O |
Ohel Moed:
Tent of meeting; the Sanctuary
Ohr:
Divine light
Ohr Ein Sof:
G-d’s infinite light
Olam:
World; Universe
Olam Haba:
The world to come; the spiritual realm of the souls in the afterlife; also used to refer to the Era of the Resurrection
Olam Ha Zeh:
This World
Olamot Elyonim:
The supernal worlds; in Kabbalistic works there is generally
reference made to four spiritual worlds: Atzilut - Emanation, Briyah - Creation, Yetzirah - Formation, and Asiyah - Action. In each one of these worlds, the Divine energy becomes progressively more disconnected from its source, thus beginning to feel itself as a separate entity. Our physical world is the lower half of the world of Asiyah, sometimes known as Asiyah HaGashmit
Omer Offering, The:
A biblical measure of approx. 43 oz; the formal counting
of the 49 days from the second day of Passover; when the Omer offering was brought in the Holy Temple; to the eve of Shavuot, signifying our preparation for the receiving of the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot
Oneg:
Pleasure; delight, spiritual delight
Onkelos:
Nephew of the Roman Emperor Titus, converted to Judaism during the Mishnaic era. His Aramaic translation of the Torah was universally accepted and is printed in most editions of the Chumash
Or Chozer:
Rebounding light; light which reflects the input of a recipient
Or Yashar:
Direct light; light as it is revealed from its source
| P |
Panim:
Face
Pardes:
The metaphorical term used to refer to the four levels of Torah
interpretation: pshat (the literal meaning of the text), remez (its allusions), derush (the homilies that can be derived from it), and sod (its mystical secrets)
Parshah:
The weekly Torah portion
Partzufim:
Faces; the sefirot as they are joined together in various ways, as taught in Kabbalah
Passover:
(a) The seven-day festival (eight in the Diaspora) beginning on 15 Nissan, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt;
(b) the sacrifice offered on the eve of that holiday during Temple times
Pashut:
Simple
Pasuk:
The Hebrew term for a verse in the Torah
Penimi:
(a) inner aspect;
(b), a person of inner integrity
Pesach:
(a) Passover, the seven-day festival (eight in the Diaspora) beginning on 15 Nissan, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt;
(b) the sacrifice offered on the eve of that holiday during Temple times
Pesach Sheni:
The second Passover; opportunity given to certain persons who were unable to offer the Passover sacrifice to do so one month later
Phylacteries:
Tefillin; small black leather cubes containing parchment scrolls
inscribed with the Shema and other biblical passages, wrapped on the arm and head of adult men during weekday morning prayers
Pirkei Avot:
The Ethics of our Fathers, the tractate of the Mishnah which contains the ethical teachings of our Sages
Pnimiyut HaTorah:
the innermost, mystical dimension of the Torah
Poskim:
(a) the halachic authorities following the Talmudic era;
(b) the works of applied Jewish law authored by these authorities
Pshat:
the plain meaning of a scriptural passage
Pur:
Lots that Haman cast to determine the date of his proposed annihilation of the Jews
Purim:
The holiday that commemorates the Jews' salvation from Haman's plot to annihilate them
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| R |
Rabbeinu:
Our teacher; the title appended to the name of Moses and subsequently other Jewish leaders in history
Rasha:
a wicked individual; according to Chassidut, anyone who still succumbs to his evil inclination
Rav:
Rabbi; the halachic authority and spiritual guide of a community
Reb:
(a) a short form of “Rebbe,” used as a title prefacing a name; (b) colloq., used with the name of any adult male, approx. equivalent to the English “Mister”
Remez:
Allusion; Torah interpretation at the level of allusive implication
Rosh Chodesh: The head of the month; one or two semi-festive days marking the beginning of each month
Rosh Hashanah:
The head of the year; the solemn New Year holiday, falling on
1 and 2 Tishrei, and beginning the ten Days of Repentance
Ruach:
Spirit; one of the five levels of the soul
Ruach Hakodesh:
Divine inspiration
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Sages, the:
Refers to the great body of teachers who taught and expounded the traditional laws and traditions of Israel from the time of Ezra to the completion of the Talmudic/Midrashic literature (approx. 450 BCE-500 CE)
Sanhedrin:
the central rabbinical supreme court of ancient Israel, composed of 71 sages, which emerged as an especially crucial source of leadership following the destruction of the Second Temple; also, the tractate of the Talmud of that name
Scroll of Esther, The:
The book of Tanach describing Haman's plot to annihilate the Jews, Mordecai and Esther's successful foiling thereof, and the institution of the holiday of Purim. It is read every year on Purim
Sechach:
the vegetative covering of a sukkah
Sedarim:
The order of service observed at home on the first night (first two nights in the Diaspora) of Passover. Plural: Sedarim
Sedarim of the Mishnah:
The Mishnah is divided into six general sections, called sedarim
Seder, the:
The order of service observed at home on the first night (first two nights in the Diaspora) of Passover. Plural: Sedarim
Sedra:
The weekly Torah portion
Sefarim:
Sacred books
Sefer HaMitzvot:
Book of the commandments; text authored by the Rambam
for the purpose of defining the 613 mitzvot
Sefer HaPardes:
Book of the orchard; principal written work on Kabbalah by
Ramak
Sefer Torah:
Torah scroll
Sefirah:
(a) One of the Divine attributes or emanations which are manifested in each of the Four Worlds, and are the source of the corresponding ten faculties (kochot) of the soul;
(b) A reference to the Counting of the Omer
Sefirat HaOmer:
The formal counting of the 49 days from the second day of
Passover to the eve of Shavuot, signifying our preparation for the receiving of the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot
Sefirot, The:
Divine attributes or emanations which are manifested in each of the Four Worlds, and are the source of the corresponding ten faculties (kochot) of the soul
Semichah:
Rabbinic ordination
Sephardi:
Jews of South European or North African origin; pertaining to such Jew
Shabbat:
The Sabbath, the divinely-ordained day of rest on the seventh day of the week
Shabbat HaGadol:
The Shabbat preceding Passover
Shabbat Shuvah:
The Sabbath of Repentance; the Shabbat between Rosh
HaShanah and Yom Kippur; also known as Shabbat Shuvah (from the first word of the Haftorah read on that day, beginning Hoshea 14:2)
Shacharit:
The morning prayer service
Shamash, The:
The candle from which the Chanukah lamps are lit Shammai & Hillel, Houses of: The Torah academies founded by Hillel and Shammai were known as the “Houses of Hillel and Shammai.”
The Mishnah records 316 disagreements between the schools, with the House of Hillel generally taking the lenient view and the House of Shammai, the more stringent one. In all but 18 cases, the halachah is accordance with the House of Hillel
Shankbone: Shankbone used on the Passover seder plate; represents the Paschal sacrifice
Shavuot:
The one-day holiday (two in the Diaspora) commemorating the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. This late-spring holiday commences on the fiftieth day (the morrow of seven “weeks”) following the second day of Passover
Shechinah:
Feminine aspect of the Divine; the manifestation of the divine
presence in this world; G-d's feminine manifestation
Shechitah:
Ritual slaughtering
Shekel:
A silver coin of the Biblical era; the standard monetary unit of the State of Israel
Shema, The:
The daily declaration of faith, recited in the morning and evening prayers and before retiring for the night Shemittah
(Sabbatical Year): The seventh year in the seven-year agricultural cycle, when the land is left to lie fallow
Sheva Mitzvos B'nei Noach:
Seven Noahide laws; seven universal laws; a morality code; which form the basis of civilization. All descendants of Noah, i.e. all of humanity, are required to follow these laws
Shevarim:
The three Shofar blasts of intermediate length
Shevirat Ha Kelim:
The breaking of vessels
Shevirat Ha Neshamot:
The breaking of souls
Shichachah:
The obligation to abandon produce which one forgot to reap so that the poor may harvest it
Shirah:
Song
Shiur:
Study session; class; lesson, Torah lesson
Shmurah Matzah:
Matzah that has been watched; matzah prepared under
exacting supervision from the time the wheat is harvested through the end of the baking to guard against the minutest moisture
Shochet:
One who slaughters and inspects cattle and fowl in the ritually-prescribed manner, for kosher consumption
Shofar:
Ram’s horn sounded during the month of Elul, on Rosh HaShanah and at the close of Yom Kippur; reminiscent of the ram “tangled in the bush by its horns” during the Binding of Isaac (Genesis 22), the shofar sounded at Sinai (Exodus 19) and
the shofar of Moshiach
Shoftim:
(a) Succession of Torah authorities and leaders who ruled Israel from the year 2533 from creation (1228 BCE, 17 years after the death of Joshua) to the anointing of Saul as king in 2882 (879 BCE).
(b) A section of the Torah in Deuteronomy.
(c) The thirteenth book of Maimonide's Mishne Torah
Show Bread:
The bread offered on the sacred table in the Sanctuary each week, described in Leviticus 24:5-9.
Siddur:
Order; traditional prayer book
Simchah:
A happy occasion or Jewish life-cycle celebration, e.g., bar mitzvah
Simchat Torah:
Festival immediately following Sukkot, on which the public
reading of the Torah is annually concluded and recommenced; observed with great joy, singing and the Hakafot procession with the Torah scrolls
Sitra Achara:
The other side; the opposite of holiness; the forces of evil
Skullcap: The head covering worn by Jewish men symbolizing recognition of G-d above
Sod:
The mystical dimension of Torah study
Sotah:
(a) A woman suspected by her husband of adultery. Despite his circumstantial evidence, she proclaims her innocence. She would submit to the test of drinking the “bitter waters.” If she had been unfaithful, both she and the adulterer
would die.
(b) The Talmudic tractate that discusses the laws of the Sotah
Succot:
Festival of seven days (eight in the Diaspora) beginning on 15 Tishrei, taking its name from the temporary dwelling (sukkah) in which one lives during this period; this festival is marked for its special joy (“zeman simchateinu”—“time of our rejoicing”) and by the mitzvah of the four species
Sukkah:
A hut or booth roofed with vegetation in which the autumn festival of Sukkot is observed
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Taamim:
The musical cantillation signs that accompany the printed text of the Torah, known in Yiddish as trop
Tabernacle:
The temporary Sanctuary in which the Divine Presence dwelled
during the Jews’ journeys through the desert
Tagim:
The “crowns” which adorn the upper edges of certain letters in the ritualscript of Torah scrolls, etc
Taharah:
Ritual purity
Tallit:
A Prayer Shawl; Prayer shawl fringed with ritual fringes at four corners, worn by men during certain prayer services
Tallit Katan:
Four-cornered poncho-like fringed cloak worn by Jewish men and boys beneath their shirts
Talmid Chacham:
Torah scholar
Tameh (Tme’im):
Impure, Tainted, profaned
Tanach:
The bible; The Five Books of Moses, Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim the “Writings”
Targum Onkelos:
A classic Aramaic translation and paraphrase of the bible by
the second-century proselyte, Onkelo
Taryag: The number of Biblical precepts, consisting of 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments
Tefillah:
Prayer
Tefillin:
Phylacteries; small black leather cubes containing parchment scrolls inscribed with the Shema and other biblical passages, wrapped on the arm and head of adult men during weekday morning prayers
Tehillim:
The Book of Psalms
Tekiah:
The protracted Shofar blast
Tekiah Shevarim Teruah Tekiah:
The traditional order of the sounds of the shofar: a long steady blast, a series of short wailing blasts, a series of very short
sounds in rapid succession, and another long steady blast
Ten Days of Repentance: The first ten days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, beginning on Rosh Hashanah and culminating on Yom Kippur
Teruah:
The short staccato Shofar blast
Terumah:
The elevated portion; a portion of the agricultural produce given to the priests; this portion must be guarded from ritual impurity and eaten in a state of purity
Teshuvah:
Repentance, return to a Jew’s true essence
Tevel:
is the produce which has not had the Terumah and Maaser tithes separated from it, hence the food is deemed forbidden to eat until these required tithes are taken from it
The Temple Menorah:
The seven-branched gold candelabra in the Temple Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: G-d’s boundless capacity for compassion, especially as expressed in the granting of atonement
Tiferet:
Harmony; Beauty; Compassion; the third of the ten Middot, or Divine attributes, and their corresponding emotional attributes in the human soul; fuses the influence of Chessed and Gevurah and reveals a light that transcends them both; often
identified with Mercy
Tikkun Olam:
Repairing or fixing the world
Tohu & Tikkun:
Kabbalistic terms meaning chaos and rectification; Kabbalah
explains that at the beginning of creation, the world was in a spiritual condition called Tohu (chaos), an elevated realm of spiritual existence which lacked the balance and order that characterizes our frame of reference and which therefore “collapsed.” in an event called shevirat hakeilim – the breaking of the vessels, when the light departed from them. This “break” was planned by G-d in the first place, for it was a “destruction for the purpose of building,” since only then could there exist the orderly world we are familiar with, the world of tikkun ("rectification" or "order"). This world possesses lesser lights, but the vessels are plentiful. The sparks of holiness that “fell”
when the vessels were broken are hidden within various parts of our world, and awaiting their “correction” through man’s Divine service
Torah, The:
(a) The Five Books of Moses (The Bible);
(b) the overall body of Jewish religious teachings encompassing the whole body of Jewish law, practice and
tradition
Tumah:
Ritual impurity
Tzaddik, The:
A wholly righteous person. In the context of Chabad lliterature,
one who has conquered his animal impulses and is filled entirely with love and reverence for G-d
Tzafun:
The twelfth step of the Passover seder--eating the afikoman which has been hidden away since the beginning of the seder
Tzaraat:
A supra-natural bodily affliction often mistranslated as leprosy
Tzedakah:
Charity
Tzedakah Pushka:
Charity box
Tzimtzum:
Means contraction; the process of Divine self-contraction and self-limitation which makes possible the concept of limited, worldly existence
Tziruf:
An analogy for the spiritual task of refining the world
Tzitz:
One of the eight articles worn by the High Priest, was a golden band worn on the forehead, which was engraved with the words "Holy to G d."
Tzitzit:
(a) Fringed four-cornered garment.
(b) The fringes of said garment
Tzniut:
Modesty in dress and behaviour
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Urchatz:
The second step of the Passover seder--washing one's hands before eating the karpas
Urim VeTumim:
The stones embedded in the High Priest’s breastplate, which
served as oracles
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Vidduy:
Confession of sins
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Western Wall, The:
The western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, the last
remnant of the Temple in Jerusalem
World To Come, The:
a) The afterlife;
b) The Era of the Resurrection of the Dead
Writings (Section of the Tanach):
Ketuvim; Writings; is the third and final section of the Bible (Tanach)
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| Y |
Yachatz:
Divide; the fourth step of the Passover seder--breaking the middle matzah in two
Yachid:
Unique; G-d’s singular oneness which transcends all existence
Yarmulkeh: Kipah in Hebrew, skullcap. The head covering worn by Jewish men symbolizing recognition of G-d above
Yechidah:
The highest or innermost of the five levels of the soul
Yechidut:
Private audience with a Rebbe
Yesh Me’ayin:
Meaning something from nothing; creation ex nihilo
Yeshivah:
Academies of Torah learning
Yeshut:
Meaning existence; awareness of self; ego
Yesod:
Meaning foundation; the sixth of the seven Divine middot, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middot, or spiritual emotions
Yetzer Hara:
The evil inclination; the human inclination to do evil, rooted in the physical nature of man
Yetzer Tov:
The good inclination; the human inclination to do good, rooted in the spiritual nature of man
Yetzirah:
The World of Formation; the third of the four spiritual worlds, the realm of spiritual existence in which the limited nature of the created beings takes on form and definition; the abode of the lower classes of angelic beings and of the souls of
ordinary Jew
Yiddish:
The traditional language of Ashkenazic Jewry, spoken over the course of 1000 years in Central and Eastern Europe, and around the world
Yom Kippur:
The Day of Atonement, fast day falling on the 10th of the Jewish
month of Tishrei and climaxing the Days of Awe
Yovel:
The Jubilee year, the fiftieth year of the Shemittah cycle, during which all properties return to their original owners and all slaves are freed (see Leviticus 25:8-16)
Yud Gimmel Middot HaRachamim:
The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy; G-d’s boundless capacity for compassion, especially as expressed in the granting of
atonement
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ZA:
Ze'er Anpin, the small face; the term used by the Kabbalah for the Divine attributes which parallel emotions
Zachor:
Meaning to remember; the obligation to remember Amalek’s attack on the young Jewish nation; commemorated by the reading of the passage of this name on the Sabbath preceding Purim
Zechut:
merit
Ze'er Anpin:
The small face, the term used by the Kabbalah for the Divine
attributes which parallel emotions
Zemirot:
Hymns; Shabbat and festival songs generally sung around the table
Zeroa:
The shankbone used on the Passover seder plate; represents the Paschal sacrifice
Zohar:
The classic text of the Kabbalah; compiled by 2nd century mishnaic sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai