A glossary of Jewish terms

[joeblow]

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A glossary of Jewish terms
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Most of the terms in this glossary are Hebrew in origin. However since then Judaism has thrived in many countries and the language reflects this. Yiddish is a mixture of German, Russian and Hebrew developed by Jews throughout Eastern Europe. As with all languages that are transliterated (where the English spelling tries to recreate the sound of the original) there are acceptable differences in spelling.
Pronunciation note: The main form in this glossary is in green and is the Sephardic pronunciation. Main variants appear in red.
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A
Abraham         Father of the Jewish nation and also father of Isaac and Jacob
Afikomen          Dessert. Portion of a matzah eaten near the end of the Seder.
Agadah    Aggadah    Telling. Rabbinical teachings on moral values.
Aleinu         Key prayer at the conclusion of each service.
Aliyah         To go up. (i) Being called to read the Sefar Torah in the synagogue. (ii) The migration of Jews to Israel.
Amidah         Standing. The standing prayer.
Aron Hakodesh         Holy Ark. The focal point of the synagogue, containing Torah scrolls.
Ashkenazim         Jews of Central and Eastern European origin.
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B
Bar Mitzvah         Son of the Commandment. A boy's coming of age at 13 years old, usually marked by a synagogue, ceremony and family celebration.
Bat Mitzvah    Bat Chayil    Daughter of the commandment. As above but for girls from 12 years old. May be marked differently between communities.
Bet Din         Jewish court which decides if a Jewish couple (usually Orthodox) may divorce.
Bet ha Knesset    

Beit ha Knesset
Shul

   House of assembly. Synagogue.
Bimah         Dias. Raised platform primarily for reading the Torah in the synagogue.
Brit Milah    Berit Milah, Bris    Circumcision. Ceremony performed at 8 days of age.
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C
Challah    Hallah    Enriched bread used particularly on Shabbat and during festivals.
Chazan    Hazzan, Cantor    Leader of reading, singing and chanting in the services of some synagogues.
Chumash         Five. The Torah in the book form, used in the synagogue and the home.
Chuppah         The canopy under which the bride, grrom and Rabbi will stand during the marriage ceremony.
Circumcision         Religious rite of the Brit Milah, performed by a qualified mohel on all Jewish boys, usually on the eighth day after birth.
Conservative         Modern movement sometimes confused with Orthodox. It emphsises Zionism and allows some minor changes in litergy but is opposed to the more radical reforms of the Reform movement.
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D
The Diasporia         Scattering. The time from 70 CE after the destruction of the temple when the Jews were scattered all over the world and there was no Israel until 1947.
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E
The Exodus         The jounrney into slavery in Egypt out of which Moses led the people in the story of the Passover
The Exile         The period spend when the Babylonians captured the land of the Jews
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F
No entries
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G
Gemara    Gemarah    Commentary on the Mishnah included in the Talmud.
Get         Bill of divorce in Jewish Law.
Genizah         Storage place for damaged religious texts.
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H
Haftarah         Completion. Passages from Nevi'im (Prophets) read in the synagogue (linked to weekly Torah and festival readings).
Hagadah    Haggadah    Telling. A book used at Seder.
Halakah    Halacha    The Way. The code of conduct encompassing all aspects of Jewish life.
Hanukiah    Chanukiah, Menorah    Nine branched Hannukah lamp used at the festival of Hannukah.
Hanukkah    Chanukah    Dedication. An eight day festival of lights to celebrate the re-dedication of the temple following the Macabean victory over the Greeks.
Hasid    Chasid, Hasidim (pl) Chasidim    Pious. Member of the Orthodox movement of Hasidism.
Hasidism    Chasidism    A religious and social movement formed by the Israel Ball Shem Tov (from the 18th century onwards).
Havdalah         Distinction. Ceremony marking the conclusion of Shabbat.
Hebrew    Ivrit    Ancient Semitic language; language of the Tenakh (Hebrew Scripture) and also used by Jews for prayer and study. Also, everyday language in Israel.
Herod         The Roman governor of Judea during the time of Jesus.
Holocaust    Shoah    The extermination of six milllion Jews (as well as many others) by the Nazis beyween 1933 and 1945 CE.
Huppah    Chuppah    Canopy used for a wedding ceremony, under which the bride and groom stand.
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I
Israel         One who struggles with God. The phrase refers to the world-wide Jewish community; the land of Israel and the modern state of Israel.
Issac         Son of Abraham
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J
Jacob         The son of Isaac
Jew         A member of the Jewish race and a member of the religious group of Judaism
Joseph         The son of Jacob
Judea         The Roman province in which Jesus of Nazereth was born and spend most of his life.
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K
Kabalah    Cabala    Jewish mysticism.
Kaddish         Prayer publicly recited by mourners.
Kashrut         Laws relating to keeping a kosher home and lifestyle.
Ketubah    Ketubbah    Document that defines rights and obligations within Jewish marriage.
Ketuvim         Writings. Third section of the Tenakh..
Kibbutz    Kibbutizim  (pl.)    Israeli collective village based on socialist principles.
Kiddush         Holy. A prayer sanctifying Shabbat and festival days, usually recited over wine.
Kippah    Yamulkah, Capel    Head covering worn during prayers, Torah study, etc.. Some followers will wear it constantly.
Knesset         Assembly. Israeli parliament.
Kol Nidrel    Kol Nidre    All vows. Prayer recited on the evening of Yom Kippur.
Korach         Name of the leader who defied Moses in the wilderness.
Kosher    Kasher    Fit; Proper. Foods permitted by Jewish dietary laws. (see also trayfah)
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L
Ladino         Language used predominately by Sephardim.
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M
Magen David         Shield of David, popularly called Star of David.
Maimonides         Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (1135-1204), a leading Jewish philosopher, medical writer and codifier of Jewish law.
Masada         The hill fort where the Zealots comitted suidcide rather than surrender to the Romans during the revolt in the 60s CE. An important place of pilgrimmage for Jews.
Mashiach    Moshiah, Messiah    The anointed one, who will herald in a new era for Judaism and all humankind.
Matzah    Matzot (pl.)    A flat cracker-like bread which has been baked before it rises; used at Pesach.
Menorah         Seven branched candelabrum which was lit daily in the Temple.
Mezuzah         A scroll placed on doorposts of Jewish homes, containing a section from the Torah and often enclosed in a decorative case.
Midrash         Collections of various Rabbinic commentaries on the Tenukah.
Mikveh         Ritual bath used for the immersion of people and objects.
Minhag         Religious Customs.
Minyan         Quorum of ten men, over the Bar Mitzvah age, required for a service. Progressive communities may include women but do not always require a minyan.
Mishnah         First writing down of the Oral Tradition. An authoritative document forming the part of the Talmud, codified about 200 CE.
Mishkan         Dwelling. The original traveling sanctuary used prior to the building of the permanent Temple in Jerusalem.
Mitzvah    Mitzvot (pl.)    Commandment. The Torah contains 613 mitzvot. Commonly used to describe good deeds.
Mohel         Person trained to perform Brit Milah.
Moses         Leader and lawgiver at the time of the Exodus.
Moshav    Moshavim (pl.)    Collective village or farm in Israel.
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N
Ner Tamid         Eternal Light. The perpetual light above the Aron Hakodesh.
Nevi'im         Prophets. Second section of the Tenakh.
Noachide Laws         Seven Laws given to Noah after the flood, which are incumbent on all humankind. These laws form the foundation for a just society.
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O
Orthodox         Modern name for strictly traditional Jews.
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P
Parev    Parveh    Neutral foods, which are neither milk nor meat. e.g. vegetables, eggs, fish.
Pesach    Passover    Festival commemorative the Exodus from Egypt. One of the three biblical pilgrim festivals. Pesach is celebrated in the spring.
Pikei Avot    Pirke Avoth    Sayings of the Fathers. Part of the Mishnah containing ethics of Rabbinical sages.
Pikuakh Nefesh         Save a soul. The setting aside of certain laws in order to save a life.
Pogrom         Organised attack on Jews, especially frequent in 19th and early 20th century Eastern Europe.
Purim         Festival commemorating the rescue of Persian Jewry as told in the book of Ester.
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Q
No entries
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R
Rabbi         My teacher. An ordained Jewish teacher. Often the religious leader of a Jewish community.
Rashi         Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzak (1040-1105). A French rabbinical scholar and leading commentator on the Torah and Talmud.
Rebbe         Rabbi. The term used by Hasidim for their religious leader.
Reform         Modern movement encouraging changin traditional ways to accomodate contemporary needs.
Rosh Hashanah    Rosh Ha-Shanah    Head of the Year. Jewish New Year.
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S
Sandek         The 'sponsor' of a child to be circumcised in the ceremony of Brit Milah
Seder          Order. A home-based ceremonial meal during Pesah, at which the Exodus from Egypt is recounted using the Hagadah.
Sefer Torah         Torah scroll. The five books of Moses handwritten on parchment and rolled to from a scroll.
Sephardim    Sefardim    Jews originating from Mediterranean countries, especially Spain, North Africa and the Middle East.
Shabbat    Shabbos    Day of spiritual renewal and rest commencing at sunset on Friday and terminating at sunset on Saturday.
Shatnez    Shaatnez    Garments containing a forbidden mixture of wool and linen.
Shavuot         Weeks. One of the pilgrim festivals. Shavuot is celebrated in the summer, seven weeks after Pesach.
Shekhina         The divine presence.
Shema         Major Jewish prayer affirming belief in one God. The Shema is found in the Torah.
Shiva         Seven days of intense mourning following the burial of a close relation. During this period all ordinary work is prohibited.
Shoah         Desolation. The suffering experienced by European Jews at the hands of the Nazis, including the systematic murder of six million Jews between 1933 and 1945.
Shofar         Ram's horn blown at the season of Rosh Hashananah.
Siddur         Order. Daily prayer book.
Simchat Torah         Rejoicing of the law. Festival celebrating the completion and recommencement of the cycle of the weekly Torah reading.
Sukkah    Suhhot (pl.)    Tabernacle; booth. A temporary dwelling used during Sukkot.
Sukkot         One of three biblical pilgrim festivals, Sukkot is celebrated in the Autumn.
Synagogue    

Shul,
Bet Haknesset

   Building for Jewish public prayer, study and assembly.
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T
Tallit    

Tallith

   Prayer shawl. Four cornered garment with fringes.
Talmud         Mishnah and Gemara, collected together.
Tefillah    

Tefila

   Self-Judgment. Jewish prayer and meditation.
Tefillin    

Tephilin, T'filin

   Small leather boxes containing passages from the Torah, strapped on the forehead and arm for morning prayers on weekdays.
Temple         Sometimes used to refer to a synagogue esp. in North America. Also used to refer to the temple in Jerusalem, destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE of which only the Western Wall remains.
Tenakh    

Tanakh

   The collected 24 books of the Jewish Bible, comprising three section: Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim (Te; Na; Kh)
Ten Commandments         Part of the Law given to Moses on Mount Siani, Found in the book of Exodus (20:10ff)
Teshuva         Repentance. Returning to God.
Tikkun Olam    

Tikun

   Care for the world and environment.
Torah         Law; teaching. The five books of Moses.
Treyfah         Foods which are forbidden under the laws of kosher.
Tu b'shevat         New Year for trees celebrated on the 15th day of Shevat.
Tzedaka         Righteousness. An act of charity.
Tzizit     Tzittzit     Fringes on the corners of the Tallit. Also commonly refers to the fringed undervest worn by some Jewish males.
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U
No entries
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V
No entries
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W
Western Wall         The only remaining part of the temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, an important place of pilgrimmage for all Jews.
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XYZ
Yad         Hand-held pointer used in the reading the Sefer Torah
Yad Vashem         A place of memorial which commererates the holocaust
Yahrzeit         Year-time. Anniversary of a death.
Yamulkah     Capel, Kippah    Head covering worn during prayers, Torah study, etc.. Some followers will wear it constantly.
Yeshiva         College for the study of the Torah and Talmud.
Yiddush         Language used predominately by Ashkenazim.
Yishuv         Ingathering. The Jewish community of Israel.
Yom Hashoah         Day to commemorate the Shoah.
Yom Kippur         Day of Atonement. Fast day occurring on the tenth day after Rosh Hashannah; a solemn day of Tefillah and Teshuva.
Zionism         Political movement securing the Jewish return to the land if Israel.
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[svk]

G
Gemara Gemarah Commentary on the Mishnah included in the Talmud.
Get Bill of divorce in Jewish Law.
Genizah Storage place for damaged religious texts

Hummm.....I was called a dirty filty sub-human goy one time by a zionist and could't find the defininition in your glossary.  Somehow it is strangely missing. I'm sure it was just an oversight on your part. Could you help a goy out and add that, with the definition, to your "glossary" so I can understand what i am?  I'm in the middle of an identitty crisis and need your help.


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