| A |

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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

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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.

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Adam Ha Rishon:

The First Man

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Adam Kadmon:
The Primodial Man

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Adar, Month of:
Twelfth month in the Jewish calendar; the month in which
Purim is celebrated

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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

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Ahavah:

Love, affection

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Akedah:

Meaning the binding; Abraham’s preparation of Isaac as a sacrifice

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Aleph-Beit, The:

The Hebrew alphabet

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Aliyah:

(lit. “ascent”); immigration to the Land of Israel

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Aliyah:

The honor of being called up to recite one of the blessings over the Torah

Al Menat Lehashpia:

In order to bestow

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Al Menat Lekabel:

In order to receive

Amidah, The:

Referred to as Shemonah Esrei (Eighteen Benedictions); the main section of prayer, recited standing

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Arvit:

The evening prayer services

Arich:

Long
 

Arich Anpin:

Long Face

Asseret HaDibrot:

The Ten Commandments

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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

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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

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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

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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

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| B |

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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

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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"

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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| D |
 

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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

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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

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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

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| F |

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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

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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

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| H |

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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

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| I |

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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

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| J |

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Jerusalem Talmud:

the edition of the Talmud compiled in the Land of Israel at
the end of the fourth century

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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

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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

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| L |

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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

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| M |

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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

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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

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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

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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

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