Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Miscellaneous and References (11/12) Previous Document: Question 19.2: Why is "shabbat" spelled sometimes shabbath, shabbath, shabbos, shabbes? Next Document: Question 19.4: What do all those abbreviations like Z"L mean? See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge Answer: Most people are careful to translate their Hebrew and Yiddish, but a few are common enough that people don't bother. Credit goes to Meredith Warshaw for compiling much of the list below. [H] indicates Hebrew, [Y] indicates Yiddish. * Agunah (literal translation: chained). A woman who cannot remarry; usually because her husband refuses to give her a get (divorce), because there is no way to verify whether or not he is dead, or because he is incompetent to give a divorce (i.e., mentally ill). [H] * Assur Something prohibited. [H] * Averah (aveira) Sin, transgression of G-d's will [H] * Baal Tefillah Prayer leader [H] * Ba'al Teshuvah (literal translation: master of return) A penitent; a Jew who returns to a traditional observant Jewish lifestyle (also known by the acronym BT) [H] * B'chor Firstborn status [H] * Bamidbar (literal translation: in the desert) Numbers (4th book of the Torah) [H] * Bet Din Court of Jewish law [H] * Bikkur Cholim Visiting the ill or hospitalized [H] * Bracha (pl. brachot) Blessing [H] * B'reshit (literal translation: in the beginning) Genesis (1st book of the Torah) [H] * B'rit milah Covenant of circumcision [H] * B'shaah tova Congratulations to an expectent mother (literarily "in a good hour," means "at an auspicious time," i.e. may whatever time your child is born be a good time.") Also the correct response to announcement of a marriage engagement. In both cases, it is in anticipation of a "mazel tov" for something hoped for, that has not yet occurred. [H] * Chag sameach A happy holiday (used as a greeting) [H] * Chayav One who is obligated (chiyuv=obligation) [H] * Chazzan (hazzan) Cantor [H] * Cherem Excommunication (from cessation of aid, boycott) [H] * Cheshbon Hanefesh (Literal translation: accounting of the soul) Self-examination of your actions' merit, or accounting of your soul's good and bad aspects. [H] * Chevra Friends; comrades [H] * Chevra Kadisha (Literal translation: holy society) The group that prepares a body for burial. [H] * Chillul Hashem Desecration of the divine name [H] * Chok (pl. chukim) Law from the Torah deemed to be without a humanly-discernable rationale, e.g., the red heifer. [H] * Chometz (chametz, hametz) Leavened food, which is forbidden during Pesach [H] * Chumash The five books of the Torah, bound in one volume (not a scroll) [H] * Chumra Stringency -- custom of a community to observe more strictly [H] * "Dati/lo dati" Dati = religious, lo dati=not religious, as used in current Hebrew in Israel, but it is a black and white distinction, meaning Orthodox and not Orthodox. [H] * Daven Pray (from Yiddish, with a particular emotional sense) [H] * Derech Eretz Respectful, menschlich, considerate of others [H] * Din Law, judgment [H] * Drasha Interpretation of a Torah passage (often a creative interpretation) (from a root meaning "search") [H] * Dukhn Perform the kohen's blessing before the congregation [H] * D'var torah (pl. divrei torah) (Literal translation: word of Torah) A Torah discourse, homily or sermon [H] * D'varim (Literal translation: words, things) 5th book of the Torah (Deuteronomy) [H] * Emet Truth [H] * Emunah Faith [H] * Frum Observant (often with a right-wing Orthodox implication). Derived from the German/Yiddish word for "pious". [Y] * Gemara (Literal translation: learning, from the Aramaic) The later part of the Talmud, which expands upon the Mishna [H] * Get (pl. gittin) Document of divorce [H] * G'milut Chasadim Acts of loving kindess [H] * Hachamim (chachamim) Sages [H] * Haftarah The selection from the book of prophets read after the Torah reading. [H] * Halacha (Literal translation: path) Jewish law [H] * Halbanat Panim (literal translation: whitening the face) Causing someone to blanch by public embarrassment [H] * Hashgacha Ritual supervision, most often used in terms of kashrut/dietary laws, although it can also refer to spiritual or moral supervision as in a yeshiva or dormitory [H] * Heksher Kosher certification [H] * Hesed (chessed) Kindness [H] * Heter Permission (usually a rabbinic ruling that permits something) [H] * Hiddur Mitzvah Beautifying physical objects involved in a mitzvah, or otherwise adding to a mitzvah an esthetic sense [H] * Kabbalat ol Mitzvot (literal translation: acceptance of the yoke of the commandments) Acceptance of commandments as binding [H] * Kabbalat Shabbat Service welcoming the Sabbath [H] * Kavanah Intention, devotion, inner concentration during prayer [H] * Kevah Fixed; a fixed time; fixed words or prayer (often contrasted with kavanah, inner concertration during prayer) [H] * Kiddush Hashem Sanctification of the divine name; martyrdom [H] * Kiddushin Betrothal (for the purpose of marriage) [H] * Klal A general principle [H] * Klal Yisrael The Jewish community as a whole [H] * Koach Strength [H] * Kohelet The book of Ecclesiastes [H] * Kol Hakavod (literal translation: all honor) Used idiomatically to express praise or congratulations for an achievement [H] * Kol Isha The voice of a women (considered by the Rabbis of the Talmud to be distracting to men and thus lewd). [H] * Kol Tuv Everything good (may you be blessed with everything good) [H] * Kulot Leniencies [H] * K'vod Hatzibur The honor of the community [H] * L'shon Hara (Literal translation: "evil tongue") Defaming or badmouthing [H] * Leyn To read (usually to read Torah) [Y] * Maariv Evening; the evening prayer service [H] * Machmeer Stringent; one who observes a chumrah (stringency) [H] * Maftir The aliyah consisting of the last few lines of the Torah reading, or the person assigned that aliyah. The person assigned the maftir aliyah also chants Haftarah. [H] * Mamzer A person born from a prohibited union (i.e., from an incestuous or adulterous union) [H] * Mara d'atra (literal translation: master of the place) The local rabbi, whose decision carries the force of law in that locality [Aramaic] * Mashgichim Ritual supervisers of kashrut who watch/supervise on the premises for dietary supervision of ingedients, food preparation, serving, dishes and cutlery, etc. [H] * Mashiach (Moshiach) Messiah [H] * Mechitsa Division; a barrier separating men from women in the synagogue [H] * Midrash An interpretation; a story that fills in gaps in the Torah narrative, or answers questions about the narrative; (when capitalized) any of several volumes of such stories compiled by rabbis of the Talmudic era [H] * Mincha The afternoon prayer service [H] * Minhag Custom [H] * Minhag ha-makom Local custom [H] * Minyan Quorum of 10 needed for a public prayer service. In traditional synagogues, only men over the age of 13 are counted towards a minyan. Liberal (non-orthodox) congregations also include women over 12 in the count. [H] * Mishna (Capitalized) The early core of the Talmud, consisting primarily of case law decisions. (Not capitalized) one unit, typically a single sentence or short paragraph, in the Mishna. [H] * Mishpat (pl. mishpatim) Law from the Torah that can be rationalized [H] * Mitzvah Commandment; not "good deed" in Hebrew, but has come to mean that in Yiddish, especially among more secular people [H] * Mutar Permitted [H] * Ner tamid Eternal light [H] * Nigun (pl. nigunim) Wordless prayer melody, usually repeated many times over to create a spiritual mood [H] * "Nu?" This is an exclamation used in the same sense as "well" "eh" and "hey." [Y] It could be used in the Hebrew/Yiddish translation of any of the following: 1. Well, do you want the egg roll or the knish? 2. Hey! Stop throwing paper airplanes in class. 3. My experimental tofu-liver-garlic cholent tastes good, eh? 4. So, Becca, I hear you and Izzy went out last week. Well? 5. A rebuke (on small kids): "Nu, nu, nu, you spiled all the milk! 6. To express doubt: "I heard that Rabin met Asad. Nu." 7. When the news ain't new no more: (see #7; the change is in the tone of the "nu"). 8. As "come on": NU BEMET. 9. When one can't talk (i.e. in the middle of Shmone-Esre, after Netila before Hamotzi, etc.) * Olam ha-ba The world to come [H] * Parsha (N) The weekly Torah portion (pl. parshiot) [H] * Patur Something or someone who is exempt (from an obligation or a law) [H] * Pikuah Nefesh To save a life (usually in context of breaking Shabbat, etc.) [H] * Posek (pl. poskim) (N) The rabbi one consults for halachic decisions; an authority on Jewish Law [H] * Posken (V) To render an halachic ruling, usually one that clarifies the law in a specific case [H] * Psak (N) Decision, verdict [H] * R'chilut Gossip [H] * Ribono shel Olam Master of the universe [H] * Rosh Chodesh First day of the new Jewish month [H] * Ruach Spirit, wind [H] * Sedra The weekly Torah portion [H] * Shachrit Morning; the morning prayer service [H] * Shaliach Emmisary, appointed agent (male pl. sh'lichim, sh'lichei; fem. sing. sh'lichah; fem. pl. sh'lichot) [H] * Shaliach Tzibur The person leading services [H] * Sh'lom bayit Peace in the home [H] * Shekhinah (Literal translation: that which dwells) G-d's presence (often associated with feminine imagery, but not always) [H] * Shir Ha Shirim Song of Songs [H] * Sh'mot (Literal translation: names) The 2nd book of the Torah (Exodus) [H] * Shomer (pl. shomrim) Watchman, guardian [H] * Shomer shabbat Observant of the laws of Shabbat [H] * Shoresh Root of a word (all hebrew verbs have a 3-4 letter root that is the basis of conjugation. many other parts of speach (adj, nouns) are also derived from this same shoresh) [H] * Shtiebel A small synagogue [Y] * Sinat chinam Gratuitous hatred [H] * Taharah (pl. taharot) Ritual purity [H] * Takkanah (N) Correction; a rabbinic edict that supersedes the existing halachah (pl. takkanot) [H] * Tanach Acronym for Torah Nevi'im K'tuvim - Torah, Prophets, Writings) The three divisions of the Hebrew Bible [H] * Tana'im Sages of the Mishnaic period [H] * Tefila Prayer [H] * Teshuva Return, repentance [H] * T'hillim Psalms [H] * Tikkun Olam Correcting the world, repairing the world; an action promoting social justice [H] * Torah misinai (Definition: lit, Torah from Mount Sinai) Refers to the doctrine that the entire Torah, including the Oral Law, was given to Moses at Sinai. [H] * Tsniut Modesty [H] * Tzedakah Righteousness; used for charitable donations, though the root has a very different sense from the root of "charity." [H] * Vayikrah (Literal translation: "and He called") 3rd book of the Torah (Leviticus) [H] * Yahrzeit (literal translation: year-time) Anniversary of a death; a 24-hour candle lit to commemorate the death anniversary of a close relative, also lit on holy days when Yizkor (prayer of remembrance) is recited [Y] * Yasher koach (Literal translation: meaning unclear, but poss. "straight strength") Used idiomatically to express praise or thanks for serving in a religious or ceremonial role. Implies "may your stength continue, go on straight", i.e. "You done good! Do it many times more!" [H] * Yotzei (Literal translation: gone out) One who has properly fulfilled an obligation [H] NOTE on spelling/transliteration: Some people transliterate the letter "het" as "ch," and others as "h." (Better would be "h" with a dot under it, but that's not possible in email. This also ignores the linguists, who prefer "x.") Thus: "hag/chag sameah/sameach," "bikkur holim/cholim," etc. All the terms beginning with "ch" on the list are "het" words. User Contributions:Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Miscellaneous and References (11/12) Previous Document: Question 19.2: Why is "shabbat" spelled sometimes shabbath, shabbath, shabbos, shabbes? Next Document: Question 19.4: What do all those abbreviations like Z"L mean? Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: SCJ FAQ Maintainer <maintainer@scjfaq.org>
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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