A  a

A.D.

abbreviation for Latin Ano Dominae, Year of the L‑rd; see C.E. Common Era

 

Abaddon !wddba

Destruction

 

ab ba

(Ar.) father

 

abba aba

(Ar.) An affectionate way to say father, dear father, or daddy

 

Abib byba

(Alt. Aviv) the first month of the Jewish calendar, also called Nisan, during which Pesach falls

 

ach xa (pl. achim)

brother

 

acharit tyrxa (alt. achariyth)

end, final end, last, descendants

 

Acharit HaYamim

The end of the days. The end times when the Olam Hazeh comes to a close and the Olam Haba is about to begin.

 

Acharon !wrxa (pl. Acharonim)

lit.=last one: post-Rishonim commentator (pl. acharonim)

 

Achashverosh

Persian king in Book of Esther

 

achavah hwxa

brotherhood

 

Achavah B’Mashiach

Brotherhood in Mashiach

 

achayot twxa (sg. achot)

sisters

 

achdus

unity

 

achei sheker

false brothers

 

acheinu

our brother

 

achim ~yxa (sg. ach)

brothers

 

achot (pl. achayot)

sister

 

achoteinu

our sister

 

achraius

accountability

 

achyon

nephew

 

ad kahn

sufficient for the purpose; enough

 

ad kdeikach

so much

 

ad mosai

how much longer

 

adam

man; humanity; human

 

Adam

the first man; Adam

 

Adam Chadash Echad

One New Humanity

 

Adam HeChadash

The New Humanity

 

adamah

ground or mud

 

adamah tova

good ground; good earth

 

Adar

Sixth month of Hebrew civil calendar: February-March; 14th is Purim

 

adat

congregation; community

 

HaEl Chai

the Community of the Living G‑d

 

Hashem

Congregation of G‑d

 

aderaba

to the contrary

 

admat kodesh

holy ground

 

Admor (pl. admorim)

Acronym for “adoneinu, moreinu, verabbeinu” —“our master, teacher, and rabbi.” A term often applied to Chasidic spiritual leaders

 

adon (pl. adonim)

lord; master

 

Adon HaKatzir

the L‑rd of the Harvest

 

Adon Olam

"Master of the World," a concluding hymn

 

Adonai (alt. Adonoi)

My L-rd, L-rd of all. Spoken by Jewish people instead of using God’s personal name YHWH (Yahweh) or YHVH (Yahveh)

 

Adonai echad

"G‑d is one" [Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:4]

 

Adonai Eloheinu

L‑rd our G‑d

 

Adonai Elohei Tzva'ot (alt. Adonai Tzivos)

L‑rd G‑d of Hosts

 

Adonai Elohim

The L‑rd G‑d

 

Adonai Tzivos (alt. Adonai Elohei Tzva'ot)

L‑rd of Armies

 

Adoneynu

our L‑rd; L‑rd

 

adonim (sg. adon)

masters

 

Adonoi (alt. Adonai)

Lord

 

afikoman (alt. afikomen)

Gr. for that which comes after, or "dessert." The half-piece of the central matzah eaten at the end of the Pesach Seder. Traditionally, the children "steal" it at the beginning of the seder and "ransom" it back to the leader of the seder at the end of the meal. In some places, the leader of the seder hides it, and the children have to find it. It is represented in a broken piece of matzah wrapped in linen and buried (hidden).

 

Agadah

non-legal rabbinic writings

 

agalim

bulls

 

Agam HaEish

Lake of Fire

 

agape

(Gk.) divine love

 

aggadah (alt. agada, agadah)

stories, parables, philosophical material (pl. agadot, aggadot)

 

agmat nefesh

grief

 

agudah

bound together; union

Agudas Yisroel-Agudath Israel of America, the foremost organization of orthodox Jewry in the United States. A major aspect of its activity is the representation of orthodox Jewish interests before the government.

agunah — a woman whose husband had disappeared, and who could not remarry without witnesses to his death, hence a “bound” woman

agunah

lit.=chained one: wife of an M.I.A.; woman whose husband refuses to grant a divorce

 

ahava (alt. ahavah)

(Heb.) love [n]; agape

ahavah shel achvah — brotherly love

Ahavas HaEmes — Love of the Truth

ahavas hakesef — love of money

ahavas Hashem — G‑d’s love

ahavat ta’anugot — hedonism

ainikle

(Yid.) grandchild

airusin — betrothal; engagement

aizen — well-founded; incontrovertible

akama — quite a number

akedah — binding

Akedah (alt. Akeida) — Binding an animal for sacrifice; specifically, Avraham’s binding of Yitzhak for sacrifice to G‑d—not consummated. The binding of the sacrifice

Akiba — A rabbi who lived at the time of the second Temple (died c. A.D./C.E. 133). He thought Bar Kochba was the Messiah.

akrab— (alt. akrav) scorpion (pl. akrabim, akrabim)

Al Chet — Literally: for the sin; an important Yom Kippur prayer listing sins for which we beg forgiveness

Al Hanisim (alt. Ha-nissim) — thanksgiving for the miracles added to prayer and grace after the meal on the festivals of Chanukkah and Purim

al kiddush HaShem

for the sanctification of God

al kol panim — nevertheless

al menat — in order that

Al Mikrah Megillah — the blessing before the reading of the Megillah

Al Netilat Yadayim — the blessing over the washing of hands before the meal

al pnei hamayim — on the surface of the waters

al taarotz — do not be afraid

Alef — The first letter of the Hebrew Alef-Beyt (alphabet)

Alenu Leshabe’ach — a prayer of thanksgiving for being separated from the heathens

Aleinu

"It is Upon Us," a concluding hymn

 

alav hashalom

"(May he/she) rest in peace."

aliyah — Figuratively speaking, the “home going,” when Jews make a return to the homeland (Israel). Literally, “the going up.” Also used in synagogue service of “going up” to read from the Torah

Aliyah — Literally: going up. To “have an aliyah” refers to the honor of being called up to the bimah to recite or chant the blessings over the Torah. To “make aliyah” or “go on aliyah” means to immigrate to Israel. (pl. Aliyot)

aliyah leregel — pilgrimage

al-killayon — incorruptibility

alma — virgin

almanah — widow

almanot — widows

almot — virgins

als — since

alter — old

am — people

Am haAretz — peasantry. Used by the Talmud and thereafter to mean ignorant … people of the land

amal — toil

Amen — It is true, so be it, may it become true. (also amein, oimen, omen)

Amidah — Standing prayer, quietly murmured, that is part of each daily service in the synagogue, alternatively called the Tefillah or the Shemoneh Esre. A prayer, recited silently, thrice daily, while standing up, the prayer of the eighteen benedictions.

Amora'im

lit.=explainers: Gemarah-era commentators (200-500 CE)

ammud — pillar

Ammudei HaKehillah — Pillars of the Kehillah

amol — formerly

amolike times — olden times

Amora — Speaker, interpreter; expounder of Talmudic (Mishnaic) law from compilation of Mishnah to redaction of entire Talmud, in Babylon (where the amoraim were known as Mar or Rav) and in Palestine (where they were designated Rabbi). Their discussions and teachings, 220-550, form the Gemara, lengthier sections of the Talmud that follow each Mishnah (pl. Amoraim)

anafah — heron

ana'fim — the branches

anan — cloud

Anan Edim — Cloud of Witnesses

ananim — clouds

anashim — men

anashim ne’emanim — faithful men

anav — humble

anavah — meekness; humility

anavat ruach — a spirit of meekness

Anenu — a passage added to prayer on public fast days

Ani Ma’amin — Literally: I believe; often sung at the seder and at Yom Hashoah observances in memory of Holocaust victims who sang this song of faith on their way to their deaths — phrase that begins each of Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles of Faith

Ani Ma’amin hoda’ah — confession

aniyim — poor

anochiyut — selfishness

Anshei K’neset Hagdolah — Sages of the Great Synod during the first part of the Second Sanctuary Period

anshuldiks — pardon

aphikomen — (alt. afikomen) Hebrew transliteration of Greek derivative, epikomios. That which comes last, the hidden Passover bread eaten at the seder.

apikoros — skeptic; unbeliever

apikorosim — unbelievers

apocalyptic — ideas and teachings pertaining to the revelation (apocalypse) of the last days and the end of the world

Apocrypha — A Greek adjective in the neuter plural (from apokruphos, “hidden, concealed”) denotes strictly “things concealed.” Old Testament Apocrypha, specifically the fourteen books written after the Old Testament canon was closed and which, being the least remote from the canonical books, laid strongest claim to canonicity … The body of Jewish literature written between the second century B.C. and the second century A.D., not included in the canon of the Bible

apostate — one whose actions are not consistent with the standards of behavior set by his religious community; compare heretic

arain getun — engrossed

Aravah (pl. Aravot) — willow branch taken as one of the four species on Succot (the Feast of Tabernacles).

arayot — lions

arba’ah — four

Arba’ah Minim (the Four Species) — Palm, myrtle, willow, and citron; another name for the lulav and etrog together, used on Sukkot

arba’im — forty

arbaa asar — fourteen

arbaat elafim — four thousand

Arbah Chayyot — Four living beings

arbah pinot ha’aretz — the four corners of the earth

arbaim yom varbaim lailah — forty days and forty nights

arbe; arbeh — locusts

arelim — uncircumcised ones

ari — (alt. arye) lion

Ariel — Lion of G‑d; Fireplace on G‑d’s altar

Aron haKodesh — Literally: the Holy Ark. The special cabinet in which the Torah scrolls are kept in the synagogue The Holy Ark is called Heichal in Sephardic synagogues.

aron met — coffin

aron otzaram — chest of treasury

arye (alt. ari)— lion

asach — a lot of

asam — barn

asarah — ten

Aseret Yemei Teshuvah — the ten days of penitence

Asham — A guilt offering made by one who has sinned against his fellow man

ashem — guilty

ashir — oisher; rich man

ashirim — rich ones

ashirut — riches

Ashkenazi — (alt. Ashicenazi) Referring to a cultural branch of Judaism that developed in northern and eastern Europe and from which most American Jews are descended. (pl. Ashkenazim, Ashicenazim)

ashma; ashmah — guilt; a thing of guilt; condemnation

Ashrey — Psalm 145 recited thrice daily

ashrey; ashrei — happy; blessed

asim — barns; granaries

asir — prisoner

asur — prohibited; impermissible

Atah Chonantanu — a passage added to the evening prayer after the Sabbath to note the difference between the Sacred and the non-Sacred

atalef — bat

atarah atarot — crown[s]

Ateret HaChayyim — Crown of Life

Ateret HaKavod — Crown of Glory

Athid Lavo — The coming age.

atzamot — bones

atzav — idol; image

Atzeret — Conclusion; used for concluding observance of festival; word derived from “gathering” or “detention,” original meanings. Shemini Atzeret is concluding day of Sukkoth; Atzeret is Talmudic term for Shavuot, conclusion of Omer count. A festive gathering for the conclusion of a festive season, a concluding feast

atzilah — noble birth

atzlanit — sluggards

atzlut — lazy idleness

Aufruf — Calling up of the bridegroom or bridal couple for the Torah blessings on the Shabbat preceding their wedding

Av — Eleventh month of Jewish year.

Av Beit Din (alt. Bayt, Bet) — Father of the court—judicial president in Talmudic era, and later

Av Harachamim — a prayer for the persecuted communities

Av HaRoeh b’seter — Father Who Sees in secret

av sela — bed rock

Avaddon — destruction; hell; Abbadon

avadim — servants; slaves

avanim — stones

avdut — slavery; bondage

avel — iniquity; gross injustice

avelim — mourners

avelut — mourning

Avelut — third period of mourning; the first year after death

averah — transgression

averos — sins

Avi-khol — Father of all

Avinu — our Father

Avinu — our Father

Avinu Malkenu — Literally: our Father, our King. A prayer of supplication recited on Yom Kippur. A prayer said on the Days of Penitence and fast days.

Aviv — (alt. Abib) Nisan was known as Aviv/Abib prior to Babylonian captivity

avla; avlah — injustice

Avodah (alt. Abodah) — Service; specifically, the sacrificial Temple service as performed by high priest; today, referring to Yom Kippur observance and other synagogue rituals. Chasidic concept of life dedicated to G‑d

avodah zarah — idol worship

avodas — work

avodas hakodesh — work of holiness

avodas kodesh — worship; service

avodot hakodesh — ministries

avon — sin offense

Avot — the Patriarchs; Fathers

Avoteinu — our Fathers

ayah - falcon

Ayin — 16th letter of the Hebrew alef-beit (alphabet)

ayin — eye

ayin horo — evil eye

ayir — young donkey

aza — certain

Azarah pl. Azarot — the Temple Courtyard. Ezrat Nashim — the outer Courtyard in the Sanctuary

Azazel — Meaning unknown; used in reference to the “scapegoat,” the goat sent into the wilderness signifying removal of the nation’s sins. The Talmud thus denotes the mountain on which scapegoat is sent, to carry people’s sins into the wilderness, on Yom Kippur

azarah (pl. azarot) — the Temple courtyard

Azharot — a passage on the commandments in the Torah read on Shavuot

azivah — abandonment

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Page last revised on Thursday, September 27, 2012