Jubilee — Every fiftieth year, land lies fallow and land ownership is totally redistributed into equal family shares

Judaize — To bring non-Jews to accept the obligations of rabbinical tradition. See Galatianism.

K k Q

K’arah — Passover seder dish

k’li — vessel (pl. k’lei)

k’riah — call

K’tiv — the traditional spelling of words in the Torah

K’tuvim — the books of the Bible known as the Writings

ka’as — anger

ka`at — pelican

kabbalah — oral tradition

Kabbalat Ol Mitzvot — Literally: the acceptance of the yoke of the commandments; a convert’s agreement to lead a Jewish life

kabbalat panim — welcome

Kabbalat Shabbat — Psalms, readings and songs welcoming the Sabbath; the introductory portion of the Sabbath eve service

kabod (alt. kabowd, kavod) — weight; but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness — glorious, glory, honor)

kabtzen — beggar

kaddachat — fever

Kaddish (alt. Kadish) — Prayer praising G‑d. This prayer is chanted at several points in a service. In addition, it is recited at least once at each service in memory of those who have died … Prayer of sanctification of G‑d’s name

kadosh — holy

kadoshim — holy ones

kaftan — coat

kahal — assembly

Kal Hamira — An ancient Hebrew prayer spoken at the ritual cleansing of leaven.

Kalat Bereshit — Literally, bride of Genesis; the woman called to recite or chant the blessings over the first section of the Torah on Simchat Torah

kallah — (alt. kalah) bride … conclave or retreat (pl. kallot)

kamtzan — miser

kana’ut — (alt. kanous) zeal

kannai — zealot

kanous — (alt. kana’ut) zeal

Kaparah — expiation … ceremony of transferring sinfulness to a scapegoat just before Yom Kippur (pl. Kaparot, Kapparot)

Kaporet — the covering over the Holy Ark in the Sanctuary

kapparah — place or kapporet medium of wrath-propitiating blood atonement sacrifice

kaptzen — poor person

kar — cold

Karath — to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication to destroy or consume; specifically to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces) — be chewed, covenant, cut (down or off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew down, make a league (covenant), lose, perish, utterly, want  …  (alt. Karet) — “Being cut off” from the people; Biblical punishment which might become capital or consist of early natural death

karnayim — horns

karoz — herald

karpas — A green herb like parsley or a green vegetable such as celery or watercress, symbolizing spring; one of the symbolic foods used on the seder plate

kashefanut — sorcery; witchcraft

kashes — questions

kashrut — Jewish dietary laws

kat — sect

katatome — (Gk.) a cutting down (off), i.e. mutilation (ironically) — concision

katon — least

katsir — (alt. Katzir ) harvest

katuv — it is written

kavanah — lit. intentionality; referring to the spiritual attitude with which we approach worship

kavanat halev — the inner-directedness of the heart

kavod — glory

kavvanah — heartfelt direction; intention

kavvanah ra’ah — malice

kayits — summer

ke’arot — bowls

kedushah — (holiness) When the reader or cantor repeats the Amidah (standing prayer), the congregation rises for this antiphonal chant of a doxology from Bible verses proclaiming oneness and sanctity of the L‑rd … prayer of sanctification of G‑d’s Name added to the third benediction of the amidah prayer

kedushah — holiness; sanctity

Kedushat Hayom — the benediction concerning the “sanctity of the day” included in the amidah prayers on Sabbaths and Festivals

kefirah — heresy; denial

kehillah — congregation

kehunah — priesthood

Kehunah, Kehunah Gedolah — Priesthood in the Sanctuary, High Priesthood

keilim — faculties

kelalah — curse

kelevim — dogs

keli kodesh — holy vessel; minister

keli nivchar — chosen vessel

ken — yes

Ken ayin hara — (Yid., Kinna hurra) lit. “may there be no evil eye”

keneged — in opposition

kenut — sincerity

kerem — vineyard

Keren Yeshuah — Horn of Salvation

keriah — ritual tearing of a garment or a symbolic black ribbon as an expression of grief in conjunction with a death

kes — throne

keseder — constantly

kesher — conspiracy; plot

keshet be’anan — rainbow; Bereshit (Genesis) 9:16

keshi — stubbornness; hardness

kesil — fool (pl. kesilim)

kesut rosh — head covering

keta — section

ketan — under Bar Mitzvah (pl. katanim)

ketanim — small ones

keter — crown

Ketiva vachatima tovah — wishes of “good inscription” on Rosh haShanah

ketoret — incense

ketubah — (alt. kethubhoth) (lit. writing) traditional marriage contract, detailing duties of wife and husband, and providing money penalties for divorcement of wife … a second marriage contract (pl. ketubot)

Ketuvim —the Writings; third section of the Tanakh

ketz — end, end of days

ketzinim — officers

kevah — lit. fixed; referring to the fixed order of Jewish liturgy

kevalim — chains

kevarim — graves; tombs

kevasim; kevesim — sheep

kever — tomb

kevod hamet— (alt. kebod) honor due to the dead

khasidah — stork

ki hu zeh — a small amount

Ki Tetze — a portion in the Book of Deuteronomy

Ki Tisa — a portion in the Book of Exodus

kibbud — respect; honor

kibush hayetzer — self-control

Kiddush — (alt. Kidush) blessing recited or chanted over wine on Shabbat or festivals emphasizing their holiness … pour out first cup of wine / blessing of sanctification … by extension, a light meal after the wine. “Barukh atah Adonai Elohaynu melekh ha-olam, borei p’riy ha-gafen. (Amein) Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. (Amen)”

Kiddush Hachodesh — (alt. Kidush) the sanctification of the New Moon

Kiddush Levanah — (alt. Kidush) the blessing of sanctification over the monthly renewal of the moon

kiddushin — (alt. qiddushin, kedushin) lit. holiness; refers both to the wedding ceremony and to the state of matrimony

kikar — loaf

kina — jealousy; envy

kina — lament; funeral dirge

kinah — (lamentation) elegy in poetic (piyyut) structure recited on Jewish days of mourning (pl. kinot)

kinnui — secular name; see shem kodesh

kinderyohrn — (Yid.) childhood days

kipah — (alt. kippa, kippah) lit. covering or atonement; a skullcap worn by Orthodox (and many other) Jews during prayer; the Yiddish term is yarmulke — many observant male Jews wear the kippa all the time, because we are encouraged to pray continually (Ps 72:15; Ps 122:6; Jer 29:7; Eph 6:18; 1Th 5:17)

kiporah —covering atonement that covers sin

Kisei Moshe — Chair of Moses

kishke — stuffed intestine … usually the stuffing is made of flour, onions, garlic and chicken fat. Today edible plastic is used instead of intestines. It is usually cooked in the cholent.

kishshuf — magic; sorcery (pl. kishufim)

Kislev — third month of Jewish year

kisot — thrones

Kisse Din — judgment seat

Kissei Kavod — Glorious Throne

kitel — (alt. kittel) long, white garment that is part of traditional Jewish burial clothes; worn by some worshipers on Yom Kippur as a reminder of mortality and a symbol of purity, and by some officiants at Rosh haShanah services and at the Passover Seder. Also worn by some grooms at their wedding

kitot — sects

Kitvei Hakodesh — Holy Books

klaf — hand-written scroll placed in a mezuzah, containing Deuteronomy 6:4-9; ll:13-21

Klal Yisrael — Nation of Israel

klalah — curse

klap — blow

klapei — concerning

klei kodesh — holy vessels; ministers

kleir — deliberating

klezmer — musician

kluhr — obvious

kluhr — pure

ko’ach — power

kodashim kalim — sacrifices of minor sanctity

kodem — preceding

kodesh — holy, sacred

Kodesh HaKodashim — Holy of Holies, or Most Holy Place; the area of the Tabernacle and Temple in which the Ark of the Covenant resided … see also HaKodesh — the Holy Place

kofer — ransom; pedut

koferim ba-ikkarim — deniers of fundamentals

kohanim gedolim — (alt. Cohanim Gedolim) the higher order of Priests

Kohelet — the Scroll of Ecclesiastes

kohen — (alt. cohen) descendant of the ancient priestly class, the progeny of Aaron; a priest (pl. kohanim, cohanim)

Kohen Gadol — (alt. Kohen haGadol, Cohen haGadol, Cohen Gadol) the High Priest (pl. kohanim gedolim)

kokhav — star (pl. kokhavim; kochavim)

kol ayin — every eye

kol basar — all flesh

kol davar — everything

kol etz — every tree

kol gadol — loud voice

kol hanivrah — all creation

kol melo — all the plentitude

Kol Nidrei — (alt. Nidrey) lit. vows; prayer that begins the Yom Kippur eve service; the entire service is often called the Kol Nidrei service … a prayer and announcement of repeal of vows recited upon the advent of the Day of Atonement

kol poalei resha — all workers of evil

kol sheker — every falsehood

kolot — sounds

komah — short of stature

korban — dedicated to G‑d; sacrifice

korban chai — living sacrifice

korbanot — sacrifices

korech — matzah and bitter herb sandwich

korem — vineyard proprietor

koremim — vine-keepers

kos — cup; little owl

kosher — (alt. kasher) ritually fit for use … permitted

kotz — thorn; splinter

kotzerim — harvesters

kozvim — liars

krav — battle

kri — the traditional pronunciation of words in the Torah

kri’ah — calling

kri’ah betzibbur — congregational public reading

krovey mishpachot — relatives

krovim — relatives

krum — deviant

kvatter / kvatterin — Godfather / Godmother; those who carry the baby into the Berit ceremony

kviusdik — constant