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Jewish Art, Judaica Paintings, Judaica Art, Jewish Paintings, Jewish Artists, Jewish Art Gallery, Ancient Jewish Art, Jewish Art Prints, Jewish Art History, Jewish Arts and Crafts, Jewish Art For Sale, Modern Jewish Art, Jewish Artwork, Jewish Art Posters, Contemporary Jewish Art, Early Jewish Art, Art, Paintings, Chicago Art, Rebbe Art, Exclusive Canvas Art, Chicago Art Gallery,
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Kippah Sukkah Matzo Mezuzah tallit Shofar Tefillin Four Species Menorah Temple Sefer Torah Tzitzit Menorah Hanukkah Kittel Yad Afikoman Tekhelet Shabbat candles Hadass Challah cover Yanov torah Four Species Jewish ceremonial art Jewish law and rituals Religious objects Afikoman Blech Challah Challah cover Four Species Kippah Matzo Menorah (Hanukkah) Menorah (Temple) Mezuzah Sefer Torah Shabbat candles Shofar Sukkah Tallit Tefillin Tekhelet Tzitzit Yad Yanov torah bris brit circumcision mohel mohelet shochet slaughterer European Eastern FREE F.R.E.E. Ethiopian Jews Jewery Jewish Jewish Art Reconstructionist Reconstruction Reform Egalitarian Conservative Orthodox Chasidic Hasidic Frum Zion Zionism Yemai Chanukah Macabis Maccabis Macabeas Yochonan Things Jews Wear * Kittel - white robe * Shaytl - wig * Tallit and Tzitzit - prayer shawl and fringes * Tefilin - phylacteries * Tichl - headcovering for women * Yarmulke or Kipa - skullcap Things in a Jewish Home * Matzah - unleavened bread * Menorah - candelabrum * Mezuzah - doorpost scroll Things in the Synagogue * Ark and accessories - storage for the Torah * Bima - platform * Mechitza - divider * Menorah - candelabrum * Musical instruments * Ten Commandments * Torah scroll and accessories * Synagogue windows * Yad - Torah pointer Things for Holidays and Special Occasions * Chuppah - wedding canopy * Dreidel - Hanukkah toy * Get - divorce document * Haggadah - prayerbook for Passover * Matzah - bread for Passover * Ketubah - marriage contract * Sukka - booth for Sukkot Religions Religious Judaism Judeasm Judea Judeah golan Sumaria ritual objects ceremonial garb religious utensils symbolic jewish items customs Halacha Doraita Drabanan Gemorah gemora sect group divine rabbinic customary symbols hidden lamed vov lamed vovnik bible old testement new testament old testament star of david old city modern orthodox hebrew aramaic old text ancient text bible code identify complex painting art ritual law rambam maimonedeas maimoned maimonides philosophy adherence liberal date founded c. 1300 BC place founded Mesopotamia founder Abraham adherents 14 million main location Israel, Europe, and USA major sects Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox sacred text Tanakh with the Talmud original language Hebrew spiritual leader rabbi (rebbe in Hasidism) place of worship synagogue ("temple" in Reform Judaism) day of worship Saturday (Shabbat/Sabbath) theism monotheism ultimate reality One God (YHWH) human nature created good purpose of life obedience to God how to live obey the law and atone for sin afterlife views vary: Gan Eden, Gehinnom, nonexistence, or reincarnation major holidays Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year (1 Tishri) Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement (10 Tishri) Sukkot: Festival of Booths (15 Tishri) Hanukkah (25 Kislev) Tu B'Shevat: New Year for Trees (15 Shevat) Purim (15 Adar) Pesach: Passover (15 Nisan) Shavuot: Pentecost (6 Sivan) Seven days of creation Separation of light from darkness. Separation of water above and waters below. Separation of land from water. Sun, moon, and stars. Sea creatures and birds. Land creatures and man. God rested. {1} Ten Commandments Worship no other gods. Do not worship idols. Do not misuse the name of the Lord. Keep the Sabbath holy. Honor your father and mother. Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony Do not covet. {2} Twelve tribes of Israel Reuben Levi/Simeon Judah Issachar Zebulun Benjamin Dan Naphtali Gad Asher Ephraim Manassah {3} 13 Articles of Faith God exists God is one and unique God is incorporeal God is eternal Prayer is to God only. The prophets spoke truth. Moses was the greatest of the prophets. The Written and Oral Torah were given to Moses. There will be no other Torah. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men. God will reward the good and punish the wicked. The Messiah will come. The dead will be resurrected. {4} books of Tanakh Torah (Law) Bereisheet (Genesis) Sh'mot (Exodus) Vayikra (Leviticus) BaMidbar (Numbers) D'varim (Deuteronomy) Nevi'im (Prophets) Joshua Judges 1,2 Samuel 1,2 Kings Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Twelve Minor Prophets Ketuvim (Writings) Psalms Proverbs Job Song of Songs Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Ezra/Nehemiah Chronicles books of Mishnah Zera'im (Seeds) Berakhot Peah Demai Kilayim Shebiit Terumot Maaserot Maaser Sheni Challah Orlah Bikkurim Mo'ed (Festivals) Shabbat Erubin Pesachim Sheqalim Yoma Sukkah Besah Rosh Hashanah Taanit Megillah Moed Qatan Hagigah Nashim (Women) Yebamot Ketubot Nedarim Nazir Sotah Gittin Qiddushin Nezikin (Damages) Baba Qamma Baba Mesia Baba Batra Sanhedrin Makkot Shabuot Eduyyot Avodah Zarah Pirke Avot Horayot Kodashim (Holy Things) Zevachim Menachot Chullin Bekhorot Arakhin Temurah Keritot Meilah Tamid Middot Qinnim Tohorot (Purities) Kelim Ohalot Negaim Parah Tohorot Miqvaot Niddah Makhshirin Zabim Tebul-Yom Yadayim Uqsin References 1. Genesis 1:3-2:2. 2. Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21. 3. Genesis 49. 4. According to Maimonides. Adonai (Hebrew, "Lord"). One of the most common Jewish names for God, used especially during prayer. aggadah (Hebrew, "discourse" or "telling"). Non-legal material in the Talmud and Midrash, including stories, legends, theology, and sermons. Alef-Bet (Hebrew, "A-B"). The Hebrew alphabet. Aleinu Closing prayer of every synagogue service, proclaiming God's sovereignty. aliyah (Hebrew, "going up"). To "make an aliyah" is to be called up to recite the blessing before the Torah reading. amudah Small desk in a synagogue from which the Torah is read. Aramaic Semitic language closely related to Hebrew. Was once the common language of the Jewish world - the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds were both written in Aramaic - but it is no longer spoken. ark (Acronym for Hebrew aron hakodesh, "holy chest"). Cabinet in a synagogue that holds the Torah scrolls, usually located at the front of the sanctuary. Ashkenazi Jews from eastern and northern Europe and their descendents, to be distinguished from Sephardic Jews. bar mitzvah (Hebrew, "son of the commandment"). A boy who has reached the age of 13 and is thereafter expected to obey the commandments. Term also used for the ceremony marking this occasion. See Jewish Life Cycle: Bar/Bat Mitzvah. bat mitzvah (Hebrew, "daughter of the commandment"). A girl who has reached the age of 12 and is thereafter expected to obey the commandments. Term also used for the ceremony marking this occasion. See Jewish Life Cycle: Bar/Bat Mitzvah. beit knesset (Hebrew, "house of assembly"). The synagogue. beit tefilah (Hebrew, "house of prayer"). The synagogue. beit midrash (Hebrew, "house of study"). A place designated for the study of sacred texts, usually a part of the synogogue. ben (Hebrew, "son of"; Aramaic "bar" or "ibn"). Son of. Used in traditional Hebrew names; e.g., Rabbi Moses ben Maimon is Moses, the son of Maimon. bet din (Hebrew, "house of judgment"). A rabbinal court convened to resolve business disputes, grant divorces, determine whether a prospective convert is ready for conversion, etc. bris (Hebrew brit, "covenant"). Colloquial name for the ritual of circumcision, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of brit. brit (Hebrew, "covenant"). The special covenant between God and the Jewish people. brit milah (Hebrew, "covenant of circumcision"). The ritual of circumcision performed on the eighth day of a boy's life. More commonly known as brit. See Jewish Life Events: Circumcision. CE "Common Era" or "Christian Era." Designation of years used by Jews and others who wish to avoid the affirmation of faith embedded in AD (Latin anno domini, "in the year of our Lord"). chanukkiah Nine-branch candlestick used on Hanukkah. More commonly, though not accurately, called a menorah. See Jewish Holidays: Hanukkah. chutzpah Arrogance, guts, presumption. Generally meant positively. circumcision See brit milah. chukkim Commandments that have no known reason behind them. chuppah (Hebrew, "canopy"). Also spelled huppah. Canopy under which the Jewish marriage ceremony takes place, representing the marriage chamber or the couple's new home. The term is also used colloquially for the marriage ceremony as a whole. See Jewish Life Cycle: Marriage. Counting of the Omer (Hebrew Sefirat ha-Omer). The counting of days between Passover and Shavuot. Daf Yomi (Hebrew, "the daily page"). Program of studying one page of Talmud per day. See Texts: Talmud. Diaspora Jews living outside of Israel. Documentary Hypothesis The modern scholarly hypothesis that the Torah was written by four distinct authors, identified as J (for "Jehovah"), E (for "Elohim"), P (for "Priestly"), and D (for "Deuternomist"). A fifth, believed to be the editor of the other authors' works, is known as the "Redactor." Gaon (Hebrew, "eminence, excellence"). Title given to the head of the Babylonian academy and later to distinguished Talmud scholars in the 6th to 12th centuries. Gemara (Hebrew, "completion"). Commentary on the Mishnah. The Gemara and the Mishnah constitute the Talmud. See Jewish Texts: Talmud. get Divorce decree granted by a bet din. See Jewish Life Events: Divorce. gezeirah Rabbinic law designed to prevent accidental violation of a mitzvah. See Jewish Practices: Rabbinic Law. gilgul (Hebrew, "transmigration"). The Jewish doctrine of the transmigration (reincarnation) of souls, taught by the founder of Karaism and found also in kabbalistic writings. goy (Hebrew, "nation"; Yiddish, "Gentile"). Non-Jew. Sometimes used pejoratively, but the word itself is not negative. haftarah Portion of the Prophets read in synagogue services. halakhah (Hebrew, "the walk"). Jewish Law. Consists of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah plus rabbinic law and custom. See Jewish Practices. Hallel Psalms 113-118, recited at the end of morning service on festival days. Hanukkah (Hebrew, "Dedication"). Also spelled Chanukah. An eight-day holiday beginning on 25 Kislev (mid-December) that commemorates the revolt of the Maccabees in 164 BCE and the miraculous oil that burned for eight days. See Jewish Holidays: Hanukkah. Hashem (Hebrew, "The Name"). God. Used especially by Orthodox Jews to avoid saying a name of God. Hashkiveinu Evening prayer for God's protection while sleeping. hechsher (Hebrew) The "seal of approval" on kosher foods. Kaddish Prayer proclaiming the greatness of God. Used as the mourners' prayer (see Jewish Practices: Mourning) but also at other points in the liturgy. kasher (Hebrew, "fit"). Fit for ritual use. Also a verb meaning "to make a food or object fit for ritual use." See Jewish Practices: Dietary Laws. kashrut (Hebrew, "fitness"). Jewish dietary laws. See Jewish Practices: Dietary Laws. kedusha (Hebrew, "holiness"). Holiness. kippah (Hebrew; Yiddish yarmulke) Disc-like head covering. Kol Nidre (Hebrew, "All Vows). Famous hymn sung during Yom Kippur releasing Jews of all religious vows made in the previous year. See Jewish Holidays: Yom Kippur. kosher Anglicized form of kasher. lashon kodesh (Hebrew, "the holy tongue"). Hebrew. See Bookstore: Hebrew Dictionaries. l'chaim (Hebrew, "To life"). A Jewish toast. lulav Interwoven branches of palm, willow, and myrtle used in the Sukkot celebration. See Jewish Holidays: Sukkot. mashgiach (Hebrew) Rabbi trained to certify foods as kosher. matzah (Hebrew, "unleavened bread"). Also spelled matzo or mazzah. Unleaved (non-yeast) bread used during Passover based on Exodus 12:39, in which the Israelites fled Egypt with only unleavened bread because they could not wait for the dough to rise. Called the "bread of affliction" based on Deuteronomy 16:3. See Jewish Holidays: Passover. mazel tov (Hebrew, "good planetary influences "). "Good luck." Usually said at the end of a wedding or upon hearing good news. menorah (Hebrew, "candelabrum"). A seven-branch candlestick. Part of the furnishings of the tabernacle in the wilderness and the Temple in Jerusalem. In 1948 it became the official symbol of the State of Israel. Often used to refer to the chanukkiah. mezuzah (Hebrew, "doorpost"). Small parchment of Torah verses placed on the doorpost of Jewish homes in obedience to Deut. 6:9. Midrash (from Hebrew derash, "sermon"). Stories, sermons, parables, and other material explaining the Talmud. See Jewish Texts: Midrash. mikva body of natural water used for ritual cleansing minyan Quota of ten adult Jews required for certain prayers and observances. Mishnah (Hebrew, "a teaching that is repeated"). Rabbinic commentary on the Torah and part of the Talmud. Codified c. 200 CE by Judah Ha-Nasi. See Texts: Mishnah. Mishneh Torah (Hebrew, "repetition of Torah"). The book of Deuteronomy or, more commonly, the code of Maimonides. mitzvot (Hebrew "commandments"). Commandments; religious actions (singular mitzvah). Sometimes used more generally to refer to any good deed. See Practices: Mitzvot. mohel (MOY-el) The person who performs the ritual of circumcision. Must be an observant Jew trained in the applicable Jewish law and surgical technique. Nevi'im ("neh-vee-EEM") (Hebrew, "Prophets"). Second section of the Tanakh, containing the writings of the prophets and history covering roughly 700 years after Moses. Olam Ha-Ba The "World to Come" - the Jewish afterlife. See Beliefs: Afterlife. Oral Torah The Mishnah. According to traditional Jews, part of the Torah received by Moses at Sinai but not written down until c. 200 CE as the Mishnah. pareve (Yiddish, "neutral"). Kosher foods that contain no meat or dairy and therefore may be eaten with either. See Jewish Practices: Dietary Laws. Purim (Hebrew, "lots"). Festive holiday in the early Spring celebrating the story of Esther and Mordecai with costume parties and plays. See Jewish Holidays: Purim. rabbi (Hebrew, "teacher"). Jewish spiritual leader. Rambam (acrostic for Rabbi Moses ben Maimon) Maimonides. sandek The "Jewish godfather" - the man who holds the baby boy during the rite of circumcision. See Life Cycle: Circumcision. Second Temple The Temple in Jerusalem that was rebuilt in 516 BCE after the Babylonian Exile and destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Separdic Jews from the Middle East and Spain and their descendents. se'udat mitzvot A festive meal following the fulfillment of a mitvot, such as circumcision. shalom Hello, goodbye, or peace. shekhinah The presence of God; the Holy Spirit. In Kabbalistic thought, the feminine aspect of God. Shemot (Hebrew "names"). The Hebrew name for Exodus, the second book of the Torah. Sheol Grave; world of the dead. shochet Kosher butcher. siddur (Hebrew, "order"). Prayer book used in Jewish liturgy. See Jewish Practices: Worship and Bookstore: Prayerbooks. simcha (Hebrew, "rejoicing"). Any Jewish celebration. Sukkot (Hebrew, "Booths"). Eight-day autumn festival commemorating the Exodus and celebrating the harvest. See Jewish Holidays: Sukkot. Talmud (Hebrew "teaching") The Oral Torah, made up of the Mishnah and the Gemara. See Jewish Texts: Talmud. Tanakh (Hebrew TNK, acronym for "Torah," "Nevi'im" and "Ketuvim"). The Jewish Bible. See Jewish Texts: Tanakh. taryag mitzvot (Hebrew, "613 commandments"). The 613 commandments given in the Torah and enumerated by Maimonides. See Jewish Practices: Mitzvot. terayfa (Hebrew, "torn"). Food that is not kosher and may not be eaten. Also spelled treyf or treif. See Jewish Practices: Dietary Laws. teshuvah (Hebrew, "turning"). Repentance; self-evaluation. Tikkun olan The healing of the world; world peace; social justice. Torah (Hebrew, "Law"). The first five books of the Jewish Bible. Also known as the Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch. See Jewish Texts: Torah. treyf (Hebrew, "torn"). Food that is not kosher; prohibited. Also spelled "terayfa" or "treif." See Jewish Practices: Dietary Laws. yad (Hebrew, "hand"). Pointer used to read the Torah, usually in the shape of a hand with a pointed finger. yahrzeit (Yiddish, "annniversary"). Anniversary of a loved one's death. See Life Events: Death and Mourning. yarmulke (Yiddish; Hebrew kippah). Male head covering. See Symbols and Objects. yetzer hara The human inclination towards evil. See Beliefs: Human Nature. yetzer hatov The human inclination towards good. See Beliefs: Human Nature. YHWH (Hebrew, "I am" or "I will be"). Sacred name of God as revealed to Moses. Also known as the Tetragrammaton. It is considered too holy to be pronounced, and is usually replaced by Adonai in Torah readings. Yiddish The language of East European Jews and their descendents; a combination of Middle High German, Hebrew and Polish. Zealots Members of a historical Jewish movement characterized by armed rebellion against Roman rulers. Zionism A modern political movement with the aim of creating a Jewish state. Zohar The major text of the Kabbalah movement. See Texts: Zohar. 0-100 CE Chasidei ashkenaz develops c. 2000-1500 BCE Abraham and the Patriarchs c. 1500-1200 BCE Egypt, the Exodus and wandering in the desert 1200-1050 BCE Occupation of Canaan, the Promised Land 1050-920 BCE United kingdom under Saul, David and Solomon, with capital at Jerusalem 920-597 BCE Divided kingdom of Israel (north) and Judah (south) 722 BCE Assyria conquers Israel 701 BCE Egyptians conquer Judah 612 BCE Ninevah destroyed by Babylonains and Medes 605 BCE Babylon conquers Egypt, now rules Judah 568-538 BCE Babylonian Exile 586 BCE Destruction of the first temple 550 BCE Second Isaiah composed c. 520 BCE Haggai and Zechariah prophesy 516 BCE Second Temple built 5th cent. BCE Oldest known example of a ketubah 3rd cent. BCE Rise of the Sadducees; Septuagint formed 2nd cent. BCE Idea of resurrection of the dead gains popularity in Jewish circles c. 20 BCE Philo Judaeus born Compilation of the Tenakh c. 50 CE Philo dies 70 CE Destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans on the 9th of Av c. 90-150 Canonization of Hebrew Bible essentially complete 135 Bar Kokhba rebellion defeated at Betar by Romans on 9th of Av c. 135 Roman governors ban circumcision 164 Hasmonean revolt against the Romans c. 200 Compilation of the Mishnah by Judah ha-Nasi 337 Proselytizing for Judaism is punishable by death in the Roman Empire. 358 Rabbi Hillel II introduces permanent fixed ritual calendar c. 425 Compilation of the Jerusalem Talmud 500-600 Compilation of the Babylonian Talmud 700-1100 Karaite sect rejects Rabbinic Judaism 933 Saadiah Gaon writes the Book of Beliefs and Opinions 1040-1105 Rashi (Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac) 1096 First Crusade prompts anti-Jewish violence in France and Germany 1100-1200 1135-1204 Maimonides 1165 Maimondies publishes Mishneh Torah, a compendium of Jewish law of great importance 1180 Maimonides becomes court physician to Saladin 1190 Jews in York massacred on 9th of Av c. 1250 Compilation of the Zohar c. 1290 De Leon writes Sefer Ha-Zohar c. 1400 First known occurances of bar mitzvah ceremony 1475 First book printed in Hebrew (Rashi's commentary) 1492 Jews expelled from Spain 1497 Jews expelled from Portugal 1632 Baruch Spinoza born in Amsterdam 1700s Founding of Hasidism 1800s Founding of Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative movements 1906 Emmanuel Levinas born in Lithuania 1907 Abraham Joshua Heschel born in Lithuania 1908 Jews granted full legal equality in Ottoman Empire 1910 Jews granted full legal equality in Spain 1913 Considering conversion to Christianity, Levinas attends a Yom Kippur service and resolves to remain a Jew 1917 Jews granted full legal equality in Russia after Bolshevik victory 1920 Rosenzweig begins lifelong friendship with Martin Buber in Frankfurt 1921 Rosenzweig's Star of Redemption published 1922 Judith Kaplan, daughter of Mordecai Kaplan (founder of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism), is the first to participate in a bat mitzvah ceremony. 1923 Martin Buber's I and Thou published. 1926 Progressive Judaism founded 1929 Franz Rosenzweig dies of amytrophic lateral sclerosis 1933 Adolf Hitler named Reichschancellor 1937 Martin Buber appoints Abraham Joshua Heschel head of the Lehrhaus in Frankfurt and emigrates to Palestine 1937 Columbus Platform 1938 Holocaust begins; Heschel is deported to Poland by the Nazis 1939 Heschel leaves for New York, where he will spend the rest of his life. Levinas, an officer in the French Army, is taken prisoner by the Germans 1942 Deportations from Warsaw to death camp at Treblinka begin on 9th of Av 1945 Heschel joins the faculty of Jewish Theological Seminary 1948 State of Israel established 1950 Israeli Parlianment passes the Law of Return 1965 Martin Buber dies 1967 Jerusalem reunited by Israeli victory in Six-Day War 1972 First female rabbi ordained in Reform movement 1972 Death of Abraham Joshua Heschel 1972 Beit Chayim Chadashim, first gay synagogue, founded in Los Angeles 1974 First female rabbis ordained in Reconstructionist 1980 World Congress of Gay and Lesbian Jewish Organizations founded 1984 First female rabbis ordained in Conservative movement 1993 Death of Joseph Soloveitchik 1996 Death of Emmanuel Levinas 2003 The Union of American Hebrew Congregations changes its name to the Union for Reform Judaism. The Sefer ha-Zohar (Book of Splendor) is the central text of Kabbalah, the mystical branch of Judaism. Today, "the Zohar has become one of the indispensable texts of traditional Judaism, alongside and nearly equal in stature to Mishnah and Gemara." {1} The Zohar was written by a Spanish kabbalist named Moses de Leon towards the end of the 13th century, but de Leon himself passed them off as the work of the famous second-century sage Rabbi Simeon. This ascribed it with authority that de Leon could not have given it. The Zohar is written in Aramaic, which supports its ostensible provenance, but its awkward language and traces of medieval Jewish thought betrays its true origins for modern scholars. The Zohar is structured much like any other collection of midrashim, but the subject matter is unique and deeply kabbalistic. It discovers in the Torah underlying codes and keys that lead to not just knowledge of, but direct involvement with, the nature of the Godhead itself. To read the Torah with the proper mystical understanding is to interact with and even affect the divine wisdom and energy. In the Zohar we find the first full treatment of mystical concepts that had been developing in the 13th century, namely the Gnostic dualism of good and evil within the Godhead and the doctrine of the Ten Sefirot (emanations of God). It discusses the creation of the universe at length, as well as the problem of evil and the cosmic significance of prayer and good deeds. The Zohar did not enjoy mass popularity outside of kabbalistic circles until after 1492, when Jews were expelled from Spain and consequently began to focus more on messianic and eschatological ideas. It has been approached with caution by most rabbis, some of whom have restricted its reading to those over the age of 40 to ensure that it is approached not only maturity, but a solid knowledge and understanding of the Torah and Talmud. In recent years, the Zohar is finding a broader (and often non-Jewish) audience through such organizations as the Kabbalah Centre. For more on Kabbalah, see Jewish Sects. Responsa Midrash Talmud Oral Torah written Torah tanach tanakh Ketuvim (Writings) Nevi'im (Prophets) prophecy afterlife good deeds and the mitzvot God, humanity, and the meaning of life, and Jewish history The 13 Articles of Faith As noted above, Judaism has no creed and beliefs of individual Jews can vary widely. However, the great 12th-century rabbi Maimonides put together "13 Articles of Faith" that he believed every Jew ought to adhere to, and this is often used as a summary of core Jewish beliefs. Hashem Jewish Beliefs about God In Judaism, ultimate reality is a single, all-powerful God. It is this belief that made the Jews unique among other ancient Semitic peoples and that became the legacy Judaism has passed on to the entire Western world. God's name in Hebrew is YHWH, which simply - but significantly - means "I am." King David from a Hebrew manuscript Jewish Beliefs about the Messiah Many of the world's religions have hope in a future heroic figure who will rescue the righteous, judge the wicked, and restore peace to the world (Krishna in Hinduism, Maitreya in Buddhism and the Second Coming of Christ in Christianity). In Judaism, this figure is the Messiah. Adam and Eve by Albrecht Durer Jewish Beliefs about Human Nature When Genesis 2:7 says "God formed man," it uses the Hebrew word vayyitzer ("formed"). The Talmud finds special meaning in the unique spelling of the word in this context, with two yods instead of one. The two yods, the rabbis explain, stand for the two impulses found in humans: the yetzer tov and the yetzer ra. Synagogue fresco of Ezekiel's Vision at Dura Europos Olam Ha-Ba: Jewish Beliefs about the Afterlife Jewish sacred texts and literature have little to say about what happens after death, which may seem surprising to non-Jews since the sacred texts of Christianity and Islam, both of which have their foundations in Judaism, elaborate rather fully about the afterlife. Jewish Holidays and Festivals Sabbath three pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot) and the two High Holy Days (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur). It is forbidden to work joyful celebration and rest shabbos sabath Days of Awe Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah christmas Pesach: Passover Egypt Slavery Moses Moshe Moshe Rabeinu Hebrews Exodus Dietary Kosher for Passover Purim synagogue gift giving matanot levyonim graggers gragger noise makers drunkeness festive meals spring holiday joyful Jewish Mardi Gras" or "the Jewish Halloween Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year Sukkot: Festival of Booths Sukkoth is known by several names: the "Festival of the Ingathering" (Khag ha-Asif), the "Festival of Booths" (Khag ha-Sukkot); "The Festival" (Khag), and the "Season of Rejoicing" (Zeman Simkhateinu). Yom Kippur: The Days of Awe solemn observant non "On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Sukkot. ... You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths." -- Leviticus 23:34,42 Sukkot (also spelled Sukkoth) is known by several names: the "Festival of Booths" (Khag ha-Sukkot); the "Festival of the Ingathering" (Khag ha-Asif), "The Festival" (Khag), and the "Season of Rejoicing" (Zeman Simkhateinu). The Hebrew prononciation of Sukkot is "sue-COAT" but it is more commonly pronounced in the Yiddish way: "SOOK-ut" (where SOOK rhymes with BOOK). Sukkot is a harvest holiday, comparable in some ways to the American Thanksgiving. It also one of the "Pilgrim Festivals" (the others are Pesakh and Shavuot) on which Jews used to make pilgrimmages to the Temple with offerings for God from the harvest. At nine days (eight days for Jews in Israel and Reform Diaspora Jews), Sukkot is the longest Jewish holiday. Judging by its lenght, its extensive treatment in the Tanakh and the fact that it is sometimes called "The Festival," Sukkot may at one time have been the most important holiday in Judaism. The festival of Sukkot begins on 15 Tishri, the fifth day of Yom Kippur. Sukkot is thus a transition from the solemnity of the most important high holy day to the joy of a historical festival. Work is forbidden on the first and second days of the festival only. Assembling the lulav. The primary observance associated with Sukkot is the building and dwelling in a temporary shelter, or "booth" (Hebrew sukka). This practice is instituted in Leviticus 23 as a way of remembering the time the Hebrew people spent wandering in the wilderness. Many modern Jews set up these makeshift shelters in their yards and invite friends over to join them. Another Sukkot observance is the collection of the four species (Hebrew arba minim), which is based on the command of Leviticus 23:40: "On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the L-RD your G-d for seven days." Today, the command of the four species is observed by first collecting and binding together six branches: one palm branch (Hebrew lulav), two willow branches (aravot) and three myrtle branches (hadassim). This bundle, called the lulav because the palm branch is the most prominent part, is held in one hand and an etrog (a citrus fruit similar to a lemon, native to Israel) is held in the other hand. The four species are then waved in the six directions (east, south, west, north, up and down) to symbolize that God is everywhere while blessings are recited. On the seventh day of the festival, the plants are taken around the synagogue seven times. Tu B'Shevat Tree in Israel. Photo: Uri Rymland. "When you come to the land and you plant any tree, you shall treat its fruit as forbidden; for three years it will be forbidden and not eaten. In the fourth year, all of its fruit shall be sanctified to praise the Lord. In the fifth year, you may eat its fruit." -- Leviticus 19:23-25 Tu B'Shevat (also spelled Tu Bishevat) is a holiday on the 15th of the Jewish month of Shevat, and its name simply means "15 Shevat" in Hebrew. Tu B'Shevat falls on February 3 in 2007. Tu B'Shevat might be compared to the beginning of the fiscal year in the modern world. The 15th of Shevat is a fixed date for counting the age of trees, in order to follow the biblical law quoted above. It is thus also known as the "New Year for Trees." If a tree is planted on 12 Shevat, it will be considered one year old just three days later, on Tu B'Shevat. But if a tree is planted on 16 Shevat, it won't be a year old until a full year later on the next Tu B'Shevat. This is obviously not as exact, but easier than keeping track of the exact day each fruit tree was planted. Tu B'Shevat tree The date of 15 Shevat does not come from the Torah, but was developed by Jewish rabbis some time before the 1st century BC as a practical way of following the Torah's law concerning tree fruit. Tu B'Shevat is not a religious holiday and is relatively minor. Over the years some rituals have developed for celebrating Tu B'Shevat. The main observance is to eat plenty of fruit on this day, especially the kinds that grow in Israel. Some of these are praised in another verse in the Torah: "For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey." -- Deuteronomy 8:7-8 In recent years, Tu B'Shevat has become a day especially associated with Jewish environmentalism. Common practices on Tu B'Shevat thus include planting new trees and raising money for trees to be planted in Israel. In the Middle Ages, Jewish mystics developed a Tu B'Shevat Seder (a meal like that held on Passover) symbolizing the connection to the land of Israel and God's relationship to the world using the imagery of a cosmic tree. The Seder involves drinking wine and eating fruit inspersed with readings and blessings related to the earth, such as "Praised are You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign over all, that creates the fruit of the tree." This ritual is still practiced today by some. Birth and Naming Ceremonies On the first Sabbath after a Jewish child is born, the infant's father is called forward at the synagogue to recite the aliyah and ask blessings for the health of mother and child. If the child is a girl, she is named at this time. Boys will be named on the eighth day after birth, as part of the rite of circumcision. Brit Milah: Circumcision The rite of circumcision (brit milah) is performed on the eighth day of a boy's life. (There is no parallel practice for girls, and "female circumcision" has nothing to do with Judaism.) It usually takes place in the morning at the family's home. Redemption of the Firstborn The ritual of Pidyon Ha-Ben ("Redemption of the Son") is grounded in the Jewish concept that first and best things belong to God. In Numbers 8:17, God declares: "Every firstborn among the Israelites, man as well as beast, is mine." Coming of Age: Bar and Bat Mitzvah Under Jewish law, children are not required to observe the commandments, though they are certainly encouraged and taught to do so. But upon turning 13, a boy is considered an adult under the law and is expected to obey all the commandments from then on. He has become a Bar Mitzvah, or "Son of the Commandments." Similarly, a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah, "daughter of the commandment," upon turning 12. Jewish Marriage Traditions Marriage is highly revered and strongly encouraged in Judaism. The celibate life has never been considered more holy than the married life, and one must be married in order to become a rabbi. Judaism's high view of marriage is a direct result of its view of the home and family as the center of religious life. Divorce in Judaism In Judaism, divorce is viewed as a great tragedy, but a sometimes necessary one. In the Torah, the prophet Malachi declared, "I hate divorce, says Adonai, the God of Israel." According to the Talmud, "When a man puts aside the wife of his youth, even the very altar weeps." Yet allowances for divorce have always been a part of Jewish law. Death Rituals and the Chevra Kaddisha While the preservation of life in Judaism is of paramount importance, taking precedence over nearly all other priorities and observances, death is not therefore abhorred or devalued. Instead, death is seen as a part of life and a part of God's plan. The extensive mourning rituals in Judaism do not indicate a rejection or protest of death, but demonstrate the great value Judaism places on life in general and the life of each individual person. Mourning Mourning in Judaism is extensive, and has several purposes: it shows respect for the dead, comforts those left behind, discourages excessive mourning, and helps the bereaved to return to normal life. Mourning is observed for 30 days after burial, very intensely so in the first seven days. Regular remembrances are performed in the years following the death. The rite of circumcision (brit milah) is performed on the eighth day of a boy's life. (There is no parallel practice for girls, and "female circumcision" has nothing to do with Judaism.) The ritual usually takes place in the morning at the family's home. Circumcision is commanded in Genesis 17:10-14 as an outward sign of a man's participation in Israel's covenant with God, as well as a sign that the Jewish people will perpetuate through him. The commandment is incumbent upon both father and child - fathers must see that their sons are circumcised, and uncircumcised grown men are obligated to perform the rite. Those who are not circumcised suffer the penalty of kareit, no matter how otherwise observant they may be. Perhaps in part for this reason, circumcision is the mitzvah most likely to be observed by otherwise non-observant Jews. Circumcision is so important that it may be performed on the Sabbath or a holiday, despite prohibitions of drawing blood on those days. Yet the ceremony may be postponed for health reasons, and then it cannot be performed until seven days after a physician has declared the child healthy. If this occurs, the rite cannot be performed on the Sabbath or holiday, because there is no longer sufficient reason to violate the general law of the holy days. Circumcision is performed by a mohel, an observant Jew who has been trained in the relevant Jewish law and surgical techniques. (In most traditions, circumcision performed by a physician is not valid even if a rabbi is present, although the Reform movement has begun to accept such circumcisions.) It is a preferable to have a minyan present for the ritual, but it is not necessary. Only the father and the mohel must be present, but the mother and the godparents (kwater and kwaterin) are usually present as well. During the ceremony the child is held by a person designated as the sandek, who is usually a grandparent or family rabbi. An empty chair is set aside to symbolize the presence of the prophet Elijah, who rebuked those who had forsaken the ritual. He now presides over all circumcision ceremonies to ensure the continuation of the ritual. The infant may be given a couple of drops of wine or some local anaesthetic to ease any pain. The mohel recites benedictions of circumcision, then the father offers the blessing: Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Abraham, our father. Any guests present say, "Amen," and then give the blessing: As he entered the covenant, may he enter into the study of Torah, into marriage and into the doing of good deeds. The procedure itself, which is very brief, then takes place with the sandek holding the infant in his lap. Afterwards, the child is bandaged, dressed, and given a name. The mother and father will often say a few words about the significance of the name. The event will usually be celebrated by a festive meal hosted by the family. If a child was previously circumcised in a religiously invalid way, or born with no foreskin, the same ceremony is held but with only a symbolic pinprick of the tip of the penis. This ceremony is called the hatafat dam brit. In recent years, circumcision has become something of a controversy, with some people denouncing the practice as unnecessary or harmful. {1} However, this is a medical issue, not a religious one. Very few Jews are convinced by those who believe circumcision to be mentally or physically damaging, and as far as it being medically unnecessary, it was never practiced for that reason. Like many mitzvot, circumcision is performed simply because God has commanded it and any practical benefits are secondary. Jewish Marriage and Weddings Marriage is highly revered and strongly encouraged in Judaism. Except in ascetic groups like the Essenes, the celibate life has never been considered more holy than the married life. In fact, one must be married in order to become a rabbi. Judaism's high view of marriage derives from its view of the home and family as the center of religious life. The Ketubah and Role of the Rabbi Before a wedding ceremony, a marriage contract (ketubah) is drawn up and consented to by both parties. This tradition derives from an ancient Semitic custom yet is remarkably similar to the modern prenuptial agreement. The ketubah formally lists the husband's obligations to the wife during marriage, conditions of inheritance upon his death, obligations regarding the support of children of the marriage, and the wife's support in the event of divorce. Additional conditions can also be included by mutual agreement. Participation of a rabbi is not necessary for a marriage to be binding under Jewish law. Traditionally, a legal marriage occurs when payment of money, a contract, or sexual intercourse has taken place. {1} However, rabbis almost invariably conduct weddings today, both because secular law requires an ordained official and it is helpful to have the guidance of an expert in the many Jewish laws pertaining to marriage. Jewish wedding ceremonies take about 30 minutes, and consist of two ceremonies. The two were traditionally held separately, up to a year apart, but are performed together in modern weddings. The Betrothal Ceremony: Kiddushin The first ceremony is the betrothal ceremony (kiddushin, "sanctification"). The bride approaches and circles the groom, then two blessings over wine are recited: a standard blessing and one related specifically to marriage. Rings are exchanged with the declaration, "Behold, you are consecrated to me by this ring according to the Law of Moses and Israel," and the ketubah is read. The Wedding Ceremony: Nisuin In the marriage ceremony (nisuin, "elevation"), the couple stand under a canopy (chuppah), which symbolizes the couple's new home together. (The ceremony itself is sometimes called the chuppah.) The bride and groom recite the seven marriage benedictions and share a glass of wine. The groom then breaks a glass under his foot, which symbolizes the destruction of the Temple (more superstitiously, it has also been thought to frighten away evil spirits). Some also say it symbolizes the taking of the bride's virginity. Whatever the case, the noise of the breaking glass prompts music and shouts of Mazel tov! After the ceremony, the newlyweds retire to a private room to spend a few minutes in yikhud (seclusion). Yikhud symbolizes the consummation of the marriage, and is a requirement under Jewish law. The ceremonies are followed by a festive meal and celebration, which is an merry, joyous affair with much music and dancing. Orthodox newlyweds will spend the next week enjoying festive meals in the homes of friends; those of other traditions will head off on their honeymoon. The 613 Commandments Rabbinic Law Kabbalah: Jewish Mysticism The mystical form of Judaism is Kabbalah. Broadly speaking, Kabbalah refers to Jewish mysticism dating back to the time of the second Temple. For many years a carefully guarded oral tradition, it became systematized and dispersed in the Middle Ages. The kabbalistic viewpoint was expressed most importantly in the Yalkut Re'uveni by Reuben Hoeshke in 1660, but also made its way into prayer books, popular customs and ethics. The focus of the Kabbalah is the simultaneous transcendence and immanence of God, with the latter described in terms of the sefirot, or attributes of God. Hasidic (or Chasidic) Judaism arose in 12th-century Germany as a movement emphasizing asceticism and mystical experience born out of love and humility before God. The austere religious life of these early Hasidim ("pious ones") is documented in the Sefer Hasidim ("Book of the Pious"). The modern Hasidic movement was founded in Poland in the 18th century by Israel ben Eliezer, more commonly known as the Baal Shem Tov ("Master of the Good Name") or "the Besht" (an acronym for Baal Shem Tov). Heavily influenced by the Kabbalah movement, Hasidism emphasized personal experiences of God over religious education and ritual. The primary distinction between modern Hasidism and its earlier incarnation is modern Hasidism's rejection of asceticism and emphasis on the holiness of everyday life. As the Besht himself put it: I came into this world to point a new way, to prevail upon men to live by the light of these three things: love of God, love of Israel, and love of Torah. And there is no need to perform mortifications of the flesh. {Recorded by his grandson, Rabbi Baruch of Medzhibozh} The Besht's focus on the needs of the common people and his conviction that everyday activities hold as much religious value as rituals found a welcome audience. Though it is conservative in many ways, Hasidism clashed heavily with mainstream Judaism when it first emerged. Rabbinical opponents of the Hasidic movement, known as mitnagdim (opponents), accused the Besht and his followers of being licentious and indifferent to tradition. Hasidic Jews center on a leader called a rebbe or tzaddik, who may or may not be a rabbi. The rebbe is considered especially enlightened and close to God and is looked to for guidance in all aspects of life, from Torah interpretation to choosing a spouse to buying a home. A rebbe's advice is considered absolutely authoritative. Differences between Jewish denominations, which are more commonly known as "movements," reflect varying responses to changing times and cultures. The historical Jewish movements (Pharisses, Sadduccees, and Essenes) were responses to the Roman rule of Israel, while the major modern movements (Reform, Orthodox, and Conservative) are responses to the modern, secular culture of Europe and America. Thus, while Christian denominations differ chiefly in matters of doctrine, Jewish denominations differ from one another primarily with regard to practice. Hasidism and Kabbalah are mystical approaches to the Jewish faith. Like monasticism in Christianity and Sufism in Islam, Jewish mysticism emphasizes inward, spiritual experiences over intellectual and rational knowledge. This section explores the major modern Jewish movements: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Hasidism, and Kabbalah. Conservative Judaism (known as Masorti Judaism outside the USA) is a moderate sect that seeks to avoid the extremes of Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Conservative Jews wish to conserve the traditional elements of Judaism while also allowing for reasonable modernization and rabbinical development. The teachings of Zacharias Frankel (1801-75) form the foundation of Conservative Judaism. Frankel broke away from the Reform movement in Germany in the 1840s, insisting that Jewish tradition and rituals had not become nonessentials. He accepted both the Torah and Talmud as enduring authorities but taught that historical and textual studies could differentiate cultural expressions from abiding religious truths. In 1902, Solomon Schechter reorganized the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and made it the flagship institution of Conservative Judaism. Future Conservative rabbis are still trained there. {1} Conservative Jews observe the Sabbath and dietary laws, although some modifications have been made to the latter. As in Reform Judaism, women may be rabbis. In 1985, the first woman rabbi was ordained in a Conservative synagogue. Conservative Jews uphold the importance of Jewish nationalism, encouraging the study of Hebrew and support for Zionism. Beyond these basic perspectives, beliefs and practices among Conservative Jews can range from Reform to Orthodox in nature. It is more "a theological coalition rather than a homogeneous expression of beliefs and practices." {2} The Conservative movement has been especially successful in the United States, where it is represented by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). The USCJ was founded in 1913 and today encompasses about 1.5 million Jews in 760 congregations. {3} Future Conservative rabbis are trained at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York, NY, founded in 1883. A number of studies have shown that there is a large gap between what the Conservative movement teaches and what most of its laypeople have incorporated into their daily lives. Conservative Judaism holds that halakha (Jewish law) is normative, i.e. that it is something that Jewish people must strive to actually live by in their daily lives. This would include the laws of Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath); the laws of kashrut (keeping kosher); the practice of thrice daily prayer; observance of the Jewish holidays and life-cycle events. In practice, the majority of people who have come to join Conservative synagogues only follow all these laws rarely. Most do follow most of the laws some of the time, but only a minority follow most or all of the laws all of time. There is a substantial committed core, consisting of the lay leadership, rabbis, cantors, educators, and those who have graduated from the movement's religious day schools and summer camps, that do take Jewish law very seriously. Recent studies have shown an increase in the observance of members of the movement. {4} Reform Judaism is the most liberal expression of modern Judaism. In America, Reform Judaism is organized under the Union for Reform Judaism (formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations), whose mission is "to create and sustain vibrant Jewish congregations wherever Reform Jews live." About 1.5 million Jews in 900 synagogues are members of the Union for Reform Judaism. According to 1990 survey, 42 percent of American Jews regard themselves as Reform. {1} Reform Judaism arose in Germany in the early 1800s both as a reaction against the perceived rigidity of Orthodox Judaism and as a response to Germany's increasingly liberal political climate. Among the changes made in 19th-century Reform congregations were a deemphasis on Jews as a united people, discontinuation of prayers for a return to Palestine, prayers and sermons recited in German instead of Hebrew, the addition of organ music to the synagogue service, and a lack of observance of the dietary laws. Some Reform rabbis advocated the abolition of circumcision and the Reform congregation in Berlin shifted the Sabbath to Sundays to be more like their Christian neighbors. Early Reform Judaism retained traditional Jewish monotheism, but emphasized ethical behavior almost to the exclusion of ritual. The Talmud was mostly rejected, with Reform rabbis preferring the ethical teachings of the Prophets. {2} Modern Reform Judaism, however, has restored some of the aspects of Judaism that their 19th-century predecessors abandoned, including the sense of Jewish peoplehoood and the practice of religious rituals. {2} Today, Reform Jews affirm the central tenets of Judaism - God, Torah, and Israel - while acknowledging a great diversity in Reform Jewish beliefs and practices. Reform Jews are more inclusive than other Jewish movements: women may be rabbis, cantors, and synagogue presidents; interfaith families are accepted; and Reform Jews are "committed to the full participation of gays and lesbians in synagogue life as well as society at large." {3} Timeline of Reform Judaism 1875 Reform Judaism's Hebrew Union College is founded in Cincinnati. Its founder was Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, the architect of American Reform Judaism. 1885 A group of Reform rabbis adopts the Pittsburgh Platform. 1922 Reform Rabbi Stephen S. Wise establishes the Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. It merged with Hebrew Union College in 1950. A third center was opened in Los Angeles in 1954, and a fourth branch was established in Jerusalem in 1963. 1937 The Central Conference of American Rabbis adopts "The Guiding Principles of Reform Judaism", known as the Columbus Platform. 1976 On the occasion of the centennials of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the Central Conference of American Rabbis adopts "Reform Judaism: A Centenary Perspective". 1983 The Central Conference of American Rabbis formally states that a Jewish identity can be passed down through either the mother and the father, thereby making official what had been the state of affairs in many Reform communities since the early twentieth century. Despite its rejection by Conservative Judaism and Orthodox Judaism, descent through the mother or the father becomes the standard for North American Reform and unaffiliated Jews. This leads to the disintegration of the inter-denominational Synagogue Council of America. 1997 On the occasion of of the centenary of the first World Zionist Congress, the Central Conference of American Rabbis adopts the Miami Platform, dedicated to the relationship between Reform Judaism and Zionism. 1999 The Central Conference of American Rabbis adopts "A Statement of Principles for Reform Judaism" in Pittsburgh. Pentateuch angels spiritual space realm mysitical Alef Beit GImmel Dalet Daled Bais Beis hay hey vov zayin zayen ches chet tet tes yud kof chof lamed nun mem ayin samach samack kuf raish shin sin tof sof parzuf midot emotive soul faculties finite infinite olam haatzilut olam hazeh olam haba kabbalah shimon bar yochai tikunei chadash dedication zot Yabok: Yabok is the name of the river which Jacob transversed upon entering Israel, before his encounter with his brother Esau. In Kabbalah, an acronym for Yichud ["unification"], Berachah ["blessing"], Kedushah ["holiness"]). Of the varying interpretations with regard to the three levels of this most fundamental idiom and teaching of Kabbalah--yichud, berachah and kedushah--the most often cited and expounded upon in the classic texts of Chassidut is that the three concepts correspond to the three general ascending levels of the soul: nefesh, ruach and neshamah; or one's "world" of action--his ability to relate and unite with outer reality, one's "world" of emotion--the blessing of abundant emotive energy, and one's "world" of meditation--the experience of holiness as a transcendent connection with the realm of the Divine. The word Yabok equals 112 in gematria, the combined value of the two Names (referred to together as G-d's "full Name") Havayah (26)--Elokim (86); and as well the combined value of the three Names: Ekyeh (21), Havayah (26), Adnut (65), which themselves correspond to the three levels of Yabok. Yachid ("The Single One"): For further explanation see: Ten stages of G-d's Infinite Light--Yachid. Yamim Tovim: plural yom tov. Yechidah ("The singular one"): Yechidah is the highest of the five levels of soul, which will only manifest itself at the time of Mashiach. See soul. Yemot Hamashiach ("The days of Mashiach" -- Messianic era): See Olam Haba. Yesh or Yeshut ("Somethingness"): Yesh (or yeshut) is material reality or the state of independent self-consciousness; egotism, in Chassidic terminology. Yesh me'ayin (Somethingness from nothingness): Yesh me'ayin is the process of creation ex nihilo. Yesod ("Foundation"): Yesod is the ninth of the ten sefirot, and the sixth of the emotive attributes. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Yesod. Yetzirah ("Formation"): Yetzirah is the third of the four worlds of Creation, wherein the ethereal ?substance? of Beriah is endowed with spirit and generic form; the consciousness of yesh m'yesh; the spiritual abode of the chayot; the origin of ruach in the soul of man. For further explanation see: The Worlds of Abiya. Yichud ("unification"): 1. A Yichud is a type of tikun in which one does not need to separate good from evil but rather focus one's consciousness on the inherent spiritual unity between two apparently disparate concepts. See birur. 2. (pl. yichudim): A specific spiritual exercise of this nature. 3.The spiritual state associated with the sefirah of Da'at. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Yichud. Yirah ("fear"): Yirah is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of gevurah. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Yirah. Yisrael Sabba ("Israel the Elder" [Aramaic]): Yisrael Sabba is the lower of the two primary partzufim which develop from the sefirah of chochmah (which together are referred to as the general partzuf of Abba). For further explanation see: Olam HaAtzilut--Yisrael Sabba. Yom Kippur ("Day of Atonement"): Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year, marked by fasting and teshuvah, particularly through confession of sin. Yom Tov ("A good day"): Yom tov is a festive holidays on which, with certain exceptions, weekday work is prohibited just as on Shabbat. Yud: Yud is the 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Subscribe today and receiv Waters ("lower and upper waters"): The Zohar (1:117a) predicted (two thousand years ago) the advances in civilization that would precipitate the state of affairs in our days and age. It states that in "the six-hundredth year of the sixth millennium" the "lower waters" of knowledge would burst forth throughout the world. The six-hundredth year of the sixth millennium corresponds roughly to the beginning of the scientific and industrial revolutions and the myriad of changes they have wrought in their wake. The ascent of the "lower waters" is considered a prelude to the descent of the "upper waters" of Divine knowledge that will engulf the world and unite with the "lower waters" during the time of Mashiach. Will (Ratzon): "Will" is the spiritual state associated with the lowest of the three heads of Keter. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Ratzon. Wisdom (Chochmah): "Wisdom" is the second of the ten sefirot, and the first power of conscious intellect within Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Chochmah. World (Hebrew: olam): A "World" is a spiritual level of creation, representing a rung on the continuum of consciousness or awareness of G-d. In general, there are four worlds: Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. In particular, however, these four worlds originate from a fifth, higher world, Adam Kadmon. All ten sefirot and twelve partzufim are manifest in each world; however, since there is a one-to-one correspondence between the worlds and the sefirot, a particular sefirah dominates in each world. For further explanation see: The Worlds of Abiya. Worlds: The lowest of the three dimensions in which everything exists, as taught by the Ba'al Shem Tov. See Souls. Vav: Vav is the 6th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Vav hachibur ("The connective vav"): Vav hachibur is the Hebrew letter vav when used as the conjunction "and." See vav. Vav hahipuch ("The transformative vav"): Vav hahipuch is the Hebrew letter vav when used in Biblical Narrative Hebrew to transform the tense of a verb from future to past. See vav. Vessels: See sefirah. Victory (Netzach): "Victory" is the seventh of the ten sefirot, and the fourth of the emotive attributes within Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Netzach. Vowel-letters: The four Hebrew letters: alef, hei, vav, yud, which can serve as vowels as well as consonants. As the source of speech is the plain voice articulated through vowels, these letters are considered the essential "origins" of Hebrew, and the Names of G-d composed solely of these consonants are considered His "essential" Names. Understanding (Binah): "Understanding" is the third of the ten sefirot, and the second conscious power of intellect in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Binah Unification (Da'at): "Unification" is the third and last conscious power of intellect in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Da'at. Ta'anug ("Pleasure"): Ta'anug is the spiritual state associated in particular with the second head of the keter. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Ta'anug. Ta'avah ("desire"): A ta'avah is a lust, desire, or passion. Tabernacle (Hebrew: miskan, "dwelling"): The tabernacle was the temporary, mobile Sanctuary (portable version of the Temple) constructed by the Jewish People during their journey in the desert from Egypt to the land of Israel, and which continued to serve in the land of Israel until the Holy Temple was constructed in Jerusalem. Taharah (ritual "purity"): Taharah is the spiritual state in which one purified himself from a specific degree of tumah (or from tumah altogether), and is thus allowed to enter areas or touch, be touched by, or consume things or food he otherwise may not. In general, the process of attaining taharah involves some type of reaffirmation of life, such as immersion in a mikveh. The spiritual correlate to taharah is optimistic elation or joy in the service of G-d. See tumah. Talmud ("learning"): The Talmud is the recension of the greater part of the oral Torah, comprising mostly legal but also much homiletic and even some explicitly mystical material. The Talmud comprises the Mishnah (mishnah, "repetition") and the Gemarah (gemorah, "completion"). The Mishnah is the basic compendium of the laws (each known as a mishnah) comprising the oral Torah, redacted by Rabbi Yehudah the Prince in the second century CE. The Mishnah was elaborated upon over the next few centuries in the academies of the Holy Land and Babylonia; this material is the Gemara. There are thus two Talmuds: the one composed in the Holy Land, known as the Talmud Yerushalmi ("The Jerusalem Talmud"), completed in the third century, and the more prevalent edition of the Talmud, which is considerably more extensive and accessible to analysis, known as the Talmud Bavli ("The Babylonian Talmud"), completed in the sixth century. Tamuz: Tamuz is the fourth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Tamuz. Also see the Hebrew Months. Tanach ("Bible"): Bible: the written Torah. The Bible comprises twenty-four books, divided into three sections: (1) the Torah ("teaching"), comprising the five books of Moses; (2) the eight books of the Prophets (Nevi'im, the first and second books of Samuel and Kings are considered one book, as are the twelve "minor" prophets); (3) the eleven books of the Writings (Ketuvim, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are considered one book, as are the two books of Chronicles). The Bible is therefore known in Hebrew as the Tanach, the abbreviation formed by the first letters of the names of these three sections. All the books of the Bible are authored by G-d, though transmitted through prophecy via the souls of the various prophets, who are known as the "authors" of the books themselves. Thus, every aspect of these texts contains infinite levels of meaning. If properly studied, they yield the profoundest insights available in any field of knowledge. Although the division of the Bible into chapters and verses is of medieval, non-Jewish origin, its use has become standard in all Jewish books. The traditional division is into non-numbered paragraphs (parshiot, sing. parashah) and verses. In addition, the Torah is divided into 54 sections (also parshiot), at least one of which is read each week in the synagogue. Tanna ("teacher"; pl. Tanaim): A Tanna is a sage of the Mishnaic period (20 - 200 CE) Tanya ("It has been taught"): Tanya is the first word and title of the fundamental work and most basic text of Chassidut, written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. (a daily lesson in Tanya is available on-line by Chabad-Lubavitch). Targum ("translation"): The Bible's traditional translation into Aramaic. Tav: Tav is the 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Tefilin ("phylacteries"): Tefilin are leather boxes containing specially written parchments, worn on the head and right arm by adult men during weekday morning prayer. Temimut ("sincerity"): 1. Temimut is earnestness and sincereity, either in one's conduct with his fellow men or in his connection to G-d. 2. Temimut is the spiritual state associated with the inner experience of the sefirah of hod. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Temimut. Temple (or "Holy Temple"; Hebrew: Beit HaMikdash, "House of the Sanctuary"): The Temple is the central sanctuary in Jerusalem which serves as the physical abode of the indwelling of G-d's Presence on earth and as the venue for the sacrificial service. The Temple is the focal point of one's spiritual consciousness. The first Temple was built by King Solomon (833 BCE) and destroyed by the Babylonians (423 BCE); the second Temple was built by Nehemiah (371-353 BCE), remodeled by Herod and destroyed by the Romans (70 CE); the third, eternal Temple will be built by Mashiach. Terumah ("Offering"): Terumah is the portion of one's crop which is given to the Priest (Kohen) as a gift. Teshuvah ("returning"): Teshuvah, is the return of the individual (or community), after a period of estrangement, to a state of oneness with and commitment to God and His Torah. There are in general two levels of teshuvah: 1. "lower teshuvah" entails the rectification of one's deeds in accordance with the Divine will. 2. "higher teshuvah" is the great love and passion to become subsumed within Divine Essence, a passion more intense than that of the tzadik. Tevet (or Teves): Tevet is the tenth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Tevet. Also see the Hebrew Months. Tevunah ("Comprehension"): Tevunah is the lower of the two primary partzufim which develop from the sefirah of binah (which together are referred to as the general partzuf of Imma). For further explanation see: Olam HaAtzilut--Tevunah. Tet: Tet is the 9th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Tiferet ("Beauty"): Tiferet is the sixth of the ten sefirot, and the third of the emotive attributes in creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Tiferet. Tikun ("rectification"): 1. A tikun is a state of perfection and order. 2. "The world of Tikun,"(olam hatikkun, "the world of rectified order") is the world that first manifests this state , which is synonymous with the world of Atzilut. 3. Tikun is the spiritual process of liberating and retrieving the fragments of Divine light trapped within the material realm, unconscious of G-d's presence, thereby restoring the world to its initially intended state of perfection. This is accomplished through the performance of mitzvot. (See Birur, Tohu.). 4. Tikun is a remedy prescribed against the effects of committing a sin. Tikkunim: plural of tikun. Tishah b'Av ("the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av"): Tishah b'Av is the fast day commemorating the catastrophic day in Jewish history when: 1) the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians; 2) the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans; 3) the Jews of Spain were given and ultimatum by the Inquisition--leave, convert or die; 4) World War I, the prelude of the Holocaust, began; and when may other calamities were visited upon the Jewish people. Tishrei: Tishrei is the seventh of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Tishrei. Also see the Hebrew Months. Tohu ("Chaos"): 1. Tohu is the primordial unrectified state of Creation. 2. "The world of Tohu" is the world which manifests this state, synonymous with the initial, premature form of the world of Atzilut. It itself develops in two stages: a stable form (Akudim) followed by an unstable form (Nekudim). The world of Tohu is characterized by "great lights" entering premature "vessels," resulting in the "breaking of the vessels" (shevirat hakelim). See Tikun. Torah ("Teaching"): 1. The Torah is the five books of Moses. 2. The entirety of Divine teaching and wisdom bestowed upon, and cultivated by, the Jewish People. "The Written Torah" is synonymous with the 24 holy writings that make up the Tanach, whereas "the Oral Torah" consists of those teachings which were originally conveyed orally but eventually had to be written in the form of the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash. 3. G-d's will and wisdom as communicated to man. It pre-existed creation, and G-d used the Torah as His blueprint in creating the world. G-d certainly communicated the teachings of the Torah in some form to Adam, who then transmitted them orally from generation to generation. However, G-d "officially" gave the Torah to mankind c. 1313 BCE (and during the ensuing 40 years) at Mt. Sinai through Moses. The Ten Commandments were pronounced in the presence of the entire Jewish People. G-d gave the Torah in two parts: the written Torah and the oral Torah. The written Torah originally consisted of the Five Books of Moses (the "Pentateuch"), the other books being added later (see Bible). The oral Torah was communicated together with the Five Books of Moses as an explanation of the laws and lore included in it. This material was later written down by the sages of the oral Torah in the form of the Talmud, the Midrash, and the Zohar. Torah-portion: A Torah portion is one of the fifty-four sub-sections into which the five books of Moses are divided for the purpose of the weekly reading in the synagogue. There are also special Torah-portions for the holidays. Tumah (ritual "impurity"): Tumah is a spiritual state contracted by someone or something under various circumstances and to various degrees, in which he is prohibited from entering various holy areas or touching, being touched by, or consuming various holy objects or foods. In general, the sources of tumah are in some way associated with death (or a missed chance for potential life) and the purification process involves some type of reaffirmation of life. The spiritual correlate to tumah is depression or despair. See taharah. Triangle: A triangle is the sum of all integers from 1 to a specified number. For exzmple, the triangle of five is: 5 = 1 plus 2 plus 3 plus 4 plus 5 = 15. Trope ("Cantillation marks"): The trope is the special diacritical marks found in Masoretic editions of the Written Torah which indicate both how the words are to be sung during communal reading and how the sentences are to be punctuated. Truth (emet): "Truth" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of yesod. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Emet. Tu b'Shevat ("The Fifteenth Day of Shevat"): Tu b'Shevat the fifteenth day of Shevat is the new year in regard to determining how fruit is to be tithed; the day upon which sap rises high into the tree and begins providing the fruit bearing branches with nutrients from the ground. Tzadik (Hebrew letter ): Tzadik is the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Tzadik ("Righteous" person; pl. Tzadikim): A tzadik is someone who has succeeded in fully overcoming the evil inclination of his animal soul (and has converted its potential into good) and who dedicates himself to spiritually elevating his people. There are in general three levels of the tzadik: 1. A "complete tzadik" (tzadik gamur) who not only vanquishes in full his innate evil inclination, but even transforms it into good (for which reason he is referred to as tzadik v'tov lo," a tzadik who possesses only good). 2. An "incomplete tzadik" (tzadik she'eino gamur) who has not yet completed the task of vanquishing his evil inclination, though he has mineralized it in essence (for which reason he is called a tzadik v'ra lo," a tzadik who [still] possesses [a bit of] evil). 3. A "relative tzadik" (tzadik b'shem hamushal, or tzadik b'din) whose merits exceed his liabilities (see Tanya, chapt. 1). Tzadik in peltz (a righteous man in furs" [Yiddush]): Tzadik in peltz is a depreciative term for someone who tends to his own spiritual well being while remaining oblivious to the spiritual needs of others. Tzadik Nistar ("concealed tzadik"; pl. tzadikim nistarim): A tzadik nistar is a hidden tzadik, whose righteousness remains unknown to his community. In every generation there are 36 tzadikim nistarim in addition to 36 revealed tzadikim. (see Leviatan and Behemot) Together they combine to form the 72 "bridges" (corresponding to the 72 Names of G-d) described in the Zohar as linking together the concealed and revealed worlds. It requires tremendous self sacrifice for a tzadik nistar to reveal himself to the world. This was first accomplished in full by the Ba'al Shem Tov. Tzadikim: plural of Tzadik. Tzeniut ("modesty"): Tzeniut is the norms of modest behavior, attitude, and dress prescribed by the Torah. Tzevakot: A Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Tzimtzum ("Contraction"): Tzimtzum is the concept of contraction and "removal" of God's infinite light in order to allow for creation of independent realities. The primordial tzimtzum produced the "vacated space" (chalal) devoid of direct awareness of God's presence. For further explanation see: Sod Ha'Tzimtzum. Safra d'Tzniuta ("The Book of Modesty"): Safra d'Tzniuta is a section of the Zohar. Sages (in Hebrew, "Chazal"): The "Sages" are the Rabbis of the Talmudic period. Their words--recorded in the Talmud, the Midrash and the Zohar--constitute the "Oral Torah." Samech: Samech is the 15th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Sason ("joy"): See Chedvah. Sabbath: See Shabbat. Seah: A seah is a unit of measure, equivalent to approximately 6 liters. Seder ("Order"): Seder is the festive meal eaten on the first night of Pesach. The liturgical text for this meal is called the Haggadah. Sefer HaChinuch ("The Book of Education"). Sefer Hachinuch is a popular medieval work that enumerates the 613 commandments of the Torah (based upon Maimonides' system of counting) and explains them both from a legal and a moral perspective. Sefer Yetzirah ("The Book of Formation"). Sefer Yetzirah, the very first classic text of Kabbalah, is attributed to Abraham. It was afterwards edited by Rabbi Akiva. This basic text, is of Kabbalah outlines the thirty-two paths of wisdom that function in the creative process. The thirty-two paths are comprised of: 1) The ten sefirot--the ten emanations of Divine light, which energize the creative process and define its parameters. 2) The twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet--the building blocks of creation and the channels through which Divine consciousness flows into creation. Sefirah (pl. "Sefirot"): A sefirah is a channel of Divine energy or life-force. It is via the sefirot that God interacts with creation; they may thus be considered His "attributes." There are altogether eleven sefirot spoken of in Kabbalistic literature. Inasmuch as two of them (keter and da'at) are two dimensions of a single force, the tradition generally speaks of only ten sefirot. Each sefirah also possesses an inner experience, as discussed in Chassidut. The order of the sefirot is as follows: Name Inner Experience keter "crown" faith pleasure will chochmah "wisdom," "insight" selflessness binah "understanding" joy da'at "knowledge" union chesed "loving-kindness love gevurah "strength," "mught" fear tiferet "beauty" mercy netzach "victory," "eternity" confidence hod "splendor," "thanksgiving" sincereity earnestness yesod "foundation" truth malchut "kingdom" lowliness Originally emanated as simple point-like forces, the sefirot at a certain stage develop into full spectrums of ten sub-sefirot. Subsequent to this, they metamorphose into partzufim. Sefirot are composed of "lights" and "vessels." The light of any sefirah is the Divine flow within it; the vessel is the identity that flow takes in order to relate to or create some aspect of the world in a specific way. Inasmuch as all reality is created by means of the sefirot, they constitute the conceptual paradigm for understanding all reality. For further explanation see: "The Ten Sefirot" and "The Powers of the Soul." Sefirat HaOmer ("counting the Omer"): The omer is a dry measure mentioned in the Torah, and refers specifically to the measure of barley offered in the Temple on the second day of Pesach. Beginning with this day, the Jew is commanded to count the next forty-nine days, after which, on the fiftieth day, falls the holiday of Shavuot. Sefirot: plural of sefirah. Self-nullification or Selflessness (Bitul): "Self-nullification" is the spiritual state associated with the inner experience of chochmah. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Bitul Semichah ("support"): Semichah is the act of pressing down on the head of an animal prior to offering it as a sacrifice; also, rabbinic ordination. Serafim ("fiery angels"): Serafim are the six-winged angels seen by Isaiah in his first prophetic vision of the heavenly throne; the angels occupying the world of Beriah. Sha'ashuim Atzmi'im ("The Delights of Self"): This is the first level of the revelation of God's inner light. Also called: Sha'ashuei Hamelech b'Atzmuto ("The Delights of the King in Himself"). For further explanation see: "Ten Stages of God's Infininte Light--Sha'ashuim Atzmi'im. Shabbat ("Sabbath"): Shabbat is the day of rest beginning sunset on Friday and ending at nightfall on Saturday. Shacharit ("morning"): Shacarit is the morning prayer service. Shakai: A Holy Name of God. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of God Shavuot ("weeks"): Shavuot is the yom tov celebrating the wheat harvest and commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Shavuot is the yom tov celebrating the wheat harvest and commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Shechinah ("indwelling"): The Shecinah is the immanent Divine Presence that inheres within the universe, corresponding to the sefirah of malchut, the "feminine" aspect of Divinity. Shekel ("weight"): A shekel is a weight measure of silver, equivalent to approximately 12.3 gram. Shema Yisrael ("Hear O' Israel"): The Shema Yisrael prayer (named after its opening words Shema Yisrael) is a compilation of three Biblical passages (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21, Numbers 15:37-41) beginning with this word, which we are commanded to recite twice daily. The first verse is the fundamental profession of monotheism, "Hear O' Israel, God is our God, God is one." The Shema has been incorporated into the morning and evening services as well as the prayer said upon retiring at night. When reciting the first sentence, we are intended to consider ourselves ready to give up our lives rather than deny the oneness of God. Shemini Atzeret ("The Eighth-day Gathering"): Shemini Atzeret is the festival occurring on the day immediately following the seven day Sukkot festival. See: Simchat Torah. Shemoneh Esrei ("Eighteen"): See Amidah. Shevat: Shevat is the eleventh of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Shevat. Also see the Hebrew Months. Shidduch ("match"): A Shidduch ia a match made between a man and woman. Shiflut ("lowliness"): Shiflut is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of malchut. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Shiflut. Shin: Shin is the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Shlita: Shlita is an abbreviation of the Hebrew expression: "May he live a long and good life, Amen," used when mentioning the name of a living rabbi or sage. Shmitah ("release"): The Shmitah is the sabbatical year, during which Jews in the Holy Land are bidden to cease working their fields. Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Rabbi: Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known as the Alter Rebbe ("the old Rabbi") (Elul 18 5505 [1745] - Tevet 24 5573 [1813]. Also known as The Rav and as Ba'al HaTanya. He was the founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch philosophy and trend within the Chassidic movement. Shofar ("ram's horn"): The shofar was blown (by God) at the giving of the Torah, is blown (by man) every Rosh HaShanah in fulfillment of God's commandment, expressing contrition and penitence, and will be again blown (by God) at the beginning of the Redemption to herald the arrival of Mashiach. Shulchan Aruch ("Set Table"): The Shulchan Aruch is the Code of Jewish Law, compiled and redacted by the Sefardic legalist, Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575). Simchah ("Joy" or "happiness"). Simchah is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of binah. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Simchah. Simchat Torah ("The rejoicing of the Torah"). Simchat Torah is the festival celebrating the culmination and resumption of the yearly cycle of communal Torah reading; observed in the Diaspora on the day after Shemini Atzeret, while in the land of Israel, it is observed concurrent with Shemini Atzeret. Sincerity (temimut): "Sincereity" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of hod. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Temimut. Sivan: Sivan is the third of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Sivan. Also see the Hebrew Months. Soul: The animating life or consciousness within man (or any other creature, see Sefer HaTanya, ch. 1). The Jew possesses an additional "Divine soul" which is focused on God's concerns in creation. Based on an ancient Midrashic source (Bereishit Rabbah 14:9) Kabbalah and Hassidism speak of five levels or gradations of the soul: 1) Nefesh ("creature" -- the lower soul) relates to behavior and action. 2) Ruach ("spirit") relates to the emotions. 3) Neshamah ("inner soul") relates to the mind and intelligence. 4) Chayah ("living one") relates to the bridge between the first flash of conscious insight and its super-conscious origin. Experiencing awareness of God as continually crating the world. 5) Yecidah ("single one") relates to the ultimate unity of the soul in God, as manifest by pure faith, absolute devotion and the continuous readiness to sacrifice one's life for God. Of all the teachings received from the Ba'al Shem Tov, perhaps none are as important or essential as the notion that: 1) the Jewish soul "is an actual portion of God above" (chelek Elokah me'mal). 2) a spark of the Mashiach is contained within each individual soul. Souls: The Ba'al Shem Tov taught that everything exists in three dimensions: Worlds, Souls, and Divinity. "Worlds" is the lowest, the physical dimension; "Souls" is the middle, the spiritual dimension; "Divinity" is the highest, Godly dimension. Sovev Kol Almin ("Encompassing all Worlds"): Sovev Kol Almin is the transcendent Divine energy that permeates the universe but eludes our conscious grasp. Splendor (Hod): "Splendor" is the eighth of the ten sefirot, and fifth of the emotive attributes in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Gevurah. Sukkah ("Hut"): A Sukkah is a temporary dwelling occupied during the festival of Sukkot in symbolic demonstration of our faith in God's providence. Sukkot ("Huts"): Sukkot is the 7-day festival celebrating the gathering of the harvest and commemorating the Divine protection afforded the children of Israel as they trekked through the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Rachamim (mercy): Rachamim is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of tiferet. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Rachamim. Rambam ("Maimonides"). Rambam is an acronym for "Rabbi Moses ben Maimon" (1135-1204). He was a famous 12th century scholar, philosopher and physician, best known for his 14 part compendium of Jewish law--Mishnah Torah. Ramban ("Nachmanides"): Ramban is an acronym for "Rabbi Moses ben Nachman," famous scholar and philosopher (1194-1270). Rasha ("Wicked person"): A rasha is a one who succumbs to his urge to do evil and commits a sin. He retains this status until he does teshuvah, at which point he becomes a ba'al teshuvah. Ratzon ("Will"): Ratzon is the spiritual state associated with the lowest of the three heads of Keter. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Ratzon. Rebbe ("My teacher"): 1. A Rebbe is a leader of a Chassidic group, often identified by the city where the branch of Chassidut which he heads originated. 2. Rebbe is a term used to describe or address a teacher of Torah. Reisha d'Arich ("the head of Arich [Anpin]" [Aramaic]): Reisha d'Arich is the lowest of the three "heads" of keter, synonymous with the partzuf of Arich Anpin. In psychological terms, super-conscious will. For further explanation see: Keter d'Atzilut--Reisha d'Arich. Reisha d'Ayin ("the head of nothingness" [Aramaic]): Reisha d'Ayin is the middle of the three "heads" of keter, related to the emotions of the partzuf of Atik Yomin. In psychological terms, super-conscious pleasure. For further explanation see: Keter d'Atzilut--Reisha d'Ayin. Reisha d'lo Ityada ([Aramaic]): Reisha d'lo Ityada is the highest of the three "heads" of keter, related to the keter and intellect of the partzuf of Atik Yomin. In psychological terms, super-conscious belief in G-d. For further explanation see: Keter d'Atzilut--Reisha d'lo Ityada. Resha'im (plural of rasha): Reish: Reish is the 20th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Rela Shearim ("231 Gates"): Rela Shearim are the 231 possible two (non-identical) letter combinations generated by the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see: "Ten Stages of G-d's Infinite Light--Kadmon." Reshimu ("Impression"): Reshimu is the residual impression of the infinite Divine light that G-d "withdrew" from Creation through the process of tzimtzum. For further explanation see: Sod HaTzimtzum. Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month"): Rosh Chodesh is the first day of the Jewish month, a day of celebration. For further explanation see: Living with the Times. Rosh HaShanah ("Head of the Year"): Rosh HaShana is the Jewish New Year commemorating the creation of the universe; a universal day of judgment. For further explanation see: Living with the Times--Tishrei. Ruach ("Spirit"): Ruach is the second of the five levels of soul, associated with the vitality of one's emotional life. See soul. Parashah ("section"; pl. parshiot): 1. A parashah is a paragraph in the written Torah according to the Masoretic text. These parshiot are either "open" (followed by a blank space which extends to the end of the line) or "closed" (followed by a blank space equal to the width of nine letters). 2. A parashah is also a sidrah ("order"): one of the fifty-four sections into which the Five Books of Moses are divided for the purpose of reading one of them in the synagogue each Shabbat. Thus, the entire Torah is read in full in the course of a year (it is sometimes necessary to read two on the same Sabbath). The parshiot are known by one or two of their opening words. Pardes ("Orchard"): A Pardes is an acronym for the four levels of interpreting a Torah text: "peshat," the simple meaning of the text; "remez," the hints and allusions within the text; "derush," the derivative implications of the text arrived at by way of hermeneutic rules; and sod, the symbolic and esoteric meaning of the text. Parsah: Parsah is a measure of distance equivalent to approximately 4.348 kilometers. Partzuf ("personae" or "profile"; pl. partzufim): A partzuf is the third and final stage in the development of a sefirah, in which it metamorphoses from a tenfold articulation of sub-sefirot into a human-like figure possessing the full set of intellectual and emotional powers. As such, it may thus interact with the other partzufim (which could not occur before this transformation). This stage of development constitutes the transition from Tohu to Tikun or from Nekudim to Berudim, (also see: Olam Ha'Atzilut, "The World of Emanation"). Pei: Pei is the 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Perek Shirah ("The Chapter of Song"): Perek Shirah is a Midrash composed of the various verses sung by each element in Creation. Periah ("peel back"): Periah is the second phase of the rite of circumcision, in which the membrane is peeled back after the foreskin has been cut off. See metzitzah, milah. Pesach ("Passover"): Pesach is the seven-day festival (eight days in the Diaspora) commemorating the liberation of the Jewish People from Egyptian slavery. Pesach Sheini ("Second Passover"): The festival of the Second Passover (Pesach Sheini) on the fourteenth day of the month. Normally, the Torah tells us to celebrate Passover on the fourteenth day of Nisan, the month before Iyar. But a person ritually impure or too far away from the Temple on the fourteenth of Nisan--and therefore unable to celebrate Passover by bringing a sacrifice to the Temple on that Pirkei Avot ("Chapters of the Fathers"): Pirkei Avot is the popular name for the Mishnaic collection referred to as Avot (?Fathers?), containing statements of ethical wisdom conveyed by various Talmudic Sages. Pleasure (Ta'anug): "Pleasure" is the spiritual state associated in particular with the second head of the keter. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Ta'anug. Priestly Blessing: The three verses blessing Israel (Numbers 6:24-26) recited daily by the Priests in the Temple as part of the morning liturgy. See Birkat Kohanim. Primordial Man: See Adam Kadmon. Ofanim ("the wheels"): Ofanim are the spiritual forces (angels) envisioned by Ezekiel as the wheels of the Divine chariot; the angels occupying the world of Asiyah. Olam Haba ("The World to Come"): The Sages distinguish between two phases of redemption: 1) Yemot Hamashiach ("messianic era") when the present laws of nature will still apply. Olam Haba ("World to Come") in which the nature of reality will be transformed. Olam Hamalbush ("The World of the Garment"): Olam Hamalbush is a figurative idiom, used by several disciples of the Arizal, to refer to the Divine "superplan" for all Creation before the tzimtzum of G-d's infinite light. In the Zohar, this level is alluded to in the phrase: "He engraved an engravement in the higher brilliance." In Chassidut this is elucidated by the phrase: "He conceived within Himself in potentia all that was destined to become actual." For further explanation see: Ten stages of G-d's Infinite Light before the beginning of the creative process--Kadmon. Olamot (Worlds): Olamot are the four primary realms of Creation that emerge out of G-d?s infinite light and culminate in our finite physical universe. For further explanation see: The Four Worlds (Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah). Omer: Omer is a dry measure mentioned in the Torah; the measure of barley brought as an offering on the second day of Pesach, after which the grain of the new harvest is permitted to be eaten; the 49 day period of counting from the time of this offering until the festival of Shavuot. See Sefirat HaOmer Onah ("time"): 1. A season or a period of time, a full night or full day. 2. The obligation of the husband to fulfill his wife's conjugal rights. Or ("light"): Or is commonly used metaphor for the Divine energy that generates and sustains the universe. Ma'or, Ziv, He'arah Or chozer ("Returning Light"): Or chozer is a reverberation of spiritual energy emanating from Creation in the direction of the Creator; a response to Or yashar. Orlah ("foreskin"): 1. The Torah commands us to circumcise the foreskin of a male child when he is eight days old. There are two stages to the circumcision process: See milah. 2. When the Jewish People plant fruit trees in the Land of Israel, the fruits of those trees are forbidden for the first three years, and are referred to as orlah, literally "foreskin." In the fourth year, the fruits must be brought up to Jerusalem, where they are eaten in purity and with praise of God. Only in the fifth year may the fruits be eaten freely in any location. God promises that if this commandment is kept, He will shower abundance upon the Jewish People. These laws are discussed in the weekly Torah portion of Kedoshim. Learn about the deeper meaning of orlah. Or la'goyim ("A light unto the nations"): In Isaiah's prophecy (Isaiah 49:6) Israel is called a "light unto the nations. For it is the primary responsibility of the Jewish people to bring the world to perfect peace, brotherhood, and harmony. A future without war, hunger or strife. Or makif karov ("close surrounding consciousness"): Or makif karov is the general level of consciousness corresponding to the chayah of the soul. Or makif rachok ("distant surrounding consciousness"): Or makif rachok is the general level of consciousness corresponding to the yechidah of the soul. Or pnimi ("inner consciousness"): Or pnimi is the The general level of consciousnes corresponding to the three lower levels of the soul. Or yashar ("Straight Light"): Or yashar is the Divine energy emanating from G-d in the direction of His Creation. Nachamu ("console"): 1. Tthe haftarah recited on the Shabbat following Tishah b'Av, so called after the first word of the passage recited (Isaiah 40:1-26). 2. The Shabbat on which this haftarah is recited. Nachmanides: See Ramban. Nefesh ("creature." "soul"): 1. Nefesh is the particular name of the lowest in the five levels of soul described in Kabbalah, associated with physical vitality. 2. The soul in general. See soul. Nehi: 1. An acronym for netzach, hod, yesod ("victory, splendor, foundation") 2. The third triad of sefirot, which together constitute the attributes of behavior (see Chabad, Chagat). Neilah ("Locking"): Neila is the final prayer service recited on Yom Kippur prior to the "locking of the gates of prayer." Nekudah ("point"): Nekudah is the Kabbalistic referent for an undeveloped and instable element of reality. Nekudim ("dotted," "spotted"): The second stage in the development of the world of Atzilut. Neshamah ("soul"): 1. The Neshama is the ?breath of life? that G-d breathed into the first man; the third of the five levels of soul, associated with the vitality of intelligence. 2.The third of the five levels of the soul. 3. The soul in general. See soul. Nesirah ("sawing off"): Nesirah is the process of separating Adam and Eve (who were initially created connected back to back) or their spiritual antecedents, Z'eir Anpin and Nukvei d'Z'eir Anpin, in order that they may unite as a couple. Netzach ("Victory"): Netzach is the seventh of the ten sefirot, and the fourth of the emotive attributes within Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Netzach. Nigleh (lit., "revealed"): The exoteric dimension of the Torah. Those parts of the Torah that address those aspects of man's relationship with G-d that are the same for all individuals (or classes of individuals, such as kohanim, kings, etc.). In its most narrow sense: Jewish law and its Talmudic process of derivation. Contrasted with "nistar" ("hidden"), the parts of the Torah that address personal or private aspects of man's relationship with G-d, the inner life of the soul, and so forth.--Nigleh Nissan: The first of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Nissan. Also see the Hebrew Months. Notrikun ("acronym"): Notrikun is a method of interpretation in which a word is seen as comprising the initials or main consonantal letters of another word or phrase. Nukvah d'Ze'ir Anpin ("The female of Ze'ir Anpin"). Nukvah d'Ze'ir Anpin is the partzuf of malchut. For further explanation see The World of Nukvah d'Ze'ir Anpin. Nun: Nun is the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Maggid of Mezerich ("The Preacher of Mezerich"): Rabbi Dov Ber disiple of the Ba'al Shem Tov, and mentor of the Alter Rebbe. Maimonides. (Rambam): See Rambam Malchut ("Kingdom"): Malchut is the last of the ten sefirot, and seventh of the emotive attributes in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Malchut. Mashiach ([or spelled Moshiach] "Anointed One," or "Messiah"): Mashiach, the Anointed One, the Great Peacemaker, and the Ultimate Leader, is a human being, the prophesied descendant of King David--Mashiach ben Dovid--who thanks to his leadership ability and knowledge of Torah, will gather the exiled Jewish People and bring them all back to Israel, will reinstate the Torah-ordained monarchy (which he will head), rebuild the Holy Temple, inspire the whole world to believe in one God, and usher in an era of all human beings living together in peace and brotherhood. This series of events (collectively called "the Redemption") will usher in an era of eternal, universal peace and true knowledge of God, called "the messianic era." There is also a prophesied messianic figure called Mashiach ben Yoseph, who will rectify certain aspects of reality in preparation for the advent of Mashiach ben Dovid. Mazal ("sign," pl. mazalot): 1. a spiritual conduit of Divine beneficence (from the Hebrew root "to flow" [nozel]). 2. specifically, the thirteen tufts of the "beard" of Arich Anpin 3. a physical embodiment of such a spiritual conduit, such as a star, planet, constellation, etc. 4. specifically, the twelve constellations of the zodiac. 5. According to our sages, the Jewish People are not under the influence of the mazalot (Shabbat 156a). The Ba'al Shem Tov teaches that the Divine "nothingness" itself is the true mazal of the Jewish People. Mazal Tov ("A good sign"): Mazal Tov is an expression of congratulations for the good fortune bestowed upon one from heaven. Melaveh Malkah ("escorting the queen"): A meal or celebration held on Motzaei Shabbat in honor of the departing Shabbat. Mem: Mem is the 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Menorah: The Menorah is the seven-branched candelabrum that was lit daily in the sanctuary of the Tabernacle and, afterwards, in the Holy Temple. Also employed in reference to the eight-branched candelabrum used in the Jewish home to hold the Chanukah lights. Mercy (rachamim): "Mercy" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of tiferet. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Rachamim. Mesorah ("tradition:): Mesoarh is the transmitted traditions which comprise the basis of Jewish law; also, specific traditions regarding the exact text of the Written Torah. Messiah See Mashiach. Metzitzah ("sucking"): The third phase of the rite of circumcision (milah) in which the one performing the circumcision sucks the blood off the just-circumcised organ. See milah, periah. Mezuzah ("Doorpost"): Mezuzah, commonly refers to the ritually written parchment which we are commanded to affix to our doorposts, on which are written the first two paragraphs of the Shema. Midah ("measure" or "attribute"): 1. an attribute of God. 2. specifically, one of the sefirot from chesed to malchut, in contrast to the higher sefirot of the intellect. 3. one of the thirteen attributes of mercy, which are part of the revelation of keter. Midot: (plural of midah). Midrash ("Seeking"; pl. Midrashim): The Midrash is the second major body of the oral Torah (after the Talmud), consisting of halachic or homiletic material couched as linguistic analyses of the Biblical text. An individual text of midrashic material is also called a Midrash. The Midrash is a corpus of many works written over the span of many centuries (roughly the second to the eighth CE), mostly in the Holy Land. The chief collection of homiletic midrashic material is the Rabbah ("great") series, covering the five books of Moses and the five scrolls. Other important collections are Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tehilim, Pirkei d?Rabbi Eliezer and Tana d?vei Eliahu. Several later collections contain material that has reached us in its original form. These include Midrash HaGadol and Yalkut Shimoni. There are many smaller, minor midrashim, as well; some of these are to be found in the collection Otzar HaMidrashim. Halachic Midrashim include the Mechilta, the Sifra and the Sifrei. Might (Gevurah): "Might" is the fifth of the ten sefirot, and second of the emotive attributes in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Gevurah. Mikveh ("a gathering of water"): A Mikveh is either a natural body of water or a specially-constructed pool used for ritual purification rites. See tumah and taharah. Mil. A Mil is a measure of distance, equivalent to approximately 1.087 kilometers. Milah ("circumcision"): 1. the rite of circumcision, performed on a Jewish boy on the eighth day after his birth. 2. specifically, the first phase of this rite in which the foreskin is cut. See metzizah, periah. Minchah ("offering"): The afternoon prayer service. Minyan ("Quorum"): A minyan is an assembly of ten men required for communal prayer. Mishnah ("Repetition"): The Mishnah is a six part review of Jewish law compiled in the 2nd century, which served as the focus of Talmudic interpretation; also, a single passage from that work. See Talmud. Mishnah Torah ("Repetition of the Torah "): The Mishnah Torah is the Rambam's systematization of the Oral Torah . Mitzvah ("commandment"; pl. mitzvot): 1. One of the six hundred thirteen commandments given by God to the Jewish People, or seven commandments given by God to the nations of the world, at Mt. Sinai. 2. one of the seven commandments instituted by the sages. 3. idiomatically, any good deed. Mitzvot: (plural of mitzvah). Mocha Stima'ah ("the hidden brain" [Aramaic]): The chochmah of Arich Anpin. In psychological terms, the power to generate new insight. For further explanation see: Partzufei Ha'Keter--Mocha Stima'ah. Mochin d'Abba ("brains of Abba" [Aramaic]): A state of consciousness, mentality, or cognitive life-force in which one experiences chochmah, or insight. Mochin d'Ima ("brains of Imma" [Aramaic]): A state of consciousness or mentality, or cognitive life-force in which one experiences binah, or understanding or rationality. Modeh Ani ("I Acknowledge"). Modeh Ani is the name of a thanksgiving prayer recited upon awakening each morning. Molad ("time of birth"): The time when the moon begins its monthly cycle. Moshiach See Mashiach. Motzaei Shabbat ("the outgoings of the Sabbath"): The night after the termination of Shabbat; Saturday night. M'malai kol almin ("filing all worlds"): M'malai kol almin the immanent Divine energy that vitalizes all elements within Creation and is thus accessible to conscious thought. Mum: A mum is a blemish, particularly in regard to priests and animals designated for ritual sacrifice. Musaf ("additional"): Musaf the additional prayer service recited on Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Yom Tov. Lamed: The 12th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Also see: Alef-Beit Significances;The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Lamed-vavnik ([Yiddish]): One of the thirty-six tzadikim in every generation in whose merit the world exists. The numerical value of the two Hebrew letters lamed and vav is thirty-six. Lecha Dodi ("Come, my beloved"): A hymn recited as part of Kabbalat Shabbat. Levi ("Levite"; pl. Leviim): A Levi is a descendant of Levi, the son of Jacob (excluding the priestly descendants of Aaron), whose role was to assist the Kohen in the Temple. Leviathan: Leviathan is the name of an archetypal sea-creature, which is destined to wage battle against the Behemoth, only to be consumed by the righteous at the end of days; an animal of "the sea" (a symbol for the concealed realm), it symbolizes the category of righteous souls who are concealed in this world (and whose essential "occupation" in Torah is in its concealed aspect, the Kabbalah--esoteric tradition). (See Behemoth, as well as tzadik nistar). Levush (Garment; pl. levushim): Levush is one of the three primary "expressions" of the inner powers (the enclothed "limbs") of the soul (or "supernal sefirot")--thought, speech and action. While the inner powers of the soul are seen to correspond to the sefirot in the world of Atzilut, the three "garments" of thought, speech and action are understood to correspond to the three lower worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah--respectively. Lights: See sefirah. Love (Ahavah): "Love" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of chesed. For further explanation see The Powers of the Soul: Ahavah Lovingkindness (Chesed): "Lovingkindness" is the fourth of the ten sefirot, and the first of the emotive attributes within Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Chesed. Lowliness (shiflut): "Lowliness" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of malchut. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Shiflut. Lubavitch ("city of Love" [Russian]): The town that served as the center of the Chabad movement from 1812 to 1915; the movement became known also after the name of this town. Lubavitcher Rebbe: The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (11 Nissan 1902 - 3 Tamuz 1994), was the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad dynasty. The Rebbe is widely acknowledged as the greatest Jewish leader of the second half of the 20th century, a dominant scholar in both the revealed and hidden aspects of Torah. He was admired and respected worldwide, by both Jews and non-Jews alike. The Rebbes fluency in many languages and his expertise in all facets of human experience -- from the spiritual and emotional to the scientific and technological -- drew tens of thousands from throughout the world to consult with him at his New York headquarters. With his extraordinary love and concern for every Jew on the planet, the Rebbe sent thousands of emissaries around the globe, dedicated to strengthening Judaism in the four corners of the earth. Lubavitcher: 1. someone from the town of Lubavitch. 2. [someone or something] belonging to or of the Chabad movement. Lulav ("palm branch"): A Lulav is one of the four species taken up and ritually shaken on the holiday of Sukkot. It is bound up with two other species--the hadas ("myrtle branch") and the aravah ("willow branch"). These species are held together with the Etrog during the performance of the ritual. Luria, Rabbi Isaac: See Ari. Kabbalah ("receiving" or "tradition"): Kabbalah is the esoteric dimension of the Torah. Kabbalat Shabbat ("welcoming the Sabbath"): The series of psalms and hymns, etc. recited as a prelude to the Friday night prayer service, to mark the onset of the Sabbath. Kaddish (pl. Kaddishim): The Kaddish is a prayer sanctifying G-d's Name which is used to signal passage from one stage to another of the liturgy. Kaf: Kaf is the 11th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Kah (Yud Hei): A Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Kal veChomer: One of the thirteen hermeneutical methods, in which conclusions are reached by reasoning a fortiori. Kav ("line"): The ray of light beamed into the vacated space created in consequence of the tzimtzum. For further explanation see: Sod Ha'Tzimtzum--Kav. Kavanah ("intention"): 1. the intention or ideas with which one meditatively imbues his actions. 2. a specific idea so used. Kavanot: (plural of kavanah). Kedushah ("Holiness"): See Yabok. Kehunah (The "Priesthood"): (See Kohen). Kel: A Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Kelipah ("Shell"; pl. Kelipot): Kelipah is the figurative "husk" of evil that surrounds and conceals the sparks of Divine light distributed throughout the universe. Keter ("Crown"): Keter is the first of the ten sefirot. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Keter. Ketubah ("written"): The Jewish marriage contract. Kiddush: ("Sanctification"): Kiddush is the ritual performed on the Sabbath and festival days, consisting of a liturgical text recited over a full cup of wine which is then drunk. Kingdom (Malchut): "Kingdom" is the last of the ten sefirot, and seventh of the emotive attributes in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Malchut. Kipah: A Kipah is a skullcap worn by Jewish males. Kislev: Kislev is the ninth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Kislev. Also see the Hebrew Months. Kittel ("small coat"): A white linen robe worn on Yom Kippur. Knowledge (Da'at): "Knowledge" is the third and last conscious power of intellect in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Da'at. Kohen ("Priest"; pl. kohanim): A kohen is a descendant of Aaron the High Priest (brother of Moses), whose role is to officiate at the various rites performed in the Temple. Kosher ("fit" or "proper"): 1. Kosher "fit," used of anything in the sense of "proper" or "good." 2. Iin reference to food, used to mean complying with the requirements of Jewish dietary laws. Kuf: Kuf is the 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Joy or happiness (Simchah): "Joy" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of binah. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Simchah. Imma ("Mother"): Imma is the partzuf of binah For further explanation see Olam Ha'Atzilut--Imma. Imma Ila'ah (the higher mother): Imma Ila'ah is the higher of the two primary partzufim which develop from the sefirah of binah. For further explanation see Olam Ha'Atzilut--Imma Ila'ah. In velt, oys velt ("In the world, outside the world"): In velt, oys velt is a Yiddish phrase conveying the Chassidic ideal of being grounded on the physical plane of reality while simultaneously maintaining a spiritual consciousness which transcends the confines of the material realm. Israel: Israel is an additional name given the patriarch Jacob and, by extension, the entire Jewish People. Israelite: An Israelite is a Jew who is neither a Kohen (priest) nor a Levi (Levite). Iyar: Iyar is the second of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Iyar. Also see the Hebrew Months. Imma ("Mother"): Imma is the partzuf of binah For further explanation see Olam Ha'Atzilut--Imma. Imma Ila'ah (the higher mother): Imma Ila'ah is the higher of the two primary partzufim which develop from the sefirah of binah. For further explanation see Olam Ha'Atzilut--Imma Ila'ah. In velt, oys velt ("In the world, outside the world"): In velt, oys velt is a Yiddish phrase conveying the Chassidic ideal of being grounded on the physical plane of reality while simultaneously maintaining a spiritual consciousness which transcends the confines of the material realm. Israel: Israel is an additional name given the patriarch Jacob and, by extension, the entire Jewish People. Israelite: An Israelite is a Jew who is neither a Kohen (priest) nor a Levi (Levite). Iyar: Iyar is the second of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Iyar. Also see the Hebrew Months. Gaon ("genius" or "excellency): Gaon is the title of the sages who lived during the post-Talmudic period (roughly 7th to 11th centuries). This period is thus known as the "Gaonic" period. Gedulah ("greatness"): A synonym for chesed. Gematria (Hebrew Numerology): Gematria is a system for calculating the numerical equivalence of letters, words, and phrases. This system is used for the purpose of gaining insight into interrelating concepts. For further explanation see: The Art of Gematria. Gerah: A gerah is a type of coin, equivalent to approximately 0.64 gram of silver. Gevurah ("Might"): Gevurah is the fifth of the ten sefirot, and second of the emotive attributes in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations -- Gevurah. Gezerah Shavah ("equal category"): Gezerah Shavah is one of the thirteen hermeneutical methods of the Torah, in which two concepts or cases are compared on the basis of terminology common to both. Gevurot: (plural of gevurah): Gilah (joy): See Chedvah. Gimmel: Gimmel is one of the 3rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Gulgalta ("the skull" [Aramaic]): Gulgalta is the keter of Arich Anpin. In psychological terms, the interface between pleasure and will, which serves as the origin of the super-conscious will. For further explanation see: Partzufei Ha'Keter--Gulgalta. gilgul ashmadai demon Faith (Emunah): "Faith" is the spiritual state associated with the inner experience of the highest of the three "heads" of keter, the riesha dlo ityada ("unknowable head"). For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Emunah. Fear (yirah): "Fear" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of gevurah. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Yirah. Foundation (Yesod): "Foundation" is the ninth of the ten sefirot, and the sixth of the emotive attributes. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Yesod. Echad ("One"): Echad means unity as it expresses itself in the totality of being. For further explanation see: Ten stages of G-d's Infinite Light--Echad Ehevi: A Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Ekyeh: A Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Elokah: A Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Elokim: A Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Elul: The sixth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Elul. Also see the Hebrew Months. Emet ("truth"): Emet is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of yesod. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Emet. Emunah ("faith"): 1. Emunah is the spiritual state associated with the inner experience of the highest of the three "heads" of keter, the riesha dlo ityada ("unknowable head"). 2. the belief that no matter what G-d does, it is all ultimately for the greatest good, even if it does not appear so to us presently. See bitachon. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Emunah. Eretz Yisrael ("The land of Israel."): Etrog ("the citron fruit"): The Etrog is one of the four species taken up on the holiday of Sukkot. See Lulav. Etz Chaim ("The Tree of Life"): Etz Chaim is a key symbol in the Kabbalah for the unfolding structure of reality. Etzem v'hitpashtut (Essence and extension): Etzem v'hitpashtut one of two fundamental dynamics in Creation, implying the extension of Divine energy and lifeforce from its source (etzem) into the domain of Creation (see he'elem v'gilui). Da'at ("Knowledge"): 1. Da?at is the third and last conscious power of intellect in Creation, counted as one of the ten sefirot when keter, the superconscious, is not counted. 2. the unifying force within the ten sefirot For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Da'at. Dalet: Dalet is the 4th of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Deveikut: ("clinging"): Deveikut is a state of union wherein two parties lose awareness of themselves as separate entities and experience themselves as one undifferentiated essence. Deveikut may occur both between the soul and G-d, as it is written, "and you who cling unto G-d your G-d?" (Deuteronomy 4:4) and between husband and wife, as it is written, "?and cling unto his wife" (Genesis 2:24). Din ("judgement"): 1. a synonym for gevurah. 2. (pl. dinim, "judgements") a manifestation of this attribute. 3. a synonym for kal vechomer. Dinim ("judgements"): plural of din (second sense). Divinity: The highest of the three dimensions in which everything exists, as taught by the Ba'al Shem Tov. Also see Souls and Worlds. Chabad: 1. Chabad is an acronym for Chochmah--Binah--Da'at ("Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge"), the three sefirot associated which constitute the "intellect," (see Chagat, Nehi). 2.The name of a branch of Chassidut founded by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, emphasizing the role of the intellect and meditation in the service of G-d, Chafifah ("washing"): The cleansing a woman must perform prior to immersion in a mikveh. Chagat: 1. An acronym for chesed, gevurah, tiferet ("loving-kindness, strength, beauty"); 2. The second triad of sefirot, which together constitute the primary emotions (see Chabad, Nehi). Challah ("Dough"): Challah is braided loaves traditionally eaten at Shabbat and Festival meals. Chanukah ("Dedication"): Chanukah (also spelled: Hanukah) is the 8-day festival celebrating the rededication of the Temple after its defilement by the Greeks. Chashmal ("electrum"): Chashmal is a fiery radiance identified in the vision of Ezekiel as surrounding the Divine countenance seated upon the heavenly chariot; interpreted in Chassidic thought as the dynamic of "silent speech." Chasadim: Plural of chesed (second sense). Chassid ("pious one," "kind one"): An adherent to the teachings of Chassidut; specifically, the follower of a chassidic leader (Rebbe). Chassidim: Plural of chassid. Chassidut ("Piety" or "lovingkindness"also called "Chassidism"): 1. An attribute or way of life that goes beyond the letter of the law. 2. The movement within Judaism founded by Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem Tov, the purpose of which is to awaken the Jewish People to its own inner self through the inner dimension of the Torah and thus to prepare the way for the advent of Mashiach. 3. The oral and written teachings of this movement. Chatoteret ("Hunchback"): Chatoteret is the arch connecting the Hebrew letters vav and zayin into the form of the letter chet. Chayah ("The living one): Chayah, is the second highest of the five levels of soul. See soul. Chayot ("Living beings"): Chayot are the four-winged angels seen by Ezekiel in his vision of the Divine chariot. These angels occupy the world of Yetzirah. Chayut ("Lifeforce"): Chayut is the essential vitality of the soul. Chedvah (Joy): Of the many synonyms in the Torah for joy, chedvah appears as the first of a group of four which are seen to correspond to a four stage process of the manifestation of joy in the soul. The four are: Chedvah, gilah, simchah, sason. Chedvah, from the root chad, meaning "sharp" or "unitary," describes the initial "point" of joy, which as a laser beam pierces through one's hitherto unelated state of consciousness. Gilah, from the root gal, meaning "to reveal," describes the full revelation of joy as contained within one?s heart (as expressed by the frequent idiom in Torah: yagel libi--"my heart shall be joyous"). Simchah is the level of joy that "breaks out" of the confines of one?s inner consciousness to express itself in the motions of one's outer limbs (e.g. clapping or dancing). Of Simchah, it is said: "simchah breaks through all fences." Finally, when one reaches the epitome of joy, his moment of ecstasy is referred to as sason, whose root sas, which can be read as shesh (six), refers in Kabbalah to the sixth emotion of the heart, the yesod or brit, which experiences the epitome of joy in the union of spirit and matter. (Of the brit it is said: "I am elated [sas] over Your sayings as one who discovers great booty" [Psalms 119:162]). The four stages of this process correspond to the "four worlds" of joy (patterned upon the four worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah). Cherubim (from the word kruv, which means (from Aramaic) "as a baby"): 1. The first place that the cherubim appear in the Torah is after Adam and Eve are evicted from the Garden of Eden. The cherubim assumed a fearful role at the entrance to the Garden--along with the fiery, turning sword--to ensure that Adam would not re-enter the Garden, eat from the Tree of Life and eternalize the primordial sin. In this context, the cherubim are a type of angel. 2. The Torah refers to two golden (baby-faced) cherubim sculpted atop of the Ark of the Covenant that sat in the Tabernacle's inner sanctum, the Holy of Holies. In dictating their design and arrangement, God tells Moses: "and their faces, each toward the other [lit., (like) a man toward his brother]." While the Holy Ark contains the Torah--God's eternal wisdom--His voice and ongoing directives emanate from between the joined wingtips of the two cherubim, who symbolize the consummate love of delights between God and the people of Israel. By appearing as male and female, the cherubim alluded to the Kabbalistic identification of transmitter and receiver as the male and female forces operating within reality. Also see: The Cherubim: Symmetrical Innocence in Union Chesed ("Lovingkindness"): Chesed is the fourth of the ten sefirot, and the first of the emotive attributes within Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Chesed. Chesed Chinum: ("undeserved chesed"). Cheshvan: Chesvan is the eighth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Cheshvan. Also see the Hebrew Months. Chet: Chet is the 8th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Chilufei Otiyot (interchanging of letters): The term chilufei otiyot (lit. "the interchanging of letters") refers to any one of the alphabetic transformation systems described in the Kabbalah. Each system by itself is referred to as an alef-beit. In Sefer Yetzirah, 22 such alef-beits are described (as the logically ordered basis of all the two-letter subroots of the Hebrew language; see Rela she?arim). The six most common transformation systems are: Al-bam, At-bash, Ach-bi, Ayik-becher, Achas-beta, and At-bach. See Alphabetic transformation. Chochmah ("Wisdom"): Chochmah is the second of the ten sefirot, and the first power of conscious intellect within Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Chochmah. Chupah ("canopy"): The canopy under which the Jewish wedding ceremony takes place. Cohen ("priest"; pl, Cohanim): See Kohen Confidence (bitachon): "Confidence" is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of netzach. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Bitachon Cubit: Cubit is a unit of measure, variously identified as equivalent to 48 or 60 centimeters. Crown (keter): "Crown" is the first of the ten sefirot. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Keter. Ba'al Shem ("Master of the Name"): Ba'al Shem is a term used to refer to a spiritual healer, especially in Eastern Europe before and during the period of the Ba'al Shem Tov; implies that he healed through the power of the Divine Name of God. Ba'al Shem Tov ("Master of the Good Name [of God]"): Ba'al Shem Tov was the title given to Rabbi Yisrael ben Eliezer (1698-1760), the founder of Chassidic movement. God's "good Name" refers in particular to the Name Akvah whose numerical value is equal to 17, tov ("good"). This Name is associated in Kabbalah with the Divine power to "unite heaven and earth" (for it first appears in the opening verse of Creation as the initial letters of et hashamayim v'et ha'aretz-- "the heavens and the earth"), the power to connect the spiritual realm to its physical counterpart and thereby heal all physical ailments. In Divine service, this corresponds to the fundamental ideal of Chassidism, the ability to simultaneously "exist" on two planes of reality--the spiritual and the physical. Ba'al Teshuvah ("Returnee"): One who returns to the ways of Judaism and adherence to Jewish law after a period of estrangement. Often used in contrast to a tzadik, who has not undergone such a period. The ba'al teshuvah strives continually to ascend, return and become subsumed within God's essence; the tzadik strives primarily to serve God by doing good deeds and thus drawing His light into the world. Ideally these two paths are meant to be interincluded, i.e. that every Jew should embody both the service of the ba'al teshuvah and that of the tzadik, as well. See also teshuvah. Baraita ("external [material]"; pl. baraitot): A Baraita is a Tannaitic tradition or teaching not included in the Mishnah; just as there are 60 tractates of Mishnah, there are according to tradition 80 tractates of Baraita. This is alluded to in the verse from Song of Songs (6:8): "60 are the queens and 80 the concubines." See Talmud. Bar-Mitzvah. "one [who is obligated to perform the] commandment"; fem. bat-mitzvah): The status of coming under full obligation to perform all mitzvot. A Jewish man attains this status at the age of thirteen, a woman at the age of twelve. Bashert ("predestined" [Yiddish]): 1. as an adjective, refers to anything clearly occurring as a result of Divine providence. 2. as a noun, one's predestined soul mate. Bat-Mitzvah: Feminine of Bar-Mitzvah. Beauty (tiferet): "Beauty" is the sixth of the ten sefirot, and the third of the emotive attributes within Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations -- Tiferet. Behemot (Behemoth): Behemot is the name of an archetypal beast destined to wage battle against the Leviathan, only to be consumed by the righteous at the end of days; an animal of "dry land" (a symbol for the revealed realm), it symbolizes the category of righteous souls who are revealed as such in this world (and whose essential "occupation" in Torah is in its revealed aspect--the halachah--revealed law). Beinoni ("Intermediate one"; pl. beinonim): A Beinoni is someone who still possesses an evil urge but controls it and does not sin. There are many levels of beinonim, from the one who is in a continuous conscious state of battle in order to overcome his evil inclination, to the one so engrossed in his Divine service of Torah and mitzvot that he is virtually unaware of the evil inclination dormant in him. Also see tzadik, rasha. Beit: Beit is the 2nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Beriah (Olam Ha'Beriah--"The World of Creation"): Beriah is the second of the four worlds of Creation. For further explanation see: The World of Beriah. Berudim (patterned," "speckled"): The third, final stage in the development of the world of Atzilut. Synonymous with the world of Tikun. For further explanation see: Olam Ha'Brudim. Biah ("coming"): An idiom for marital relations. Bible: see Tanach. Binah ("Understanding"): Binah is the third of the ten sefirot, and the second conscious power of intellect in Creation. For further explanation see: The Divine Emanations--Binah Birkat Kohanim [also spelled Cohanim] ("The Priestly Blessing"): Birkat Kohanim consists of the three verses of blessings (for which reason it is called the berachah meshuleshet--"triple blessing"), found in Numbers 6:24-26, which were recited by the kohanim during the Temple service (where God's ineffable Name was enunciated), and later were incorporated into the daily prayers. In relation to the account of Creation, and the Ten Commandments given at Sinai, which are seen to correspond to the two general principles of hishtalshelut (the "evolutionary" creative process) and hitlabshut (the actual "enclothement" and manifestation of Divine lifeforce within mundane reality), Birkat Kohanim represents the third principle of hashra'ah (the very essence of Divinity "inspiring" and blessing all of reality). The text of Birkat Kohanim is often regarded as the "pearl" of the Written Torah, due to the beauty of the dual-progression inherent in its structure: its three verses are composed of 3, 5 and 7 words respectively, containing 15, 20 and 25 letters respectively. (The progression of words begins with 3, the number of blessings; the progression of letters begins with 15, the number of words.). Birur ("separation," "choosing," or "refinement"): A birur is a type of tikun in which one must work to separate good from evil in any given entity, and then reject the evil and accept the good. This may be done actively or in one's consciousness. Birur usally refers to the spiritual process of clarifying and redeeming the "fallen sparks" of Divine light which are "dormant" throughout nature. As a physical act, relevant to the laws of Shabbat, there are two forms of birur, extracting the food from the waste, or removing the waste from the food. Also see yichud. Bitachon ("confidence"): 1. the feeling of confidence in one's God-given power to take initiative and succeed in one's mission in life. See emunah. 2. ("trust"): the feeling that God will orchestrate events in accord with the greatest revealed good. This passive bitachon is associated with the sefirah of hod. 3. Bitachon is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of netzach. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Bitachon. Bitul ("self-nullification," "selflessness," or annihilation): 1. Any number of states of selflessness or self-abnegation. 2. Bitul is the spiritual state associated with the inner experience of chochmah. For further explanation see: The Powers of the Soul--Bitul Brit ("Covenant"): Brit, is the male organ associated with Brit Milah ("the covenant of circumcision"). Breslov: Breslov is the name of the town in the Ukraine where Rebbe Nachman spent most of the last eight years of his life. Rebbe Nachman once said that BReSLoV has the same letters as the Hebrew words LeV BaSaR, the "heart of flesh" -- every Jew should have -- as in the prophecy of Ezekiel (36:26): 'I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.' Breslov, Rabbi Nachman: Rabbi Nachman was the great grandson of Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem Tov, and founder of Breslov Chassidut over two hundred years ago. Abba (Father): Abba is the general partzuf of chochmah ("wisdom"), the first conscious power in the soul. For further explanation see Olam Ha'Atzilut--Abba. Abba Ila'ah (the higher Father): Abba Ila'ah is the higher of the two primary partzufim which develop from the sefirah of chochmah (and which together are referred to as the general partzuf of Abba). For further explanation see Olam Ha'Atzilut--Abba Ila'ah. Ach-bi: Ach-bi is a method of alphabetic transformation. For further explanation see: Alphabetic transformation -- chilufei otiyot.. Achas-beta: Achas-beta is a method of alphabetic transformation. For further explanation see: Alphabetic transformation -- chilufei otiyot.. Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man; abbr. as Ak): Adam Kadmon is the first partzuf. For further explanation see: The World of Adam Kadmon.. Adar: Adar is the twelfth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Adar. Also see the Hebrew Months. Adnut: Adnut is a Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Ahavah ("love"): Ahavah is the spiritual state associated with the sefirah of chesed. For further explanation see The Powers of the Soul: Ahavah. Ahavat Yisrael: Ahavat Yisrael is the love of the people of Israel. For further explanation see: Between Man and His Neighbor. AK (abbr. for Adam Kadmon - Primordial Man): See Adam Kadmon. Akudim ("bound," "striped"): Akudim is the first stage in the development of the world of Atzilut. For further explanation see: Olam Ha'Akudim. Akvah: Akvah is a Holy Name of G-d. For further explanation see: Eleven Holy Names of G-d. Al-bam: Al-bam is a method of alphabetic transformation. For further explanation see: Alphabetic transformation -- chilufei otiyot. . Alef: Alef is the 1st letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Alef-beit (the Hebrew alphabet): The Hebrew Alphabet consists of twenty-two letters--eighteen consonants and four letters which serve both as consonants and vowels (alef, hei, vav, yud ). Five letters (kaf, mem, nun, pei, tzadik) take on an additional script-form when positioned at the end of a word. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Amidah (The "Standing" prayer): The Amidah is the center core and highest point of every prayer service. In the progression of the prayer service it corresponds to the supreme world of Atzilut. It is recited as a silent devotion while standing, feet together, facing Jerusalem. The weekday version consists of nineteen blessings of praise, supplication and thanksgiving to G-d Almighty (is also known as the Shemoneh Esrei). The Sabbath and holiday versions consist of seven blessings, and the version of the Musaf of Rosh HaShanah consistis of nine. Anavah ("humility"): Unpretensciousness; the third of the four stages in the nullification of the ego Ari or Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria): Ari is an acronym for "the G-dly Rabbi Yitzchak [Luria Ashkenazi], of blessed memory." (1534-1572), who was a central figure of Kabbalah whose teachings form the core of Kabbalistic doctrine and the basis for understanding the Zohar. He received and conveyed revolutionary new insights into the wisdom of Kabbalah. The primary "innovations" which he introduced in his exposition of Kabbalah consist of the following four concepts: Tzimzum, Shvira and Tikkun, Hitlabshut Partzufim, Avodat Haberuruim. His teachings were recorded primarily by Rabbi Chaim Vital (1543-1620), whose writings have reached us in several versions: For further explanation see: Three Stages in the Evolution of Kabbalistic Thought Arich Anpin ("The Long Face" or "The Infinitely Patient One"): Arich Anpin is the external partzuf of keter. For further explanation see: Worlds--Partzufei Ha'Keter: Arich Anpin Arvit ("evening"): The night prayer service. Ashrei ("Happy is"): Ashrei the opening word of Psalms; a prayer recited three times a day, consisting of Psalm 145 preceded by two other verses beginning with the word Ashrei and one additional concluding verse. Ashuritic script: Ashuritic script is the sacred Hebrew script used in the ritual writing of Torah scrolls as well as Tefilin and mezuzah parchments. Asiyah (Olam Ha'Asiyah--"The World of Action"): Asiyah the lowest of the four worlds of Creation. For further explanation see: The World of Asiyah (Olam Ha'Asiyah). At-bach: At-bach is a method of alphabetic transformation. For further explanation see: Alphabetic transformation -- chilufei otiyot.. At-bash: At-bash is a method of alphabetic transformation. For further explanation see: Alphabetic transformation -- chilufei otiyot.. Atik: Short for Atik Yoimin. Atik Yomin ("The Ancient of Days"): Atik Yomin is the inner partzuf of keter, For further explanation see: Worlds--Partzufei Ha'Keter: Atik Yomin. Atika Kadisha ("The Holy Ancient of One" [Aramaic]): In some contexts, this term is a synonym for Atik Yomin; in others for keter in general. Atzilut ("Emanation"): Atzilut is the first and highest of the four worlds of Creation. For further explanation see: The World of Atzilut.. Atzmut (G-d's Absolute Essence): For further explanation see: Ten stages of G-d's Infinite Light--Atzmut. Av: Av is the fifth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar. For further explanation see "Living With the Times"--The Month of Av. Also see the Hebrew Months. Ayik-becher: Ayik-becher is a method of alphabetic transformation. For further explanation see: Alphabetic transformation -- chilufei otiyot.. Ayin (Hebrew letter): Ayin is the 16th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For further explanation see Alef-Beit Significances. Also see: The Mystical Significance of the Hebrew Letters (including an image and audio pronunciation of each letter). Ayin (Nothingness): For further explanation see: Ten stages of G-d's Infinite Light. yiddish iddish ABE m English, Short of ABRAHAM ABRAHAM m English, , Dutch, , Latin This name may be viewed either as meaning "father of many" in or else as a contraction of ABRAM (1) and (hamon) "many, multitude" ADAM m English, French, German, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian, , Arabic, , Latin, Greek, This is the word for "man" ADARA f "noble" in ADENA f Possibly a of ADINA ADI (1) ?? f & m "jewel" or "ornament" in ADINA ??? m & f "slender, delicate" in ADVA f "small wave, ripple" in AHARON m , of AARON AHAVA f "love" in AHUVA f "beloved" in AKIBA ??? m of YAAKOV AKIVA ??? m AKIBA ALIYA (2) ??? f ALIYAH (2) ALIYAH (2) ??? f "to ascend" in ALIZA ???? f "joyful" in ALON ? m "oak tree" in ALONA ? ? f of ALON ALTE f of ALTER ALTER m "old" in AMICHAI ??? ? m "my people are alive" in AMIR (2) ?? m "treetop" in AMIRA (2) ?? f of AMIR (2) AMIT (2) ??? m "friend" in AMOS ? m , English, , Latin, Greek, "carried" in ANAT (2) ? ? f & m , of ANATH (1) ANSHEL m of ASHER ARI (1) ?? m "lion" in ARIEH ?? m , "lion" in ARIEL ?? ?? m & f , English, French, Greek "lion of God" in ARIK ??? m of ARIEL ARYEH ?? m ARIEH ASA ? m , "doctor" in ASAF ? ? m , of ASAPH ASHER ??? m , English, "happy" or "blessed" in ATARA ? f ATARAH ATARAH ? f , "crown" in AVI ?? m "my father" in AVIA f of AVIYA AVIDAN ?? m , of ABIDAN AVIGAIL ??? ??? f of ABIGAIL AVIRAM ?? m , of ABIRAM AVISHAG ???? ? f , of ABISHAG AVISHAI ???? ? m of ABISHAI AVIV ?? m "spring" in AVIVA ?? f of AVIV AVIYA ?? m & f of ABIJAH AVNER ?? m , of ABNER AVRAHAM m , of ABRAHAM AVRAM m , of ABRAHAM AVRUM m of ABRAHAM AYAL ? ? m "stag, hart" in AYALA ? ? f "doe, gazelle, hind" in AYELET ????? f "gazelle, hind" AYLA (1) ?? f ELAH BAILA f "white" in BARAK (1) ? m , Greek, "lightning" in BARUCH ? m "blessed" in BARUKH ? m , of BARUCH BASHE ??? f of BATYAH BASIA (2) f of BATYAH BASYA f of BATYAH BATEL ?? ?? f "daughter of God" in BATYA ? ? f of BITHIAH BATYAH ? ? f of BITHIAH BENESH m of BENEDICT BER m "bear" in BERACHA ? f BRACHA BEYLKE f of BAILA BINYAMIN ?? ? ?? m , Arabic, and Arabic of BENJAMIN BLUMA f "flower" in BOAZ ? m , "swiftness" in BOSMAT ?? ? f of BASEMATH BRACHA ? f "blessing" in BREINDEL f "brunette" in CHAIM ? ? ?? m CHAYYIM CHANAH ? ? f of CHANNAH CHANNAH ? ? f , of HANNAH CHARNA f From a Slavic word meaning "black" CHATZKEL m of EZEKIEL CHAVA ? f of EVE CHAYA ? ? f of CHAYYIM CHAYIM ? ? ?? m CHAYYIM CHAYYIM ? ? ?? m Derived from the word ? ? ?? (chayyim) meaning "life" CHESED ???? f & m "mercy" in DALIA (3) ? ? f "branch" in DALYA ? ? f DALIA (3) DANIEL ??? ? ? m English, , French, German, Scandinavian, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian, , Greek From the name ??? ? ? (Daniyyel) meaning "God is my judge" DANYA ? ? f of DAN (1) DARA (2) f Perhaps "wisdom" or "compassion" in DASSAH f Short of HADASSAH DAVID ? m English, , French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Scandinavian, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, , Latin From the name ? (Dawid), which was probably derived from (dwd) meaning "beloved" DEBORAH f English, , "bee" in DEKEL ???? m "palm tree" in DEROR m DROR DERORIT ??? f DRORIT DEVORAH f , of DEBORAH DIKLA ?? ? m & f DIKLAH DIKLAH ?? ? m & f , , Possibly "palm grove" in or Aramaic DOR m & f "generation" in DORI ?? m "my generation" in DORIT (1) ??? f Strictly of DOR DORON m "gift" in Greek DOV m "bear" in DOVID m of DAVID DROR m "freedom" or "sparrow" in DRORIT ??? f of DROR DUDEL m of DAVID DVORAH f of DEBORAH EFRAIM ?? ?? m , ( ) of EPHRAIM EFRAT ?? ? f , of EPHRATH EHUD ? m , "united" in EIDEL f "delicate" in EIRAN ?? m , of ERAN EITAN ??? m , of ETHAN ELAH ?? f "oak tree" or "terebinth tree" in ELI (1) ???? m English, , , Greek, "ascension" in ELI (2) ???? m "my God" in ELIANA (2) ???? ? f "my God has answered" in ELIEZER ???? ??? m , Latin, Greek From ???? ??? ('Eli'ezer) meaning "my God is help" ELIJAH ???? m English, , From the name ???? ('Eliyyahu) meaning "my God is YAHWEH" ELIOR ???? m "my God is my light" in ELIORA ???? f of ELIOR ELISHEVA ??????? f of ELIZABETH ELIYAHU ???? m ELIYYAHU ELIYYAHU ???? m , of ELIJAH ELKAN ?? ? m Modern of ELKANAH ELKE (2) f of ELKANAH EPHRAIM ?? ?? m (Anglicized), Latin, Greek From the name ?? ?? ('Efrayim) which meant "fruitful" EREZ ? ?? m "cedar" in ESTEE f of ESTHER ESTHER ?? ?? f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, (Anglicized), , Latin, Greek Possibly "star" in Persian ETHAN ??? m English, (Anglicized), French, , Latin "solid, enduring" in EVRON m of EPHRAIM EYAL ?? ? m "might, strength" in EYTAN ??? m EITAN EZRA ?? m , English, "help" in FAIGA f of FAIGEL FAIGEL f Derived from ?????? (feigel) meaning "bird" FAIVISH m of PHOEBUS FALK m German, "falcon" in German and FAYVEL m FEIVEL FEIBUSH m of PHOEBUS FEIGE f FAIGA FEIVEL m of FEIBUSH FISHEL m "little fish" in FISHKE m of FISHEL FREYDE f "joy" in FRUMA f "pious" in GAL ? ? f & m "wave" in GALIA ? ? ? f of GAL GALIT ? ???? f of GAL GAVREL m of GABRIEL GAVRIEL ? ?? ?? m of GABRIEL GIDEON ? ? m , English, "feller" or "hewer" in GID'ON ? ? m , of GIDEON GIL (3) ? ??? m "joy, happiness" in GILAD ? ?? m , of GILEAD GILAH ? ??? f "joy, happiness" in GITTEL f "good" in GLUKE f "good luck" in GLUKEL f of GLUKE GOLDA f "gold" in GOLDIE (2) f of GOLDA HADAR f & m "splendour, glory" in HADAS ? f "myrtle tree" in HADASSAH ? f , "myrtle tree" in HAIM ? ? ?? m CHAYYIM HANNAH ? ? f English, , French, German, Dutch, From the name ? ? (Channah) which meant "favour" or "grace" HASKEL m of EZEKIEL HAVA ? f Modern of EVE HAYIM ? ? ?? m CHAYYIM HAYYIM ? ? ?? m CHAYYIM HEBEL ? ?? m ABEL HED ? m & f "echo" in HENA f of HANNAH HENDA f of HANNAH HENDEL f of HANNAH HENE f of HANNAH HENYE f of HANNAH HERSCHEL m HERSHEL HERSH m "deer" in HERSHEL m of HERSH HERUT ?? ? f "freedom" in HESHEL m of HERSHEL HEVEL ? ?? m , of ABEL HILLEL ?? ?? m , Derived from ?? (halal) meaning "praise" HIRSH m HERSH HIRSHEL m HERSHEL HODE f of HADASSAH HODEL f of HODE HUDES f of JUDITH HYAM ? ? ?? m CHAYYIM HYMAN m Alteration of HYAM influenced by man "man" HYMIE m of HYMAN IDAN ?? m "era" in IDRIYA ? ?? f "duck" in ILAN ??? m "tree" in ILANA ??? ? f of ILAN ILANIT ??? ???? f of ILAN IMMANUEL ? ? ?? m German, , , of EMMANUEL used in most translations of the Old Testament INBAL ?? ? f "tongue of a bell" in IRA (1) ?? m , English, "watchful" in IRIT ?? ??? f "asphodel" in The asphodel is a type of flower ISAAC ??? ? ? m English, (Anglicized), , Latin From the name ??? ? ? (Yitzchaq) which meant "he laughs" ISAIAH ? ?? ? m English, (Anglicized), From the name ? ?? ? (Yesha'yahu) meaning "YAHWEH is salvation" ISER m of ISRAEL ISIDORE m English, French, From the Greek name ?s?d???? (Isidoros) which meant "gift of Isis", from the name of the Egyptian goddess ISIS combined with Greek d???? (doron) "gift" ISRAEL ???? ?? m (Anglicized), English, , Greek From the name ???? ?? (Yisra'el) meaning "God contended" ISSUR m of ISRAEL ITAI ?? ?, ??? ? m of ITHAI ITAMAR ??? m , of ITHAMAR ITZHAK ??? ? ? m YITZHAK IYOV ?? m of JOB JAFFE ? ?? m & f YAFE JUDITH ? ??? f English, (Anglicized), French, German, Spanish, From the name ? ??? (Yehudit) meaning "woman from Judea", Judea being an ancient region in Israel KAILA f of KELILA KAPEL m of JACOB KAYLA (2) f KAILA KELILA ? ???? f "crown of laurel" in KEREN ?? ? f "horn" or "ray of light" in KESHET ?????? m & f "rainbow" in KOPPEL m of JACOB KREINDEL f of KREINE KREINE f "crown" in LAVI ? ?? m "lion" in LAZER m of ELIEZER LEAH ?? f English, , , From the name ?? (Le'ah) which was probably derived from the word ? (le'ah) meaning "weary" LEEBA f "beloved" in LEV (2) ?? m "heart" in LEVI ?? ?? m , English, Latin "attached" in LIAT ??? ? f "you are mine" in LIEBER m "beloved" in LIOR ??? m & f "my light" in LIORA ??? f Strictly of LIOR LIORIT ??? ??? f Strictly of LIOR LIRON ??? m & f "my song" or "my joy" in LIVNA ?? ? f "white" in LIVNAT ?? ? ? f of LIVNA MAAYAN ? f & m "spring of water" in MALACHI ? ??? m , English, Latin From the name ? ??? (Mal'akhiy) meaning "my messenger" or "my angel" MALKA ? ? f "queen" in MAOR m "light" in MARGALIT ? ???? f "pearl" in , ultimately from Greek µa??a??t?? (margarites) MARGALITA ? ???? f of MARGALIT MARGANITA ? ???? f From the name of a type of flowering plant common in Israel, called the scarlet pimpernel in English MARNI f "rejoice" in MARNIE (2) f of MARNI MATAN ? m MATTAN MATTITHYAHU ? ?? ? m MATTITYAHU MATTITYAHU ? ?? ? m , of MATTHEW MAYA (3) ? f Derived from ?? (mayim) "water" MAYTAL ??? ? f MEITAL MEIR ?????? m "giving light" in MEIRA ???????? f of MEIR MEIRIT ????????? f of MEIR MEITAL ?????? f "dew drop" in MELECH ????? m , "king" in MELEK (1) ????? m MELECH MENACHEM ??????? m , of MENAHEM MENAHEM ??????? m From the name ??????? (Menachem) meaning "comforter" MENASHE ????????? m of MANASSEH MENDEL m ly this was possibly a of MANNO MENUHA ???????? f "tranquility" in MERAV ????? f , of MERAB MESHULAM ????????? m MESHULLAM MESHULLAM ????????? m , either "paid for" or "friend" in MEYER m of MEIR MICA f Short of MICHAL (2) MICHAL (2) ?????? f Possibly "brook" in MIKHA'EL ???????? m , of MICHAEL MIRELE f of MIRIAM MIRIAM ??????? f , English, German, , of MARY MOISHE m of MOSES MORDECAI ?????????? m "servant of MARDUK" in Persian MORDECHAI ????????? m of MORDECAI MOSHE ?????? m , of MOSES MOSS m English (Archaic), Medieval of MOSES MOTEL m of MORDECAI MOTKE m of MORDECAI NAAMAH ??????? f "pleasant" in NACHUM ?????? m , of NAHUM NADAV ????? m , of NADAB NAHAL ????? f "stream" in NAOMI (1) ??????? f English, , From the name ??????? (Na'omiy) meaning "pleasantness" NATAN ????? m , of NATHAN NAVA ?????? f "beautiful" in NESSA (2) f "miracle" in NETA ????? f "plant, shrub" in NIR ???? m "plowed field" in NISSA ????? f "sign" in NITZA ????? f "flower bud" in NIV ???? m "speech, expression" in Aramaic NOA (1) ?????? f , ( ) of NOAH (2) NOACH ????? m , of NOAH (1) NOAM ?????? m & f "pleasantness" in NOGA ????? f & m NOGAH NOGAH ????? m & f , "brightness" in NURIT ??????? f "buttercup (the flower)" in OFER ????? m "fawn" in OFRA ??????? m & f of OPHRAH OMER ????? m "sheaf of wheat" in OMRI ??????? m , "my sheaf" in ORA (2) ?????? f "light" in ORAH ?????? f ORA (2) OREN ????? m "pine tree" in ORI ?????? m & f "my light" in ORIT ??????? f "light" in ORLI ???????? f "light is mine" in ORLY ???????? f ORLI ORNA (2) ??????? f of OREN OSHER ?????? m "happiness" in OVADIA ????????? m of OBADIAH OVED ?????? m , of OBED OZ (2) ???? m "strength" in PERELE f of PERLE PERLE f "pearl" in , also used as a vernacular of Margaret PINCHAS ????????? m , of PHINEHAS RAANAN ??????? m "fresh, invigorating" in RACHEL ????? f English, , French, German, , Latin, Greek, From the name ????? (Rachel) meaning "ewe" RAISA (2) f "rose" in RAISEL f of RAISA (2) RANI (2) ????? f "my joy" or "my song" in RAVID ?????? m & f "ornament, necklace" in RAYNA (2) f REINA (2) RAZIELA ????????? f "my secret is God" in REINA (2) f Derived from ???? (rein) meaning "clean, pure" REUBEN ???????? m , English "behold, a son" in REUT ?????? f "friend" in , making it a of the name Ruth REUVEN ???????? m , of REUBEN RIFKA f of RIVKA RINA (2) ????? f "joy" in RIVA ?????? f of RIVKA RIVKA ???????? f of REBECCA ROI (2) ?????? m "my shepherd" in RON (2) ???? m & f "song, joy" in RONA (2) ?????? f of RON (2) RONEN ?????? m Derived from ???? (ron) meaning "song, joy" RONI (1) ?????? f "my joy" or "my song" in RONIT (2) ??????? f Strictly of RON (2) ROTEM ?????? m & f From the name of a desert plant, possibly derived from ????? (retom) meaning "to bind" RUCHEL f of RACHEL SAGI ??????? m "elevated, sublime" in SARAH ?????? f English, French, German, , Arabic, , "lady" or "princess" in SARIT ??????? f of SARAH SAUL ??????? m (Anglicized), Latin From the name ??????? (Sha'ul) which meant "asked for" or "prayed for" SEKEL m of ISAAC SELIG m "blessed, happy" in SENDER m of ALEXANDER SHACHAR ?????? f & m "dawn" in SHAHAR ?????? f & m SHACHAR SHAI ???? m "gift" in SHAINA f SHAYNA SHAINDEL f of SHAYNA SHALOM ??????? m "peace" in SHAMIRA ????????? f "guardian, protector" in SHANI ?????? f "red" in SHAY (2) ???? m & f SHAI SHAYNA f "beautiful" in SHAYNAH f SHAYNA SHEINE f of SHAYNA SHERAGA ???????? m "light, candle" in Aramaic SHIFRA ???????? f , of SHIPHRAH SHIMMEL m of SIMON SHIMON ????????? m , of SIMON SHIMSHON ?????????? m , of SAMSON SHIR ????? f "song" in SHIRA ??????? f "poetry" or "singing" in SHIRI ????? f "my song" in SHLOMO ???????? m of SOLOMON SHMUEL ????????? m of SAMUEL SHOSHANA ??????????? f SHOSHANNAH SHOSHANNAH ??????????? f , of SUSANNA SHPRINTZA f Possibly a of ESPERANZA SHPRINTZE f Possibly a of ESPERANZA SHPRINTZEL f Possibly a of ESPERANZA SHRAGA ???????? m SHERAGA SHULAMIT ??????????? f SHULAMMITE SHULAMITH ??????????? f SHULAMMITE SHULAMMIT ??????????? f , of SHULAMMITE SHULAMMITE ??????????? f , Derived from ??????? (shalom) "peace" SIGAL ?????? f "violet" or "treasure" in SIMCHA ???????? f & m "happiness, joy" in SISEL f "sweet" in SMADAR ??????? f "blossom" in SOL (2) m Short of SOLOMON SOLLY m of SOLOMON SOLOMON ???????? m , English, (Anglicized) From the name ???????? (Shelomoh) which was derived from ??????? (shalom) "peace" SROEL m of ISRAEL SURI f of SARAH TAHLIA f of TALYA TAL ??? m & f Derived from ??? (tal) meaning "dew" TALIA ???????, ??????? f TALYA TALYA ???????, ??????? f "dew from God" in TAMAR ?????? f , , "palm tree" in TAMIR ??????? m "tall" in TEHILA ????????? f "praise" in TEIVEL m "devil" in TEVYE m of TOBIAH TIKVA ???????? f "hope" in TIRTZAH ???????? f , of TIRZAH TOIBA f "dove" in TOM (2) ????? m & f "honest" in TOMER ??????? m "palm tree" in TOVA (1) ?????? f "good" in TOVAH ?????? f TOVA (1) TOVIA m & f of TOBIAH, also used as a TUVYA ???????? m of TOBIAH TZAFRIR ???????? m of ZEPHYR TZEITEL f of SARAH TZION ?????? m , of ZION TZIPORAH ????????? f of ZIPPORAH TZIPPORAH ????????? f , of ZIPPORAH TZIVYA ??????? f of TZVI TZOFIYA f of SOPHIA TZUFIT ??????? f "hummingbird" in TZVI ????? m "deer" in UDI ?????? m of EHUD URI ?????? m , Latin, "my light" in URIEL ????????? m From the name ????????? ('Uri'el) which meant "God is my light" UZI ????? m of UZZI UZZI ?????? m , "my power" in UZZIEL ????????? m , "my power is God" in VARDA ??????? f of VERED VARDAH ??????? f VARDA VELVEL m "wolf" in VELVELA f of VELVEL VERED ????? f "rose" in WOLF m German, , English (Rare), Ancient Germanic Short of WOLFGANG, WOLFRAM or other names containing the Germanic element wulf meaning "wolf" YAAKOV ??????? m , of JACOB YACHIN ?????? m , of JACHIN YACHNA ??????? f Perhaps a of YACHIN YAEL ????? f , of JAEL YAEN ????? f "ostrich" in YAFA ????? f YAFFA YAFE ????? m & f and masculine of YAFFA YAFFA ????? f Derived from ????? (yafeh) meaning "beautiful" YAFFE ????? m & f YAFE YAIR ?????? m , of JAIR YAKIRA ???????? f "precious" in YAKOV ??????? m , Russian, Bulgarian Russian and Bulgarian of JACOB (or JAMES), and a YAAKOV YANIV ?????? m "he will prosper" in YANKEL m of JACOB YARDEN ??????? m & f of JORDAN YARDENA ????????? f of JORDAN YARON ?????? m "to sing" or "to shout" in YARONA ???????? f of YARON YECHEZKEL ?????????? m , of EZEKIEL YEHIEL ???????? m of JEHIEL YEHOSHUA ?????????? m , of JOSHUA YEHUDAH ???????? m , of JUDAH YEHUDI ???????? m , of JEHUDI YEHUDIT ????????? f , of JUDITH YEMIMA ???????? f , of JEMIMA YENTE f Possibly a of YENTL YENTL f of the French nickname Gentille, meaning "noble, aristocratic" YIDEL m of JUDAH YISHAI ?????? m , of JESSE YISRA'EL ?????????? m , of ISRAEL YISSAKHAR ??????????? m , of ISSACHAR YITZHAK ??????? m , of ISAAC YOAV ?????? m , of JOAB YOCHANAN ???????? m , of JOHN YOCHEVED ???????? f , of JOCHEBED YOEL ?????? m , of JOEL YONAH ?????? m , of JONAH YONATAN ???????? m , of JONATHAN YONI ????? m of YONATAN YONINA ????????? f of YONAH YONIT ??????? f of YONAH YORAM ?????? m , of JORAM YOSEF ?????? m , of JOSEPH YUDEL m of JUDAH YUSSEL m of JOSEPH YUTKE f of JUDITH YUVAL ?????? m , of JUBAL ZAKIAH ???????? f "pure" in ZALMAN m of SOLOMON ZEEV ????? m "wolf" in ZELDA (1) f of SELIG ZELDE f of SELIG ZELIG m of SELIG ZEV ????? m ZEEV ZION ?????? m (Anglicized), From the name of a citadel which was in the center of Jerusalem ZIPPORAH ????????? f From the name ????????? (Tzipporah) which meant "bird" ZISEL f of SISEL ZIV ???? m & f "bright, radiant" in ZIVA ?????? f of ZIV ZIVIT ??????? f of ZIV ZLOTA f "golden" in ZOHAR ????? m & f "light, brilliance" in ZUSA f "sweet" in ZUSMAN m "sweet man" in ZVI ????? m TZVI Meaning ABE m , Short of ABRAHAM ABRAHAM m , , Dutch, , Latin This name may be viewed either as "father of many" in or else as a contraction of ABRAM (1) and ?????? (hamon) "many, multitude" ADAM m , French, German, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian, , Arabic, , Latin, Greek, This is the word for "man" ADARA f "noble" in ADENA f Possibly a of ADINA ADI (1) f & m "jewel" or "ornament" in ADINA m & f , "slender, delicate" in ADVA f "small wave, ripple" in AHARON m , of AARON AHAVA f "love" in AHUVA f "beloved" in AKIBA m of YAAKOV AKIVA m of AKIBA ALIYA (2) f of ALIYAH (2) ALIYAH (2) f "to ascend" in ALIZA f "joyful" in ALON m "oak tree" in ALONA f of ALON AMICHAI m "my people are alive" in AMIR (2) m "treetop" in AMIRA (2) f of AMIR (2) AMIT (2) m "friend" in AMOS m , , , Latin, Greek, "carried" in ANAT (2) f & m , Original of ANATH (1) ARI (1) m "lion" in ARIEH m , , "lion" in ARIEL m & f , , , French, Greek "lion of God" in ARIK m of ARIEL ARYEH m of ARIEH ASA m , , "doctor" in ASAF m , of ASAPH ASHER m , , , "happy" or "blessed" in ATARA f of ATARAH ATARAH f , , "crown" in AVI m "my father" in AVIA f of AVIYA AVIDAN m , of ABIDAN AVIGAIL f of ABIGAIL AVIRAM m , of ABIRAM AVISHAG f , of ABISHAG AVISHAI m of ABISHAI AVIV m "spring" in AVIVA f of AVIV AVIYA m & f of ABIJAH AVNER m , of ABNER AVRAHAM m , of ABRAHAM AVRAM m , of ABRAHAM AYAL m "stag, hart" in AYALA f "doe, gazelle, hind" in AYELET f "gazelle, hind" AYLA (1) f of ELAH BARAK (1) m , , Greek, "lightning" in BARUCH m , "blessed" in BARUKH m , of BARUCH BASHE f of BATYAH BASIA (2) f of BATYAH BASYA f of BATYAH BATEL f "daughter of God" in BATYA f of BITHIAH BATYAH f of BITHIAH BERACHA f of BRACHA BINYAMIN m , Arabic, and Arabic of BENJAMIN BOAZ m , , "swiftness" in BOSMAT f of BASEMATH BRACHA f "blessing" in CHAIM m of CHAYYIM CHANAH f of CHANNAH CHANNAH f , of HANNAH CHAVA f of EVE CHAYA f of CHAYYIM CHAYIM m of CHAYYIM CHAYYIM m the word ??????? (chayyim) "life" CHESED f & m "mercy" in DALIA (3) f "branch" in DALYA f of DALIA (3) DANIEL m , , French, German, Scandinavian, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian, , Greek the name ?????????? (Daniyyel) "God is my judge" DANYA f of DAN (1) DARA (2) f Perhaps "wisdom" or "compassion" in DASSAH f Short of HADASSAH DAVID m , , French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Scandinavian, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, , Latin the name ?????? (Dawid), which was probably ??? (dwd) "beloved" DEBORAH f , , "bee" in DEKEL m "palm tree" in DEROR m of DROR DERORIT f of DRORIT DEVORAH f , of DEBORAH DIKLA m & f of DIKLAH DIKLAH m & f , , Possibly "palm grove" in or Aramaic DOR m & f "generation" in DORI m "my generation" in DORIT (1) f Strictly of DOR DORON m "gift" in Greek DOV m "bear" in DROR m "freedom" or "sparrow" in DRORIT f of DROR DVORAH f of DEBORAH EFRAIM m , ( ) of EPHRAIM EFRAT f , of EPHRATH EHUD m , , "united" in EIRAN m , of ERAN EITAN m , of ETHAN ELAH f "oak tree" or "terebinth tree" in ELI (1) m , , , Greek, "ascension" in ELI (2) m "my God" in ELIANA (2) f "my God has answered" in ELIEZER m , , Latin, Greek ?????????? ('Eli'ezer) "my God is help" ELIJAH m , , the name ?????????? ('Eliyyahu) "my God is YAHWEH" ELIOR m "my God is my light" in ELIORA f of ELIOR ELISHEVA f of ELIZABETH ELIYAHU m of ELIYYAHU ELIYYAHU m , of ELIJAH ELKAN m Modern of ELKANAH ELKE (2) f of ELKANAH EREZ m "cedar" in ESTEE f of ESTHER EYAL m "might, strength" in EYTAN m of EITAN EZRA m , , "help" in GAL f & m "wave" in GALIA f of GAL GALIT f of GAL GAVRIEL m of GABRIEL GIDEON m , , "feller" or "hewer" in GID'ON m , of GIDEON GIL (3) m "joy, happiness" in GILAD m , of GILEAD GILAH f "joy, happiness" in HADAR f & m "splendour, glory" in HADAS f "myrtle tree" in HADASSAH f , , "myrtle tree" in HAIM m of CHAYYIM HANNAH f , , French, German, Dutch, the name ?????? (Channah) which meant "favour" or "grace" HAVA f Modern of EVE HAYIM m of CHAYYIM HAYYIM m of CHAYYIM HEBEL m of ABEL HED m & f "echo" in HERUT f "freedom" in HEVEL m , of ABEL HILLEL m , , ??? (halal) "praise" HYAM m of CHAYYIM IDAN m "era" in IDRIYA f "duck" in ILAN m "tree" in ILANA f of ILAN ILANIT f of ILAN IMMANUEL m German, , , of EMMANUEL used in most translations of the Old Testament INBAL f "tongue of a bell" in IRA (1) m , , "watchful" in IRIT f "asphodel" in The asphodel is a type of flower ISIDORE m , French, the Greek name ?s?d???? (Isidoros) which meant "gift of Isis", the name of the Egyptian goddess ISIS combined with Greek d???? (doron) "gift" ITAI m of ITHAI ITAMAR m , of ITHAMAR ITZHAK m of YITZHAK IYOV m of JOB JAFFE m & f of YAFE KELILA f "crown of laurel" in KEREN f "horn" or "ray of light" in KESHET m & f "rainbow" in LAVI m "lion" in LEAH f , , , the name ????? (Le'ah) which was probably the word ????? (le'ah) "weary" LEV (2) m "heart" in LEVI m , , , Latin "attached" in LIAT f "you are mine" in LIOR m & f "my light" in LIORA f Strictly of LIOR LIORIT f Strictly of LIOR LIRON m & f "my song" or "my joy" in LIVNA f "white" in LIVNAT f of LIVNA MAAYAN f & m "spring of water" in MALACHI m , , , Latin the name ????????? (Mal'akhiy) "my messenger" or "my angel" MALKA f "queen" in MAOR m "light" in MARGALIT f "pearl" in , ultimately Greek µa??a??t?? (margarites) MARGALITA f of MARGALIT MARGANITA f the name of a type of flowering plant common in Israel, called the scarlet pimpernel in MARNI f "rejoice" in MARNIE (2) f of MARNI MATAN m of MATTAN MATTITHYAHU m of MATTITYAHU MATTITYAHU m , Original of MATTHEW MAYA (3) f ????? (mayim) "water" MAYTAL f of MEITAL MEIR m "giving light" in MEIRA f of MEIR MEIRIT f of MEIR MEITAL f "dew drop" in MELECH m , , "king" in MELEK (1) m of MELECH MENACHEM m , of MENAHEM MENAHEM m , the name ??????? (Menachem) "comforter" MENASHE m of MANASSEH MENUHA f "tranquility" in MERAV f , of MERAB MESHULAM m of MESHULLAM MESHULLAM m , , either "paid for" or "friend" in MICA f Short of MICHAL (2) MICHAL (2) f , Possibly "brook" in MIKHA'EL m , of MICHAEL MIRIAM f , , German, , Original of MARY MORDECAI m , "servant of MARDUK" in Persian MORDECHAI m of MORDECAI MOSHE m , of MOSES MOSS m (Archaic), Medieval of MOSES NAAMAH f , "pleasant" in NACHUM m , of NAHUM NADAV m , of NADAB NAHAL f "stream" in NAOMI (1) f , , the name ??????? (Na'omiy) "pleasantness" NATAN m , of NATHAN NAVA f "beautiful" in NESSA (2) f "miracle" in NETA f "plant, shrub" in NIR m "plowed field" in NISSA f "sign" in NITZA f "flower bud" in NIV m "speech, expression" in Aramaic NOA (1) f , ( ) of NOAH (2) NOACH m , of NOAH (1) NOAM m & f "pleasantness" in NOGA f & m of NOGAH NOGAH m & f , , "brightness" in NURIT f "buttercup (the flower)" in OFER m "fawn" in OFRA m & f of OPHRAH OMER m "sheaf of wheat" in OMRI m , , "my sheaf" in ORA (2) f "light" in ORAH f of ORA (2) OREN m "pine tree" in ORI m & f "my light" in ORIT f "light" in ORLI f "light is mine" in ORLY f of ORLI ORNA (2) f of OREN OSHER m "happiness" in OVADIA m of OBADIAH OVED m , of OBED OZ (2) m "strength" in PINCHAS m , of PHINEHAS RAANAN m "fresh, invigorating" in RACHEL f , , French, German, , Latin, Greek, the name ????? (Rachel) "ewe" RANI (2) f "my joy" or "my song" in RAVID m & f "ornament, necklace" in RAZIELA f "my secret is God" in REUBEN m , , "behold, a son" in REUT f "friend" in , making it a of the name Ruth REUVEN m , of REUBEN RINA (2) f "joy" in RIVA f of RIVKA RIVKA f of REBECCA ROI (2) m "my shepherd" in RON (2) m & f "song, joy" in RONA (2) f of RON (2) RONEN m ???? (ron) "song, joy" RONI (1) f "my joy" or "my song" in RONIT (2) f Strictly of RON (2) ROTEM m & f the name of a desert plant, possibly ????? (retom) "to bind" SAGI m "elevated, sublime" in SARAH f , French, German, , Arabic, , "lady" or "princess" in SARIT f of SARAH SHACHAR f & m "dawn" in SHAHAR f & m of SHACHAR SHAI m "gift" in SHALOM m "peace" in SHAMIRA f "guardian, protector" in SHANI f "red" in SHAY (2) m & f of SHAI SHERAGA m "light, candle" in Aramaic SHIFRA f , of SHIPHRAH SHIMON m , of SIMON SHIMSHON m , of SAMSON SHIR f "song" in SHIRA f "poetry" or "singing" in SHIRI f "my song" in SHLOMO m of SOLOMON SHMUEL m of SAMUEL SHOSHANA f of SHOSHANNAH SHOSHANNAH f , of SUSANNA SHRAGA m of SHERAGA SHULAMIT f of SHULAMMITE SHULAMITH f of SHULAMMITE SHULAMMIT f , of SHULAMMITE SHULAMMITE f , ??????? (shalom) "peace" SIGAL f "violet" or "treasure" in SIMCHA f & m "happiness, joy" in SMADAR f "blossom" in SOL (2) m Short of SOLOMON SOLLY m of SOLOMON TAHLIA f of TALYA TAL m & f ??? (tal) "dew" TALIA f of TALYA TALYA f "dew God" in TAMAR f , , "palm tree" in TAMIR m "tall" in TEHILA f "praise" in TIKVA f "hope" in TIRTZAH f , Original of TIRZAH TOM (2) m & f "honest" in TOMER m "palm tree" in TOVA (1) f "good" in TOVAH f of TOVA (1) TOVIA m & f of TOBIAH, also used as a TUVYA m of TOBIAH TZAFRIR m of ZEPHYR TZION m , of ZION TZIPORAH f of ZIPPORAH TZIPPORAH f , Original of ZIPPORAH TZIVYA f of TZVI TZUFIT f "hummingbird" in TZVI m "deer" in UDI m of EHUD URI m , Latin, "my light" in URIEL m , the name ????????? ('Uri'el) which meant "God is my light" UZI m of UZZI UZZI m , , "my power" in UZZIEL m , , "my power is God" in VARDA f of VERED VARDAH f of VARDA VERED f "rose" in WOLF m German, , (Rare), Ancient Germanic Short of WOLFGANG, WOLFRAM or other names containing the Germanic element wulf "wolf" YAAKOV m , of JACOB YACHIN m , of JACHIN YACHNA f Perhaps a of YACHIN YAEL f , of JAEL YAEN f "ostrich" in YAFA f of YAFFA YAFE m & f and masculine of YAFFA YAFFA f ????? (yafeh) "beautiful" YAFFE m & f of YAFE YAIR m , of JAIR YAKIRA f "precious" in YAKOV m , Russian, Bulgarian Russian and Bulgarian of JACOB (or JAMES), and a of YAAKOV YANIV m "he will prosper" in YARDEN m & f of JORDAN YARDENA f of JORDAN YARON m "to sing" or "to shout" in YARONA f of YARON YECHEZKEL m , of EZEKIEL YEHIEL m of JEHIEL YEHOSHUA m , of JOSHUA YEHUDAH m , of JUDAH YEHUDI m , of JEHUDI YEHUDIT f , of JUDITH YEMIMA f , of JEMIMA YISHAI m , Original of JESSE YISRA'EL m , Original of ISRAEL YISSAKHAR m , of ISSACHAR YITZHAK m , of ISAAC YOAV m , of JOAB YOCHANAN m , of JOHN YOCHEVED f , of JOCHEBED YOEL m , of JOEL YONAH m , of JONAH YONATAN m , Original of JONATHAN YONI m of YONATAN YONINA f of YONAH YONIT f of YONAH YORAM m , of JORAM YOSEF m , of JOSEPH YUVAL m , of JUBAL ZAKIAH f "pure" in ZEEV m "wolf" in ZEV m of ZEEV ZIPPORAH f , the name ????????? (Tzipporah) which meant "bird" ZIV m & f "bright, radiant" in ZIVA f of ZIV ZIVIT f of ZIV ZOHAR m & f "light, brilliance" in ZVI m of TZVI ALTE ??????? f of ALTER ALTER ??????? m "old" in ANSHEL ????????? m of ASHER AVRUM ????????? m of ABRAHAM BAILA ?????? f "white" in BENESH ???????? m of BENEDICT BER ???? m "bear" in BEYLKE f of BAILA BLUMA ???????? f "flower" in BREINDEL ???????? f "brunette" in CHARNA f a Slavic word "black" CHATZKEL ???????? m of EZEKIEL DOVID m of DAVID DUDEL m of DAVID EIDEL ??????? f "delicate" in EVRON ???????? m of EPHRAIM FAIGA ?????? f of FAIGEL FAIGEL ?????? f ?????? (feigel) "bird" FAIVISH ????????? m of PHOEBUS FALK m German, "falcon" in German and FAYVEL ????????, ??????? m of FEIVEL FEIBUSH ???????? m of PHOEBUS FEIGE ?????? f of FAIGA FEIVEL ????????, ??????? m of FEIBUSH FISHEL ???????? m "little fish" in FISHKE ????????? m of FISHEL FREYDE f "joy" in FRUMA ??????? f "pious" in GAVREL ?????????? m of GABRIEL GITTEL ?????? f "good" in GLUKE ???????? f "good luck" in GLUKEL ???????? f of GLUKE GOLDA ???????? f "gold" in GOLDIE (2) f of GOLDA HASKEL ????????? m of EZEKIEL HENA ?????? f of HANNAH HENDA ??????? f of HANNAH HENDEL ?????? f of HANNAH HENE ?????? f of HANNAH HENYE ???????? f of HANNAH HERSCHEL ????????? m of HERSHEL HERSH ??????? m "deer" in HERSHEL ????????? m of HERSH HESHEL ???????? m of HERSHEL HIRSH ??????? m of HERSH HIRSHEL ????????? m of HERSHEL HODE ?????? f of HADASSAH HODEL ??????? f of HODE HUDES ??????? f of JUDITH HYMAN ???? m Alteration of HYAM influenced by man "man" HYMIE m of HYMAN ISER ?????? m of ISRAEL ISSUR ??????? m of ISRAEL KAILA ?????? f of KELILA KAPEL m of JACOB KAYLA (2) ?????? f of KAILA KOPPEL ????????? m of JACOB KREINDEL ??????????? f of KREINE KREINE ???????? f "crown" in LAZER ??????? m of ELIEZER LEEBA ?????? f "beloved" in LIEBER ??????? m "beloved" in MENDEL ??????? m Originally this was possibly a of MANNO MEYER ?????? m of MEIR MIRELE ??????? f of MIRIAM MOISHE m of MOSES MOTEL ?????? m of MORDECAI MOTKE ??????? m of MORDECAI PERELE f of PERLE PERLE f "pearl" in , also used as a vernacular of Margaret RAISA (2) ?????? f "rose" in RAISEL ??????? f of RAISA (2) RAYNA (2) ?????? f of REINA (2) REINA (2) ?????? f ???? (rein) "clean, pure" RIFKA ???????? f of RIVKA RUCHEL f of RACHEL SEKEL m of ISAAC SELIG ??????? m "blessed, happy" in SENDER ??????? m of ALEXANDER SHAINA ??????? f of SHAYNA SHAINDEL ???????? f of SHAYNA SHAYNA ??????? f "beautiful" in SHAYNAH ??????? f of SHAYNA SHEINE ??????? f of SHAYNA SHIMMEL ????????? m of SIMON SHPRINTZA ????????????? f Possibly a of ESPERANZA SHPRINTZE ????????????? f Possibly a of ESPERANZA SHPRINTZEL ?????????????? f Possibly a of ESPERANZA SISEL ?????? f "sweet" in SROEL m of ISRAEL SURI f of SARAH TEIVEL m "devil" in TEVYE m of TOBIAH TOIBA ??????? f "dove" in TZEITEL ??????? f of SARAH TZOFIYA ???????? f of SOPHIA VELVEL ???????? m "wolf" in VELVELA ??????? f of VELVEL YANKEL ????????? m of JACOB YENTE ??????? f Possibly a of YENTL YENTL ??????? f of the French nickname Gentille, "noble, aristocratic" YIDEL ????? m of JUDAH YUDEL ??????? m of JUDAH YUSSEL m of JOSEPH YUTKE ???????? f of JUDITH ZALMAN ???? m of SOLOMON ZELDA (1) ???????? f of SELIG ZELDE ???????? f of SELIG ZELIG ??????? m of SELIG ZISEL ??????? f of SISEL ZLOTA f "golden" in ZUSA f "sweet" in ZUSMAN m "sweet man" in
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