BASIC HEBREW AND YIDDISH GLOSSARY

aleph-bais (pronounced-"bayz") -- the alphabet; the `abc's'.

aliyah -- a return to Yisroel with holy significance for Jews.

Omein amain, omain -- amen.

am-ha'aretz -- a regular person. or a person of the land.

apikoros -- unbeliever; heathen.

Ashkenazi Jews -- one of the branches of Jews that primarily originated from northern France, central and eastern Europe.

averah -- sin.

avodah -- worship.

ba'al t'shuvah -One who has returned to HASHEM and Judaism.

baleboss -- the man of the house.

baleboosteh -- the lady of the house, and usually an especially praiseworthy one.

bentsh -- to bless, say a blessing. {example}He bentshed after he ate. This prayer after eating can be found in a siddur (prayer book) or a special booklet called a bentscher. Bentsching is a Biblical commandment.

beis (bet, bes) din -- rabbinical court.

baruch hobah -- welcome (masc.).

benoni an intrermediary, not quite a rasha (a person that commits averos, sins, all the time), or a Tzaddik (righteous person) either, a benoni is in between the two.

Binah -- wisdom.

b'nai Noach -- Sons of Noah; name for non-Jews who strive to live by basic laws for humanity derived from the Torah.

b'ris, brith -- (literally) covenant; commonly refers to the circumcision ceremony, or circumcision itself.

boruch (pl. broches) -- a blessing.

Boruch Hobah -- welcome (fem.).

B'Shalom -- in peace.

B'Shira -- in song.

Bubbemeises- like saying "wive's tales" (Bubbe is Yiddish for Grandma)

bubeleh -- (loosely translated) dear, sweetheart, etc..

chocham (pl. chachamim) -- a wise person.

chochma -- wisdom.

Chag Sameach -- happy festival.

C'has v'sholem -- G-d forbid.

Chosid (pl. Chosid'eem) -- a disciple within a branch of Judaism (founded in Europe in the eighteenth century). Chosideem are strictly Orthodox, and, among other things, stress the importance of a personal relationship with G-d by spontaneous prayer, tznius, emunah, tzedaka,etc.. Many of them who have ahavah (love) for HASHEM will have there eyes opened someday to see Yeshua haMoshiach (Hoshea ch 6)

chaver (masc.), chaverah (fem.), chavarim (pl.) -- friend.

cheder -- a room or school where Hebrew is taught.

cheverah -- group of friends.

chutzpa -- something brazenly outrageous.

cohen (kohen) -- Hebrew priest.

daven -- pray.

dayan (pl. dayanim) -- rabbinical judge.

d'rasha -- word of Torah. A bit of Commentary!

--dreydel four-sided, top-like toy used during Chanuka.

dybbuk(pl. dibbukim) -- an evil spirit.

You can sense these at those barking, laughing crusades where they throw out HASHEM's D'var (G-d's word) out and go on emotions alone!

emes -- truth. (The Aramaic is the word Qeshot)

emunah -- faith. (Habbukuk 2:4 The just will live by EMUNAH)

eytse -- advice.

Eretz Yisroel -- the Land of Israel.

Freilichen Yontev -- `have a pleasant festival'.

frum -- observant; orthodox.

Golus -- the Diaspora; exile.

Gan Eden -- The Garden of Eden.

gaon -- the honorary title of a very great rabbi, especially the head of a Talmudic academy.

gebentsht (Yiddish) -- blessed.

ger -a sojouner among the Jewish people (gerah:fem) Rus (Ruth) was a soujourner, a Gerah, and the Mother of Jewish children. ACTS 15 speaks about the minimal rulings for Gereem.

get -- a divorce.

G_d -- a respectful way to write a common designation for Hashem.

gonif -- a thief; a dishonest, shady person.

goy (pl. goyim) -- non-Jew. It's best for non-Jews to use only the plural, if at all, since the singular has been so commonly used in a derogatory way. The words "gentile" or "non-Jew" , or the term "non-Jews" are safer.

halevai (alevai) -- if only; I hope.

haimishe -- comfortable, informal, cozy.

haKodesh Boruch Hu -"The Holy One, Blessed be he"

halocha -- Jewish law.

haskalah -- a movement among Jews similar to the Enlightenment in Europe during the eighteenth century. This was a very dangerous movement.

Hashem, Ha-Shem -- The Name; another designation for G-d.

havdola -- a ceremony indicating the end of the Shabbes (Shabbat)

heter (pl. heterim) -- halachic ruling.

kabbalah, cabala -- (literally) tradition; or meaning "TO RECIEVE". The Jewish mystical movement. Kaballah is the Spiritual aspect of The Torah, and chalocha is the physical aspect.
NOTE: Be cautious when learning Kabbalah, there are those that teach kaballah to movie-stars, rockstars and the average person without teaching the literall meaning of The Torah (pashat). These so called kabbalists are dangerous and they are not seeing that a person is living a Torah based life, there are many charlitans and heretics out there. Only trust a good Chossidishe trained or Sephardic trained scource that is very learned in chalocha (Jewish Law), and remember most real Kabbalists do NOT advertise.

kaddish -- a prayer given at the end of synagogue prayers that glorifies the name of G-d.

kashrus -- kosher observance.

kibbutz -- a settlers' community co-op in Israel.

kibbitz -- to talk, comment and advise someone while they are working, playing, etc..

Kiddush -- a prayer and ceremony used to sanctify the Sabbath and other Jewish holy days.

kippa -- a skullcap worn by observant Jewish males. (The Yiddish word is yarmulkah)

Kol Nidre -- the prayer which ushers in Yom Kipper.

Kul tov -- all the best.

kosher -- something ritually clean to eat according to Jewish laws.

latke -- potato pancake.

L'Chaim -- to life; to good health (as when offering a toast).

l'havdil -- the difference, seperate. The Jewish community sometimes calls Jews for Jesus (TM) this, meaning "Those who have seperated from the Jewish community".

L'Shalom -- to peace, to wholeness.

lox -- smoked salmon. Commonly eaten on bagels with cream cheese.

Moishe -- Moses. (Moshe Rebbeinu is "Moses our teacher")

magghid (pl. maggidim) -- itinerant teacher; preacher.

mama-loshen -- mother's tongue, i.e., *her* way of speaking; often it refers to Yiddish itself.

mamzer -- a male born from an adulterous union. (remember not good to use this word unless it comes up in scripture, I added it here because I often hear people using the word without having any idea what it means)

mashgiach -- one who oversees the kashrut of an eating establishment.

Moshiach (Auskenazik), Mashiach (Sephardic) -- the Messiah, haRebbeYeshua.

matzo -- unleavened bread.

mazel tov! -- good luck! congratulations!

melamed -- a teacher, especially of elementary Hebrew.

menorah -- candelabrum; sometimes refers to the eight-branched one used for Channukah. .

mensch -- a *real* man; a decent and noble person. "He has menschlekeit"

mezuzah -- a small, oblong container set to the right of a Jew's front door-jamb, in which there is a tiny claf (scroll made of kosher animal skin) with the Shema (Deut. 6:4-9; 11:12-21) meticulouslly written upon it.

midrash -- commentary; interpretation.

mikva -- a bath for the ritual purity of Orthodox Jews and Gereem. This was used by The Essenes at Quomrom for entrance of new converts to there community and since The second Temple period by Messianic Beleivers, in The book of ACTS they were mikva-ing at the Temple Mount. The act is immersing in the mikvah is called tevilah.

mincha -- the daily religious service performed late in the afternoon.

minhog -- a custom, not at all to be confused with the Oral Torah which is not a custom at all.

minyon -- ten males required for religious services.

mishpocha -- family; ancestors; lineage.

mitzvo (pl. mitzvos) -- a commandment; good deed.

mohel (moy'el) -- one who circumcises.

naches -- pride and joy; (especially) the pleasure which parents receive from their children.

narr -- a fool.

narrishkeit -- foolishness.

neshoma -- soul.

oy ! -- similar to "Oh!".

oy vay! -- woe is me! (similar to "oh, no!" or "good grief!").

parsha (pl. parshos) -- weekly Torah reading.

peyes -- unshorn sideburns , sidelocks of Orthodox Jews. Litvish wear them tucked behind their ears, and most Chossidim wear them hanging, and some curl them as well.

pilpul -- hair-splitting debate. This is common with Jews, but scares the pants off of new Non-Jewish believers because they think we are fighting. (*grin*)

poskim -- an authoratative halachic ruling.

pashat -- simple, obvious meaning (as with a sacred text).

Reb, Rav, Rov -- short for Rebbe , or Rabbi.

Rebbitzen -- rabbi's wife.

refuah shelaymah - [have a] full and peaceful healing.
rasha a person that sins all the time. This person is like a behimah (animal).
sefer (say-fer) -- book.

Sephardic Jews -- one of the branches of Jews that primarily originated in Spain and southern France.

Shabbat Shalom -- [have a] peaceful Sabbath. (Sephardic). Auskenazik would be "Gut'n Shabbes!" (Yiddish)

Shabbes, Shabbos, Shabbat Sabbath --(Starting at sundown Fri to sundown Sat evening) Sabbath. This is also the secular Hebrew word for the English word "Saturday". This word is NEVER applied to Sunday, unless someone is ignorant of Hebrew.

shadchan -- a professional matchmaker. (Yenta, oh please, make me a match!)

sha'alo (shy-low) -- a judgement; ruling.

sholem! (Auskenazik) Shalom (Sephardic) -- peace.

1. shalom alechem; 2. alechem shalom (as a response to the 1st) -- (1st., when greeting) `may you have peace'; (and 2nd., when saying `good-bye') `and peace unto you'.

shammish -- the caretaker of a synagogue.

Shavuah Tov! -- [have a] good week.

shaytel -- An Orthodox (Ashkenazik) Jewish woman's wig. According to the Written and Oral Torah a married woman is to cover her hair.

shechitah -- ritual animal slaughter, the proper way of slaughtering the animal and draining the blood. (ACTS Ch. 15 requires this even for non-Jewish believers who have less stricter requirements than us as Jewsish believers)

Shema -- see mezuzah. (Never say sheee mah, it is pronounced something like "Schmah")

shidduch -- an arranged marriage.

shikker -- to be drunk.

shtetel -- a little Jewish village, especially of Ashkenazic Jews of eastern Europe before World War II.

simcha -- a happy occasion, celebration.

shmooze, schmooze -- informal and pleasurable conversation.

Shoah -- the Holocaust. (Yom haShoah, Holocaust Rememberance Day)

shofar -- a ram's horn used in announcing festivals, Shabbat, etc..(They can also be made of a Gazelle's horn, Yeminite)

shul -- synagogue.

slicha -- excuse me.

tallis -- This is what the Beverly-Hillbillies would call a "prayer shawl". It is used by Jewish males when praying at religious services. (They hold the tzitzis on)

talmid chocham -- a wise scholar and expert of the Talmud.

tefilla -- prayer.

tefillin -- phylacteries.
tevilah the act of immersion in the mikvah.
todah! -thank you!

todah rabah! -- thank you much.

treif -- not kosher. (Literally, it means "torn")

t'zaddik -- a holy, righteous man.

t'zedaka -- (literally) righteousness; (loosely trans.) charity.

tzitzis -- fringes on a male's "prayer shaawel" (A southern Americana outback accent here, lol, my friends from that area of the U.S. I am kidding with here.), and the tallis katan (a sort of jacket worn underneath an Orthodox male's outer garment). Beltloop tzitzis are challachlly unkosher, The Torah literally says "wear them on the four corners of your garment". opposed to schtick!

tznius -- modesty. (This is something that is apparentlly forgotten by most of the world nowadays.)

tzooris, tzuris -- trouble; woe; suffering.

vort -- explanation; discourse; opinion, usually given in Yiddish at Chossidish Shuls.

yarmulke -- same as kippa, men's head covering.

Yohrtzeit -- anniversary of someone's death. At this time a yortzeit candle is light in memory of the deceased loved one or teacher.

yesher koach -- `you should have strength'. This is a big Yeshivishe' term.

yeshiva -- a Rabbinical college.

yeshiva bocher -- a yeshiva student that has not yet taken a wife.

yiches -- family status or prestige.

yid (pl. Yidden) -- a Jew. Non-Jews should avoid using this word in the singular, as it has often been used by them in a derogatory sense which bothers some Jews.

yiddishkeit,yiddishkleyt -- Jewishness.

yontev (Yiddish) The Hebrew version of this word is "Chag". -- holiday.

zionYirushalyem! Zion is also the wrong way to spell it "Tzyion" --

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II. Important Acronyms
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B"H -- Boruch Hashem, blessed be the Name (literally), used as a sign of piety normally at the beginning of a correspondence.

n"y (nero yoir) -- `may his candle shine' (literally); similar in general sentiment to shlita, but said of lesser mortals.

shlita -- short for *shyehai lo yomim tovim vearuchim*: that `a person should have good and many days'. Said of an acknowledged scholar, religious leader, while they are still alive.

z"l (zichrono levrochah) -- `may he be remembered for good'. The phrase for an am-ha'aretz (a regular person) who has passed on.

z"tl (zecher tzaddik livrocho) -- (literally) `remembering the righteous person for a blessing'. This is an Orthodox custom, said of an acknowledged scholar and/or religious leader, and refers to the general belief that the tzaddik (righteous person) can intercede favorably on our behalf in the Olam Haba (world to come, afterlife). ______________________________________________________________________
A Few Religious Occasions
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Channukah -- Festival of Dedication or Lights; commemoration of the victory of the Jewish Maccabees (167 B.C.) over Syrian despots for religious freemdom. Predicted by Daniel haNovi and celebrated by Rebbe Yeshua haMoshiach in the account byYochanon (John )in The B'ris Chadasha (Renewed Covenant)

Pesach -- Passover, sometimes called "the feast of unleavened bread". What Chrisomden calls "the last supper" was actually a pesach seder celebrated on the day that the Purush'sheem celbrated it on (The Sadduceans celebrated Pesach a day apart).

Purim (pronounced something like purr-m')-- festival commemorating the rescue of Persian Jews (based on the record in the book of Esther).

Rosh Hashanah (literally meaning "the head of the year") -- celebration, commemoration, of the Jewish new year; the anniversary of the Creation.

Shuavuos -- the Festival of Weeks; In Greek it is called "Pentecost". This is the day commemorating the day that HASHEM gave The Torah on Mt. Sanai. Yerme'yohu (Jeremiah)31 says this was the day when HASHEM (G-d) renewed his covenant with Israel and with Y'hudah and made the Torah (Instruction) to be written on our hearts. And Jews of all nations were witnesses of this.(ACTS Ch.2)

Simchas Torah -- a festival celebrating the end and beginning of the cycle of Torah readings for the year. (The one year Torah/haftorah cycle)

Succos -- the Feast of Booths, it begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur, it lasts eight days among the Orthodox Jews, seven in Israel and among Reform. This holiday fell 9 mos after Rebbe Yeshua haMoshiach was concieved, he was born in a succa (booth). They were originally a temporary structure for animals, but HASHEM commanded us to live in them once a year. Yeshua mishkan-ed with us, or in Greek, "Tabernacled".

Yom Kippur -- Day of Atonement; annual occasion of Jewish confession and repentance. It is said in the Bavli Talmud that the scapegoat who's ribbon turned from scarlet to white each year after the sacrifices for attonement, ceased to turn white since Rebbe Yeshua was put to death. Today some Orthodox Jews do what is called Kipperah, where they wave a chicken above the head of a family member , then take it and slaughter it for attonement, this is Orthodox, but it is not Orthodox "JUDAISM". Chag (Hebrew) -- related to the Rabic Haj (pilgrimage) used traditionally for the three foot festivals (Pesach -- Passover; Shavout -- Pentecost; Succot-- Tabernacles), which required a pilgrimage to Jersusalem when the Bais (or Bet in Sephardi -- Spanish, oriental pronunciation) Hamikdosh, Temple, was standing. Nowadays used by modern Orthodox to describe almost any day of any significance, even Yom Ha'atmaut (Israel's Independence Day --

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IV. A Few Basic Religious Texts
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B'ris Chadasha - The renewed Covenant spoken of in Yerme'yohu (Jeremiah) 31:31 . It is a revision of The Torah, an addition to the orginal Mosaiac Covenant. Christendom unknowingly calls these writings the "New" Testament', which includes the `books' of Mattityohu-The Revelation, which are actually terms that come from supercessionism (Replacement theology) originally coined by the heresy of Marcion (circa; early 100's A.D.) who And he taught that the "New" replaces The "Old." thefore implying that the church has replaced Messianic Jews.

Gemora -- commentary on the Mishna.(Mishna, Oral Torah)

Gematria -- Jewish work on numerology. This is something to be cautious of. There are valid uses of it, but it can also be twisted and be dangerous.

Haftorah -- a portion from the Novi'eem (Prophets) that's read on the Shabbes or other festivals. Yeshua was reading from them right before his Synagogue took him outside and almost threw him off a cliff. In Shul's (Synagogues), we are still on the 1 year Torah/haftorah cycle today. (except for Sephardic ones, which are on a three year cycle)

Halocha - The root means "way to walk" , rulings!

Haggadah (This word means "tellling") -- 1. the part of the Talmud without the same authoritative law of the Halacha; 2. the narrative read at the Passover Seder, which describes the Jews rescue from Egyptian bondage.

Mishnah -- the codified core of the Oral Law. (this, plus Gemara combined makes up The Talmud)

Sefer Torah -- The scroll of the five books of Moishe (Moses) that's kept in the Aharon (Ark) at the front of a synagogue, or shul.

Siddur -- daily and Shabbat prayer book. These are the prayers that Rebbe Yeshua haMoshiach prayed.

TaNaKh , or Tenach-- An acronym-- the Sacred Scriptures of the Jews grouped into three main sections: the Torah (the Written Law, the word actually means "instruction"); the Novi'im (the Prophets); the Kessub'eem (the Writings).

Christendom calls these writings the "Old" Testament', which includes the `books' of Genesis to Malachi, which is actually a term that come from supercessionism (Replacement theology) originally coined out of the heresy of Marcion who has discommunicated as a heretic. (circa; early 110 C.E., or A.D.) Marcion taught that the "New" replaces The "Old." thefore implying that the church replace the Messianic Jews.

Torah -- Written Instruction; the five books of Moishe (Moses). But since the term means "Instruction" in can be applied to the scriptures from Bereshis (Genesis) to The Revelation. Calling Torah "LAW" has lead to much confusion and division

Talmud -- sixty-six volumes of commentary on the Torah; composed of the Mishna (Oral Law) and Gemara (commentary on the Mishna). Legally binding parts of the Talmud are called the Halacha, other portions the Haggadah. The Mishna was codified by Y'hudah haNassi around the 300's C.E. (a.d.) With the advancement of modern technology, the Talmud is now available on one cd rom for about three hundred American dollars. opposed to about $50 each bound volume. The Bavli (Babylonian Talmud) has always been more authoritative believe it or not, the reason being, is in the dispersion, that is where most of the Jewish Sages were at.

Zohar --The word means "brilliance". It is considered the most important book of the Kabbalistic movement. The Zohar is written as a commentary on the Torah portions. Sephardim and Chossidim as a whole are accepting of The Zohar, where Litvish (Lithuanian) are more "chalocha only", or "p'shat only" based. Kaballah represents the Spiritual aspect of Torah, but is very deep and one should gain a solid basis of knowledge of pashat and chalocha first. _____________________________________________________________________
V. A Sample of Other Significant Expressions
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chillul Hashem -- profanation of The Name.

Da'as Torah -- Torah perspective.

Derech Eretz -- good manners; (literally) way of the land.

Ein somchim al ha'nes -- `one should not rely on a miracle', i.e., halacha forbids a person to fulfill a mitzva in a hazardous manner.

Hashgocho protis -- divine providence (intervention).

Kol va-khomer -- `how much more so', a common statute defining how the application of a principle that is true on a lesser level *must* be true on a greater level.

Kibud av v'em -- respect for mother and father.

Loshen hora -- slander.

Ma-aseh Listor (or Rayo Listor) -- an expression in the Talmud that means a "proof to the contrary" (or "on the contrary").

Tikkun Olam -- the repairing of our world.

Yetzer tov -- good inclination.

Yetzer hora -- evil inclination.

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