Torah
תּוֹרָה
Literally "instruction" or "teaching." Refers to the Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) and, more broadly, to all of Jewish learning and law.
Parasha
פָּרָשָׁה
A weekly Torah portion. The Torah is divided into 54 portions read over the course of a year, one each Shabbat. Also called "Parashat HaShavua" - the portion of the week.
Tanakh
תַּנַ״ךְ
The Hebrew Bible, an acronym for its three parts: Torah (Teaching), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). It's the foundational text of Judaism.
Shabbat
שַׁבָּת
The Sabbath - the weekly day of rest from Friday evening to Saturday evening. A central pillar of Jewish life, rooted in the fourth of the Ten Commandments: "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy."
Haftarah
הַפְטָרָה
A reading from the Prophets (Nevi'im) that accompanies the weekly Torah portion. Read after the Torah reading in synagogue, it often echoes the themes of the Parasha.
Mitzvah
מִצְוָה
A commandment or religious obligation. There are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. Colloquially, it also means "a good deed." Plural: mitzvot (מִצְווֹת).
HaShem
הַשֵּׁם
Literally "The Name." Used to refer to God outside of prayer and Torah reading, out of reverence for the sanctity of God's name. In prayer, Adonai is used instead.
Bracha
בְּרָכָה
A blessing or prayer of praise. Jewish blessings typically begin with "Baruch Atah Adonai..." (Blessed are You, Lord...). In Parashat Yitro, Jethro recites one of the first recorded blessings in the Torah.
Brit
בְּרִית
A covenant or binding agreement. Central to the Torah's narrative - God establishes a brit with Abraham and later with all of Israel at Mount Sinai. Brit milah refers to the covenant of circumcision.
Shofar
שׁוֹפָר
A ram's horn blown as a musical instrument in Jewish ceremonies, most notably on Rosh Hashanah. In Parashat Yitro, a shofar blast accompanied God's descent onto Mount Sinai.
Aseret HaDibrot
עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת
The Ten Commandments, literally "Ten Utterances" or "Ten Words." Revealed directly by God to the entire nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, as told in Parashat Yitro (Exodus 20).
Am Yisrael
עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל
The nation or people of Israel. Refers to the Jewish people as a collective - not just a geographic nation, but a people bound by shared history, covenant, and purpose.
Har Sinai
הַר סִינַי
Mount Sinai - the mountain where God revealed the Torah and the Ten Commandments to the Israelites. One of the most pivotal locations in all of Jewish history.
Teshuvah
תְּשׁוּבָה
Repentance or "return." The process of acknowledging wrongdoing, making amends, and turning back toward a better path. A central theme during the High Holy Days but relevant year-round.
Chesed
חֶסֶד
Lovingkindness, mercy, or grace. One of the most important ethical concepts in Judaism - the idea of going beyond what's required to show compassion and generosity to others.
Tzedakah
צְדָקָה
Often translated as "charity," but its root is tzedek (justice). Tzedakah is an obligation, not just generosity - it's about creating a more just and equitable world.
Halakha
הֲלָכָה
Jewish law, from the root meaning "to walk." Halakha encompasses the full body of religious law derived from the Torah, rabbinic tradition, and centuries of interpretation.
Midrash
מִדְרָשׁ
A body of rabbinic interpretations of the Torah. Midrash fills in gaps in the biblical narrative, explores deeper meanings, and often uses storytelling to illuminate ethical and spiritual lessons.
Talmud
תַּלְמוּד
The central text of rabbinic Judaism, recording centuries of scholarly debate on law, ethics, philosophy, and storytelling. Consists of the Mishnah (oral law) and the Gemara (commentary).
Neshamah
נְשָׁמָה
The soul or spirit. In Jewish thought, every person has a divine spark - a neshamah - that connects them to God. Related to the word for "breath" (neshimah).
Shalom
שָׁלוֹם
Peace, wholeness, completeness. Used as a greeting ("hello" and "goodbye") but carries a much deeper meaning - the aspiration for harmony, justice, and well-being in the world.
Tefillah
תְּפִלָּה
Prayer. Jewish prayer is structured around three daily services (morning, afternoon, evening) but can also be personal and spontaneous. The root means "to judge oneself" - prayer as self-reflection.
Kohen
כֹּהֵן
A priest, specifically a descendant of Aaron. In Temple times, Kohanim performed the sacrificial services. Today, they retain certain ceremonial roles, like the priestly blessing.
Emunah
אֱמוּנָה
Faith or trust. More than belief - emunah implies steadfastness, reliability, and an active trust in God's presence, even in difficult times.
Mishpatim
מִשְׁפָּטִים
Laws, ordinances, or judgments. Refers to the logical, civil laws of the Torah - rules about damages, property, lending, and justice - as opposed to chukim (laws without obvious rational explanations).
Ger
גֵּר
A stranger, foreigner, or convert. The Torah commands the protection of the ger 36 times - more than any other commandment. "You know the feelings of the stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt."
Shemitah
שְׁמִטָּה
The sabbatical year. Every seventh year, the land of Israel is to rest - no plowing, planting, or harvesting. It's Shabbat for the earth, teaching that the land belongs to God, not to us.
Kashrut
כַּשְׁרוּת
The Jewish dietary laws. The root means "fit" or "proper." Includes rules about which animals may be eaten, how they're slaughtered, and the separation of meat and dairy - which originates in Parashat Mishpatim.
Na'aseh V'Nishma
נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע
"We will do and we will hear." The Israelites' famous declaration of commitment at Sinai (Exodus 24:7), pledging to follow God's laws even before fully understanding them - action before comprehension, trust before certainty.
Mishkan
מִשְׁכָּן
The Tabernacle - a portable sanctuary built by the Israelites in the desert so that God's presence could dwell among them. Its construction is described in exquisite detail across multiple Torah portions. The word comes from the root "to dwell."
Terumah
תְּרוּמָה
An offering, gift, or contribution - specifically a voluntary one given from the heart. In Parashat Terumah, God asks the Israelites for gifts of thirteen materials to build the Mishkan, accepting only from those "whose heart moves them."
Aron HaKodesh
אֲרוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ
The Holy Ark - the gold-covered chest that held the Tablets of the Ten Commandments. In the Mishkan, it sat in the innermost chamber (the Holy of Holies). Today, the term refers to the cabinet in every synagogue that holds the Torah scrolls.
Menorah
מְנוֹרָה
The seven-branched golden lampstand that stood in the Mishkan and later in the Temple. Hammered from a single piece of gold, it symbolizes divine light and wisdom. Not to be confused with the nine-branched Hanukkiah used on Hanukkah.
Keruvim
כְּרוּבִים
Cherubim - winged figures made of hammered gold that sat atop the Ark of the Covenant, facing each other. God told Moses, "I will speak to you from between the two Keruvim." They appear first in Genesis guarding the Garden of Eden.
Kohen / Kohen Gadol
כֹּהֵן / כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל
A priest / the High Priest. Aaron and his sons were appointed as the first Kohanim, responsible for the sacrificial service and tending the Mishkan. The Kohen Gadol wore eight special garments and alone entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur.
Choshen
חֹשֶׁן
The breastplate of judgment, one of the High Priest's most striking garments. It was set with twelve precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and was worn over Aaron's heart as a constant remembrance before God.
Ephod
אֵפוֹד
An apron-like vestment woven of gold, blue, purple, and crimson thread. Two shoulder straps held onyx stones engraved with the names of the twelve tribes - six on each stone - so that Aaron carried all of Israel on his shoulders before God.
Ner Tamid
נֵר תָּמִיד
The eternal light. In the Mishkan, the Menorah was kindled each evening with pure beaten olive oil so that a flame burned continually. Today, every synagogue has a Ner Tamid hanging above the Ark as a symbol of God's enduring presence.
Ketoret
קְטֹרֶת
The incense offering. A precisely formulated blend of spices burned on the golden incense altar every morning and evening. The rising smoke symbolized prayers ascending to God. Its recipe was sacred - no one was permitted to make it for personal use.
Egel HaZahav
עֵגֶל הַזָּהָב
The Golden Calf - the idol made by Aaron from the people's gold jewelry while Moses was on Mount Sinai. It represents the most dramatic failure of faith in the Torah and the crisis that nearly destroyed the covenant between God and Israel.
Luchot
לוּחוֹת
The tablets of stone. Two sets were made: the first, "written by the finger of God," were shattered by Moses when he saw the Golden Calf. The second were carved by Moses and inscribed by God. The Talmud says both sets - broken and whole - were kept together inside the Ark.
Shelosh Esrei Middot
שְׁלוֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת
The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, revealed by God to Moses after the sin of the Golden Calf (Exodus 34:6–7). Beginning with "Compassionate and Gracious, Slow to Anger," they form the heart of Jewish prayers for forgiveness, recited on Yom Kippur and fast days.
Teshuvah
תְּשׁוּבָה
Repentance, or more literally, "return." Not merely feeling sorry, but actively turning away from wrongdoing and returning to a better path. Ki Tisa shows the first great act of communal teshuvah in the Torah - the people sin, face consequences, and the covenant is renewed.
Machatzit HaShekel
מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל
The half-shekel. Every Israelite - rich and poor alike - was required to give exactly half a shekel for the census and upkeep of the Mishkan. The equal amount teaches that every person counts the same before God and that community is built through shared responsibility.
Shechinah
שְׁכִינָה
The Divine Presence - God's indwelling in the physical world. At the end of Exodus, the Shechinah fills the completed Mishkan as a cloud by day and fire by night. The word shares a root with "shachen" (to dwell) and "mishkan" (tabernacle).
Melachah
מְלָאכָה
Creative work. The 39 categories of work forbidden on Shabbat (the "39 Melachot") are derived from the types of labor needed to build the Mishkan - sowing, weaving, dyeing, writing, building, and more. Shabbat rest is defined by what it took to build God's house.
Nedivut Lev
נְדִיבוּת לֵב
Generosity of heart, or a willing spirit. The Torah emphasizes that the Mishkan was built from gifts brought by "everyone whose heart moved them." The people gave so abundantly that Moses had to tell them to stop - the only such instance in all of Scripture.
Betzalel
בְּצַלְאֵל
The chief artisan of the Mishkan, described as "filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge." His name means "in the shadow of God." Along with Oholiav, he led the construction of the Tabernacle and all its vessels.
Kehillah
קְהִלָּה
A community or congregation. "Vayakhel" - "he assembled" - shares this root. After the crisis of the Golden Calf, Moses' first act is to re-gather the people into a kehillah. Community is rebuilt through shared purpose, not just shared space.
Korban
קָרְבָּן
An offering brought to God, often mistranslated as "sacrifice." The root means "to draw near." A korban is not about loss but about closing the distance between a person and God. The five main types are Olah, Minchah, Shelamim, Chatat, and Asham.
Olah
עֹלָה
The burnt offering, sometimes called the "elevation offering." It is entirely consumed on the altar - nothing is kept back - representing total devotion to God. The word comes from the root "to ascend."
Chatat
חַטָּאת
The sin offering, brought for unintentional transgressions. The root means "to miss the mark." It teaches that even accidental wrongs create a rupture that needs repair - not through punishment, but through acknowledgment and return.
Semichah
סְמִיכָה
The act of laying hands on the head of an offering before it is brought to the altar. A gesture of personal identification - saying "this represents me." Without semichah, the offering is merely a procedure; with it, it becomes personal.
Sefer Vayikra
סֵפֶר וַיִּקְרָא
The Book of Leviticus, the third book of the Torah. Also called "Torat Kohanim" (the Law of the Priests). Traditionally, Jewish children begin their Torah study with this book - "let the pure come and study the pure."
Eish Tamid
אֵשׁ תָּמִיד
The perpetual fire on the altar, commanded to burn continuously and never be extinguished. The priest added fresh wood every morning. The rabbis saw in this a symbol of the inner fire of faith - divine inspiration must be sustained by daily human effort.
Todah
תּוֹדָה
The thanksgiving offering, a type of peace offering brought in gratitude for deliverance - surviving illness, a journey, or danger. It had to be eaten by the next morning, leaving nothing over. In modern Hebrew, "todah" simply means "thank you."
Millu'im
מִלּוּאִים
The ordination or inauguration ceremony of the priests. It lasted seven days, during which Aaron and his sons could not leave the Tent of Meeting. The word literally means "filling" - filling the priests' hands with their sacred role and responsibility.
Shabbat HaGadol
שַׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל
The Great Shabbat - the Shabbat immediately before Passover. It commemorates the miracle when the Israelites set aside lambs for the Pesach offering in Egypt, and the Egyptian firstborn fought their own people to free the Israelites.
Shemen HaMishchah
שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה
The sacred anointing oil, a blend of olive oil with myrrh, cinnamon, and other spices. Used to consecrate the Mishkan, its vessels, and the priests. The word "Mashiach" (Messiah) comes from the same root - "the anointed one."
Pesach
פֶּסַח
Passover - the festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. The name means "to pass over," recalling how God passed over the Israelites' homes during the tenth plague. Also called Chag HaMatzot (Festival of Unleavened Bread) and Zman Cheruteinu (Season of Our Freedom).
Seder
סֵדֶר
Literally "order" - the ritual meal held on the first nights of Passover, following 15 prescribed steps. The Seder combines storytelling, song, symbolic foods, and four cups of wine to retell and relive the Exodus from Egypt.
Haggadah
הַגָּדָה
Literally "telling" - the book read at the Passover Seder that guides participants through the retelling of the Exodus. It includes prayers, songs, commentary, and the famous Four Questions. Notably, Moses is barely mentioned - the focus is on God's role in the redemption.
Matzah
מַצָּה
Unleavened bread eaten during Passover. It represents both the "bread of affliction" eaten by slaves and the bread of freedom - baked in haste because the Israelites had no time to let their dough rise. Flat, humble, carrying both meanings at once.
Maror
מָרוֹר
Bitter herbs, usually horseradish or romaine lettuce, eaten at the Seder to recall the bitterness of slavery. The tears it brings are intentional - we taste suffering so we never forget what our ancestors endured, and so we remain sensitive to the suffering of others.
Sefirat HaOmer
סְפִירַת הָעוֹמֶר
The Counting of the Omer - a 49-day count from the second night of Pesach to Shavuot. Originally tied to the barley harvest, it traces the spiritual journey from physical freedom (Exodus) to spiritual freedom (receiving the Torah at Sinai).