Glossary of Hebrew Terminology	Definitions
Aishet chayil	“Woman of Valor” Mishlie/Proverbs 31:10-31. Traditional blessing sung by husband on Shabbat in praise of his wife
Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah	“son/daughter of commandment” One who is fully obligated to learn to observe the mitzvoth of the Torah
Beit Din	”House of Judgement”
Beit HaMikdash	The First and Second Temples of Israel
Beit Knesset	“House of Assembly”
Beit Midrash	“House of Study”, discussion and prayer
Beit Tefillah	“House of Prayer”
B’rit Chadasha	Hebrew terminology for the Renewed Covenant know in English Bibles as the “New Testament”
Challah	Two loaves of bread baked for Shabbat in remembrance of the double portion of manna the children of Israel gathered on the 6^th day to have provision through the Sabbath Day of rest.
Elohim	“Mighty One” Hebrew title for God
Eretz Yisrael/Israel	“land of Israel” The Land promised to the people of Israel by ADONAI in His covenant
Galut	“exile” or dispersion of Israelites throughout the world.
Haftarah	(plural-Haftarot) Designates a specific section of the biblical prophets read in immediately after the corresponding Torah (Pentateuch) section called the Parashah.
Haggadah	(plural-Haggadot) “narration” or “telling’ A liturgical manual used in the Passover Seder.
Kohen HaGadol	The High Priest of Israel
Ketuvim	“writings” The third and last division of the TaNaKh, including the Psalms and Proverbs and Job as well as other writings (Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Exra-Nehemiah, Chronicles)
Kippah	(plural-kippot) Skull cap worn during prayer as a sign of reverence to ADONAI. Known in Yiddish as”Yarmulke"
Kitubah	Legal Jewish marriage contract derived from the Hebrew word for “writing”
Mashiach	“anointed one” or “Messiah” This is the Hebrew term for the Messiah that is usually translated into English as the Greek form of “Christ”

Glossary of Hebrew Terminology	Definitions
Mezuzah	(plural-mezuaot) “doorpost” A parchment scroll with selected Torah verses (Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11, 13-21) placed in a container and affixed to the exterior doorposts (on the right side) of Torah-observant homes.
Mitzvot	“commandments” Commonly refers to deeds that are performed in obedience to ADONAI commandments found in the Torah.
Mikvah	A ritual immersion pool- i.e. water baptism
Mishkan	Tabernacle-The Mishkan was the tent commanded by God for the Israelites to set up in the wilderness
Parashah	“portion” The Torah is divided into yearly cycle 54 portions
Parashah HaShavuah	The portion of Scripture for each weekly Shabbat including the Torah and Haftarah portions.
Rosh Chodesh	“Renewed Moon” First day of the new month as determined by the sighting of the first sliver of the new moon in Israel.
Ruach HaKodesh	The Holy Spirit
Shemoneh Esrei/Amidah	“eighteen blessings” The main section of Hebrew prayers containing 19 “benedictions” praise to (1) God of the fathers/patriarchs (2) God’s power and (3) holiness; prayers for (4) knowledge, (5) repentance, (6) forgiveness (7) redemption (8) healing sick persons, (9) agricultural prosperity, (10) ingathering of exiles (11) righteous judgment (12) punishment for wicked (13) reward of pious (14) rebuilding of Jerusalem (15) restoration of royal house of David (16) acceptance of prayers (17) thanks to God (18) restoration of Temple worship (19) shalom
Siddur	Prayer book of Hebrew blessing for Daily, Shabbat and Festivals
Sha’ul	Hebrew name for Paul. Rav or Rabbi Shaul
Talmid/Talmidim	“student” or “taught-ones” Hebrew term for students of Messiah Yeshua. Also known as Greek term “desciple”
Talmud	Name of a two-part compendium of oral law
Tallit	(plural-tallitot) Four cornered prayer shawl with fringes (tzitzit) attached, worn by Torah-observant men (woman may also wear Tallit) during tefillah (prayer) and during Shabbat services. Bamidbar /Numbers 15:37-41

Glossary of Hebrew Terminology	Definitions
Tefillin	“phylacteries” These are worn by males at the weekday morning (Shacharit) services. The boxes have leather thongs attached and contain scripture passages. One box is placed on the head, the other is placed on the left are, near the heart. The biblical passages emphasize the unity of God and the duty to love God and be mindful of him with “all one’s heart and mind” (Sh’mot/Exodus 13:1-10, 11-16 and Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11: 13-21)
Tefillah	“prayer” (plural-tefillot) traditional prayers are said 3 times daily. Morning “Shacharit”, Afternoon, “Mincha” and Evening “Ma’ariv”
Teshuvah	“return” Repentance and a return to the Ways of ADONAI-His Torah
Torah also Torah Scroll	“teaching, instruction” The Torah is the ‘five books of Moshe’ in the Hebrew Scriptures. Sometimes the Torah is known as the Pentateuch.
YHWH (ADONAI)	The sacred name of God in the Hebrew Scriptures. Also known as the tetragrammaton. Since Hebrew was written without vowels in ancient times, the four consonants YHWH “Y=yud”, “H=hey” “W=waw (modern vav) “H=hey” contain no clue to their original pronounceation. In traditional Judaism, the name is not pronounced, but ADONAI (Master) or HASHEM (The Name) is substituted. In most English versions of the Bible the tetragrammaton is represented by “LORD”
Ya’akov	The patriarch Jacob. Also James (real name =Jacob) one of the twelve emissaries and also the half - brother of Yeshua-leader of the assembly in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem)
Yeshua/Yehoshua	The Hebrew name of the Messiah: Yeshua, meaning “salvation” that is often translated into English as the Greek form “Jesus”
Zionism	Moutn Zion is the ancient Hebrew designation for Yerushalalyim (Jerusalem). In Biblical times it began to symbolize the national homeland. The goal of Zionism is the political and spiritual renewal of the Hebrew-Israelite people in their ancestral homeland.