Only those terms necessary for an understanding of the historical and geographic background of the text are included here. Spellings are consistent with the Polish spellings found on 18th century maps of the region

Brysk	(Brest on modern maps): city (and surrounding territory) in southwestern region of modern Belarus, bordering on Poland; formerly part of Lithuania and *Poland
Bukovina	territory in southern region of modern Ukraine, bordering on Romania and Moldova; once part of Austria-Hungary, and later part of Romania
Chernigov	city (and surrounding territory) in northern region of modern Ukraine; the Jews of Chernigov had more in common with those of *White Russia than with those of Ukraine
Cherson	(Kherson on modern maps): city (and surrounding territory) in southern region of modern Ukraine
Galicia	territory now in southern *Poland and southwestern Ukraine; formerly a possession of the Austrian Empire
Kiev	city (and surrounding territory) in northern region of modern Ukraine, bordered by *Reissin to the north, *Chernigov to the east, and *Vohlynia to the south
Kremenchug	city in central region of modern Ukraine
Kovna	(Kaunas on modern maps): city (and surrounding territory) in the *Zamut region of modern Lithuania; formerly part of Poland, and later part of Russia
Lita	Yid. name for territory corresponding approximately to modern Lithuania; in a broader sense (esp. as used by Jews of *Poland), includes *Reissin and some adjoining areas in Russia and Poland; in the narrowest sense, restricted to the *Vilna region of southeastern Lithuania
Little Russia	territory in what is now northern and eastern Ukraine
Lubavitch	village formerly in *Mohilev County of *White Russia, presently in *Smolensk County of Russia (see Glossary)
Minsk	city (and surrounding territory) in central region of modern Belarus
Mohilev (also spelled Mogilev)	city (and surrounding territory) in eastern region of modern Belarus, bordering on Russia; city (and surrounding territory) in southwestern region of modern Ukraine; to distinguish it from the former, it was often called "Mohilev on the Dnester," and (by the Jews) "Turkish" Mohilev
Podolia	territory in southwestern region of modern Ukraine; once part of the *Polish Empire; together with *Vohlynia, it is often called Vohlynia-Podolia, or Podolia-Vohlynia
Poland	at its height, the Polish Empire included modern Poland, and much adjoining territory in what is now eastern Germany, southern Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine; in general Yid. usage, includes only modern Poland; to the Jews of *Lita, the term "Poland" also includes *Vohlynia-Podolia and some other territories now in Ukraine; for most of the period of 1795-1918, Poland did not exist as an independent entity, and was partitioned among Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia; during this period, the term "Poland" usually referred only to the Russian sector (which was sometimes called "Congress Poland"); the Austrian sector was called *Galicia
Poltava	city (and surrounding territory) in northeastern region of modern Ukraine
Reissin	Yid. name for *White Russia
Shklov	town in *Mohilev region of *White Russia, and (along with *Vilna) a principle center of the misnagdim in the late 18th century
Smolensk	city (and surrounding territory) in western Russia, bordering on eastern Belarus
Vilna	(Vilnius on modern maps): city in southeastern region of modern Lithuania; Yid. name for entire region of southeastern Lithuania (see last definition under *Lita)
Vitebsk	city (and surrounding territory) in northeastern region of modern Belarus, bordering on western Russia
Vohlynia (also spelled Volhynia)	territory in western region of modern Ukraine (see Podolia)
White Russia	territory corresponding approximately to modern Belarus
Zamut	Yid. name for territory in northwestern region of modern Lithuania