Acharonim | halachic authorities of the period since the publication of the *Shulchan Aruch in the sixteenth century |
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Acharon shel Pesach | the Last Day of Passover |
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aggados | (the singular Aram. form is aggad'ta): non-legal teachings on the non-literal level of interpretation known as *derush |
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ahavas Yisrael | loving a fellow Jew |
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alma de'isgalya | (lit., "the world of revelation"; Aram.): the spiritual realm in which Divinity is revealed |
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alma de'iskasya | (lit., "the world of concealment"; Aram.): the spiritual realm in which Divinity is concealed |
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amoraim | post-Mishnaic authorities cited in the *Gemara |
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Asiyah, the World of | (lit., "the World of Action, or Making"): the lowest of the Four *Worlds |
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Atzilus, the World of | (lit., "the World of Emanation"): the highest of the Four *Worlds |
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avodah | (lit., "work" or "service"): (in Torah usage) divine service, particularly through prayer and (in chassidic usage) through the labor of self-refinement |
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beis din | rabbinical court |
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Beis HaMikdash | the (First or Second) Temple in Jerusalem |
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beis midrash | communal House of Study |
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beraisa (pl., beraisos; Aram.) | tannaitic statement not included in the Mishnah |
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beirurim | the divine service of sifting and refining the materiality of this world by enlightened use, and thereby elevating the divine sparks concealed within it |
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Beriah, the World of | (lit., "the World of Creation"): the second (in descending order) of the Four *Worlds |
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Binah | (lit., "understanding"): the second of the Ten Sefiros, or divine emanations; the second stage of the intellectual process (cf. *Chabad), developing the initial conception of *Chochmah |
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Chabad | acronym formed by the initial letters of the Hebrew words *Chochmah, *Binah, and *Daas, which are both (i) the first three of the Ten *Sefiros, or divine emanations, and (ii) the corresponding stages that comprise the intellectual process (known as seichel or Chabad). Chabad also signifies: (a) the branch of the chassidic movement (see *Chassidus) which is rooted in an intellectual approach to the service of G-d, and which was founded by R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi; a synonym for Chabad in this sense is *Lubavitch, originally the name of the township where the movement flourished 1813-1915; (b) the philosophy of this school of Chassidism |
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challah | (a) a tithe of dough for the Kohen; (b) a braided loaf baked in honor of Shabbos |
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chassid (pl., chassidim) | adherent of the chassidic movement (see *Chassidus) |
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Chassidism | see *Chassidus |
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Chassidus | Chassidism, i.e., the movement within Orthodox Judaism founded in White Russia by R. Yisrael, the Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760), and stressing: emotional involvement in prayer; service of G-d through the material universe; wholehearted earnestness in divine service; the mystical in addition to the legalistic dimension of Judaism; the power of joy, and of music; the love to be shown to every Jew, unconditionally; and the mutual physical and moral responsibility of the members of the informal chassidic brotherhood, each chassid having cultivated a spiritual attachment to their saintly and charismatic leader, the *Rebbe; (b) the philosophy and literature of this movement; see also *Chabad |
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chayim | life |
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Chessed | (lit., "lovingkindness"): the first of the seven Divine middos, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middos, or spiritual emotions |
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Chochmah | (lit., "wisdom"): the first of the Ten Sefiros, or divine emanations; the first stage of the intellectual process (cf. *Chabad); reason in potentia |
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chutzpah | insolence |
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Daas | (lit., "knowledge"): the third of the Ten Sefiros, or divine emanations; the third stage of the intellectual process (cf.*Chabad), at which concepts, having proceeded from seminal intuition (cf. *Chochmah) through meditative gestation (cf. *Binah), now mature into their corresponding dispositions or attributes of character (middos) |
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daven, davenen | (a) praying, prayers; in *Chabad usage also signifies (b) the *avodah of praying at length, the reading of passages in the *Siddur being interspersed with pauses for disciplined meditation from memory on related texts in *Chassidus |
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derush | the non-literal, homiletic interpretation of Scripture, as in the *Midrash or Talmudic *aggados |
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Ein Sof-light | the [infinite] creative and enlightening emanation that radiates from the Infinite One |
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Eretz Yisrael | the Land of Israel |
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erev... | (lit., "evening"): the eve of [a Sabbath or a festival] |
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etzem | an entity which is one integral essence |
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galus | exile; Diaspora |
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Gemara | (Aram.): see *Talmud |
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geulah | redemption |
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Gevurah | (lit., "power"; i.e., strict justice): the second of the seven Divine middos, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middos, or spiritual emotions |
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golah | exile; Diaspora |
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haftorah | (lit., "final passage"): the passage from the Prophets read in the synagogue after the reading from the Five Books of Moses (cf. Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 187) |
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Haggadah | (lit., "telling", from Shmos 13:8): book from which the *Seder service is conducted on *Pesach |
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Hakkafos (pl. of Hakkafah; lit., "circuits") | the sevenfold procession made with the Torah scrolls in the synagogue on *Simchas Torah, accompanied by singing and dancing (cf. Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 335) |
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Halachah | (a) the body of Torah law; (b) a particular law |
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Hod | (lit., "majesty"): the fifth of the seven Divine middos, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middos, or spiritual emotions |
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Hoshana Rabbah | the seventh day of the festival of Sukkos |
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ikvesa diMeshicha (also ikvos Meshicha; Aram.) | the [generation that can hear the approaching] "footsteps of *Mashiach" |
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Kabbalah | (lit., "received tradition"): the body of classical Jewish mystical teachings, the central text of which is the *Zohar |
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kabbalas ol | (lit., "acceptance of the yoke"): self-subordination to the Will of G-d |
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kal vachomer | a principle of Scriptural interpretation whereby a conclusion is drawn from a minor premise or more lenient condition to a major or more strict one, or vice versa |
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kashrus | state of being *kosher |
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kelippos | (lit., "rind" or "shell"; pl. of kelippah): used figuratively (on a personal or universal level) to signify an outer covering which conceals the light within; hence, the unholy side of the universe |
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ketz | (lit., "end"): a particularly auspicious time for *Mashiach to bring the exile to an end |
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Kitzur Shulchan Aruch | part of the Code of Jewish Law as abbreviated by R. Shlomo Ganzfried for lay use |
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kochos makkifim | the transcendent faculties of the soul |
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kochos pnimiyim | the internalized, conscious faculties of the soul |
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Kohen (pl., Kohanim) | "priests", i.e., descendants of Aharon |
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Kohen Gadol | high priest |
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kosher | ritually fit for use or valid (cf. *kashrus) |
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kushia (popularly pronounced kashe; Aram.) | a query posed in the course of clarifying a seeming inconsistency, logical or textual, encountered in one's Torah study |
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Lubavitch | (lit., "town of love"; Rus.): townlet in White Russia which from 1813-1915 was the center of *Chabad *Chassidism, and whose name has remained a synonym for it |
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maamar (pl., maamarim; lit., "word" or "[written] article") | in *Chabad circles means a formal chassidic discourse first delivered by a *Rebbe |
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makkif | the transcendent dimension of the soul that is not consciously vested in the body |
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Malchus | (lit., "sovereignty"): the last of the seven Divine middos, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middos, or spiritual emotions |
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Mashiach | (lit., "the anointed one"): Messiah |
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matzah (pl., matzos) | unleavened bread eaten on *Pesach |
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Melaveh Malkah | festive meal held after the close of Shabbos to escort the departing Sabbath Queen |
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mezuzah (pl., mezuzos) | tiny parchment scroll affixed to doorpost, and containing the first two paragraphs of Shema (Devarim 6:-9 and 11:13-21) |
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Midrash | one of the classical collections of the Sages' homiletical teachings on the Torah, on the non-literal level of *derush |
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minyan (pl., minyanim) | quorum of ten men required for communal prayer |
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Mishkan | the Tabernacle, i.e., the temporary Sanctuary in the wilderness; see Shmos 25ff. |
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Mishnah | the germinal statements of law elucidated by the *Gemara, together with which they constitute the *Talmud |
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mitzvah (pl., mitzvos) | a religious obligation; one of the 613 Commandments |
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Mussaf | the additional prayer of *Shabbos and other festive days |
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nasi | (a) in Biblical times, the head of any one of the Twelve Tribes; (b) in later generations, the civil and/or spiritual head of the Jewish community at large |
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nazir | one who sets himself apart for divine service by undertaking certain ascetic restrictions; cf. Bamidbar 6:1-21 |
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Netzach | (lit., "eternity; conquest; victory"): the fourth of the seven Divine middos, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middos, or spiritual emotions |
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nigleh | (lit., "revealed"): the revealed levels of the Torah (e.g., *Talmud and *Halachah); in contrast to *nistar |
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niggun (pl., niggunim) | melody, usually wordless, especially one figuring in divine service |
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nistar | (lit., "hidden"): the mystical levels of the Torah (e.g., *Kabbalah and *Chassidus); in contrast to *nigleh |
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parshah (pl., parshiyos) | portion of the Torah read publicly each week |
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Parshas... | the parshah of... |
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Pesach | Passover, a seven-day festival beginning on 15 Nissan, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt |
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Pirkei Avos | (lit., "chapters of the fathers"): tractate in the *Mishnah reprinted in most *Siddurim and commonly known as "Ethics of the Fathers" |
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pnimiyus haTorah | the innermost, mystical dimension of the Torah; cf. *nistar |
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posek (pl., poskim) | decisors; rabbis whose legal decisions are authoritative |
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pshat | the plain meaning of (e.g.) a Scriptural passage |
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rasha (pl., resha'im) | opposite of *tzaddik |
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rav (pl., rabbanim) | rabbi, Torah teacher |
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Rebbe | *tzaddik who serves as spiritual guide to a following of chassidim; see *Chassidus |
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remez | the interpretation of Scripture at the level of allusive implication |
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resha'im | see *rasha |
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Rishon | (lit., "one of the early ones"; pl., Rishonim): a Torah authority of the period between the Geonim (early Middle Ages) and the publication of the *Shulchan Aruch (in the mid-sixteenth century) |
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Rosh Chodesh | (lit., "head of the month"; pl. Rashei Chadashim): New Moon, i.e., one or two semi-festive days at the beginning of each month |
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Rosh HaShanah | (lit., "head of the year"): the solemn New Year festival, falling on 1 and 2 Tishrei |
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Seder | (lit., "order"; pl., sedarim): the order of service observed at home on the first night of *Pesach (and outside of *Eretz Yisrael on the first two nights) |
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Sefer Torah (pl., Sifrei Torah) | Torah scroll |
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Sefirah (pl., Sefiros) | divine attributes or emanations which manifest themselves in each of the Four Worlds, and are the source of the corresponding ten faculties (kochos) of the soul |
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seudas Mashiach | the Festive Meal of Mashiach held on the Last Day of *Pesach |
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Seventeenth of Tammuz, the Fast of | fast commemorating five calamities, including the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem during the Roman siege |
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Shabbos (pl., Shabbasos) | the Sabbath |
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Shabbos Parshas... | the *Shabbos on which a [named] *parshah is read |
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shaliach | emissary |
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Shavuos | (lit., "weeks"): festival commemorating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai; in *Eretz Yisrael falling on 6 Sivan, and in the Diaspora on 6-7 Sivan |
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Shechinah | the Divine Presence |
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shechitah | ritual slaughtering |
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Shehecheyanu | (lit., "Who has granted us life"): blessing pronounced on seasonal and other occasions for thanksgiving (Siddur, p. 87) |
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Shemitah | the seven-yearly Sabbatical year (Vayikra 25:1-7) |
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Shemoneh Esreh | (lit., "eighteen [benedictions]"): prayer which is the solemn climax of each of the three daily services (Siddur, p. 50) |
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Shlita | abbreviation placed after a person's name, expressing the wish "that he be preserved in life for many good days" |
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Shofar | ram's horn sounded on *Rosh HaShanah |
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Shulchan Aruch | (lit., "a set table"): the standard Code of Jewish Law compiled by R. Yosef Caro in the mid-sixteenth century |
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sichah (pl., sichos) | an informal Torah talk delivered by a Rebbe (cf. *maamar) |
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Siddur | (lit., "order [of prayers]"): prayer book; page references in the present work are to the edition (with English translation) entitled Siddur Tehillat HaShem (Kehot, N.Y., 1979) |
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Simchas Torah | (lit., "the Rejoicing of the Torah"): festival immediately following Sukkos, on which the public reading of the Torah is annually concluded and recommenced; in *Eretz Yisrael coincides with Shemini Atzeres, and in the Diaspora falls on the following day |
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siyyum | (lit., "conclusion"): celebration marking one's completion of a Talmudic tractate |
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sod | the level of Torah interpretation that plumbs its Kabbalistic or mystical depths |
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taam | flavor; delight; reason |
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takkanos (pl. of takkanah) | halachic sublaws ordained by the Sages of the various generations |
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Talmud | the basic compendium of Jewish law, thought, and Biblical commentary, comprising *Mishnah and *Gemara; when unspecified refers to the Talmud Bavli, the edition developed in Babylonia, and edited at end of the fifth century C.E.; the Talmud Yerushalmi is the edition compiled in *Eretz Yisrael at end of the fourth century C.E. |
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tamim | see *temimim |
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Tanach | acronym for Torah (i.e., the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im (the Prophets), and Kesuvim (the Writings; i.e., the Hagiographa |
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tanna (pl., tannaim) | authority of the 1st-2nd. cents. quoted in the *Mishnah |
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Tanya | the Alter Rebbe's basic exposition of *Chabad *Chassidus; "Tanya" is the initial word of the book, which is also called Likkutei Amarim ("Collected Discourses") and Sefer shel Beinonim ("The Book of the Intermediates") |
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tefach (pl., tefachim) | a unit of length corresponding to the width of a fist |
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tefillin | small black leather cubes containing parchment scrolls inscribed with Shema Yisrael and other Biblical passages, bound to the arm and forehead and worn by men at weekday morning prayers; "phylacteries" |
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Tehillim | (lit., "praises"): the Book of Psalms |
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temimim (pl. of tamim) | students past or present of one of the senior *yeshivos of the *Lubavitch branch of *Chassidism, which are known as Tomchei Temimim |
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teshuvah | (lit., "return"): repentance |
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Tiferes | (lit., "glory"): the third of the seven Divine middos, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middos, or spiritual emotions |
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tikkun (pl., tikkunim) | the process of refining, restituting and rehabilitating the materiality of this world |
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Tikkun Chatzos | (lit., "midnight service"): an optional devotional exercise lamenting the Destruction of the *Beis HaMikdash and the subsequent exile of the Divine Presence on a cosmic level |
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tinokos shenishbu | (cf. "an infant taken into captivity among the heathen nations"; Shabbos 68b): "captive infants" (of any age) who are victims of environmental duress, such as educational deprivation |
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Tishah BeAv | (lit., "the Ninth of [the month of] Av"): fast commemorating the Destruction of both Temples |
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Tomchei Temimim | (a) the *yeshivah founded in *Lubavitch in 1897 by the Rebbe Rashab; (b) one of its subsequent offshoots |
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tzaddik (pl., tzaddikim) | (a) completely righteous individual; (b) *Rebbe |
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tzedakah | charity |
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tzimtzum | the self-limitation of the infinite and emanating Divine light by progressive degrees of contraction, condensation and concealment, and making possible the creation of finite and physical substances |
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Worlds, the Four | the main stages in the creative process resulting from *tzimtzum; in descending order: *Atzilus, *Beriah, *Yetzirah and *Asiyah, often referred to by their acronym as abiya |
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yechidah | the innermost of the five levels of the soul |
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yeshivah | Torah academy for advanced students |
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Yesod | (lit., "foundation"): the sixth of the seven Divine middos, or attributes, and of their corresponding mortal middos, or spiritual emotions |
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Yetzirah, the World of | (lit., "the World of Formation"): the third (in descending order) of the Four *Worlds |
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Yiddishkeit | (lit., "Jewishness"; Yid.): the Torah way of life |
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Yom-Tov | festival |
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Yom-Tov Sheni shel Galuyos | one of the days which only in the Diaspora is appended to each of the three Pilgrim Festivals |
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Yud-Beis and Yud-Gimmel Tammuz | ("the twelfth and thirteenth of [the month of] Tammuz"): chassidic festival marking the anniversary of the release of the Rebbe Rayatz from incarceration and exile in Stalinist Russia in 1927 |
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Yud-Tes Kislev | ("the nineteenth of [the month of] Kislev"): chassidic festival celebrating the liberation of the Alter Rebbe from capital sentence and imprisonment in Petersburg (1798), after having been slandered to the czarist authorities by his opponents |
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Zohar | (lit., "radiance"): classical work embodying the mystical teachings of the *Kabbalah |
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