Jewish Learning

Shabbat Guide

Shabbat Guide

JUF is pleased to provide this basic guide to celebrating Shabbat.

The Holocaust Project

Encyclopedia Britannica Holocaust Project

JUF partners with Encyclopedia Britannica to bring you their collection of Britannica's Holocaust Project resources.

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Jewish Word Glossary

Glossary Key

abbr. = abbreviated
esp .= especially
Heb. = Hebrew
lit. = literally
n = noun
pl. = plural
pron. = pronounced
usu. = usually
v = verb
Yid. = Yiddish

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L
M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

ta'am 
taste; sample
tachlis
(Yid.) essence, substance; worth; basics, "brass tacks"
tachrichim
lit.=wrappings: traditional garb for a deceased's remains, including a cloth shroud and belt
taharah
purity; the purification process for a deceased's remains prior to burial
taharat mishpacha
lit.=purity of the family: series of practices concerning marital intimacy
tahor
pure, in the spiritual sense
taitch
lit.=interpretation: (Yid.) translation, esp. of Hebrew to Yiddish
taikef (u'miyad)
immediately (and at once)
takanah
amendment to a halachah, esp. to adjust to a recent development
takkah
(Yid.) really; "As a matter of fact..."
talit (pl. taliot)
prayer shawl
talmid (chochom)
lit.=(wise) student: (noteworthy) sage
Talmud
Mishna with its relevant Gemara, bound together
Tamuz
10th Jewish month (Jun-Jul), 17th is Shiv-asor B'Tamuz
tana'im
lit.=conditions: pre-ceremony signing of the wedding contract between bride's and groom's parents, after which the couple's mothers together break a plate to signify a fait accompli (not to be confused with the ketubah, a contract between the bride and groom themselves).
Tana'im
lit.=teachers: compilers of Mishna
Tanakh/TaNaKh
Acronym for Torah, Neviim, and Ketuvim; together they represent the entirety of Jewish Scripture
tante
(Yid.) aunt
tarfos
that which is trayf
Tashlich
Rosh HaShanah practice of throwing bread, etc. into water, symbolically casting away our sins
tateh
(Yid.) father
tayglach
small, fruit- or nut-filled pastries, dipped in honey
tchep
pester, irritate
techina
sesame paste, a Mid-Eastern food
tefillah
prayer
tefillin
biblical passages on parchment scrolls, placed in small boxes and affixed with leather straps, worn during prayer
Tehillim
Psalms
teibeleh
lit.=little dove: (Yid.) darling one
teiva
craving, urge
teretz
reason, explanation, excuse
Tevet
4th Jewish month (Jan), 10th is Asoroh B'Tevet
Three Weeks
period of mourning from Shiv-asor B'Tamuz to Tisha B'Av
thirty-nine melochot
39 categories of "work" prohibitted on Shabbat
tichel
kerchief; headcovering, esp. for married women
tikun
study book for layning
tikun layl Shavuot
all-night study session on the eve of Shavuot
tikun olam
the repair or completion of the world
tikva
(Heb.) hope
tipesh
fool [n]
tisch
lit.=table: groom's pre-ceremony wedding reception
Tisha B'Av
the 9th of Av, a major fast day for the destruction of the Holy Temples (both First and Second), in summer
Tishrei
1st Jewish month (Sep-Oct), 1st is Rosh HaShanah, 10th is Yom Kippur, 15th is Succot, 22nd is Sh'mimi Atzeret, 23rd is Simchat Torah
t'kia
shofar blast of one long sound
todah (rabbah)
"Thank you (very much)"
Torah
the written Jewish law
tov 
(Heb.) good [adjective]
tovah
(Heb.) goodness; (Yid.) favor [n]
tractate
section of the Talmud
trayf
lit.=torn: not kosher
trombenik
lit.=trombone-like fellow: (Yid.) braggart, one who "toots his own horn"
trop
marks indicating musical notes for reciting (or "chanting") the Torah, Haftarah, Megillah, etc.
tru'a
shofar blast of nine staccato sounds
truma
tenth of a crop, given to kohanim
Tu B'Shvat
the 15th of Shvat, Jewish Arbor Day
tuchus
lit.=under: buttocks
tumler 
lit.=tumbler: clown; agitator
tzadik
righteous person, esp. a rabbi.
tzadreit
(Yid.) mixed up
tzar ba'aleh chaim
the suffering of living things
tzarich
(Heb.) need [v]
tzechisht
(Yid.) distraught
tzedakah
lit.=justice: charity
tzeiter
tremble, shiver
tzelem
image; picture, photograph
tzevah
color
tzevah adom
lit.=the color red: "Red alert!" 
tzibur
congregation
tzimis
carrot/pineapple compote, usu. with raisins or prunes; a hullabaloo [slang]
tzitzit
fringes worn on the corners of a four-cornered garment; the garment and fringes together
tzniut
modesty, esp. of dress
tzom
day of fasting
tzuros
(Yid.) pains; troubles, problems, distresses (from "tzora'as," a disease mentioned in the Torah usu. defined as "leprosy" but actually a physical manifestation of a spiritual malaise.)
tzutzik
(Yid.) ambitious or energetic person
Tzvah Haganah L'Yisrael (Tzahal)
Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel's army