Jewish Word Glossary

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