Glossary
Halakhah
This Hebrew word derives from the root halak which means "to walk", "to proceed".
Gemara
Aramaic word originating from a root meaning "to conclude, resolve" and "to learn"; it designates the body of work of the amoraim, those teachers who, by commenting upon and expanding the…
Gematria
This is a word of uncertain origin, probably derived from Greek, which indicates a particular method of interpreting the Hebrew text.
Parashah
The Torah, that is the Pentateuch, in the Jewish tradition is not divided into chapters and verses, but rather into 54 parashot, which is the plural of parashah, meaning the subdivisions of…
Haftarah
This is a word that probably derives from the root patar, meaning "to conclude", "to terminate". It specifically indicates that brief portion of the books of the Prophets and/or the…
Torah Ark
“Holy Ark”, “ark”, meaning more literally “cupboard”, “receptacle”. This is the compartment in the synagogue inside which the Sefer Torah is kept, namely the handwritten scroll of the…
Mikveh
Jewish law prescribes that both men and women maintain a state of physical purity. Impurity stems from various factors: various illnesses (particularly of the skin), emission of semen,…
Chuppah
Nuptial canopy beneath which the wedding ceremony takes place; it consists of a cloth held together by four poles, which in turn are supported by four men.
Amen
This is a Hebrew word that derives from a very common root: aman, which means "to be firm", "stable", "to have trust", "to believe firmly". The word amen occurs fourteen times in the Torah…