A Glossary of Hebraic Terms You will need to download and install the free Greek & Hebrew fonts to properly view and print from this site. Abbreviations Used In This Glossary abbr. = abbreviated alt. = alternate Ar. = Aramaic esp. = especially Gr. = Greek Heb. = Hebrew lit. = literally n. = noun pl. = plural pron. = pronounced prop. = properly sg. = singular  usu. = usually v. = verb Yid. = Yiddish Transliteration/Pronunciation Guide • Books of the  Bible • Proper Names • Tribes of Israel • The Mishnah This is a work in progress, and will very probably be so for many, many months. Please expect it to be different the next time you visit our website. For more Hebrew words and phrases, you might enjoy Jacob Richman's "Learn Hebrew" website at http://www.learn-hebrew.co.il/. Be sure to check out his "About / Help" link for more tools and sites. Printer-Friendly Versions Adobe PDF MSWord For more Hebrew words and phrases, you might enjoy Jacob Richman's "Learn Hebrew" website at http://www.learn-hebrew.co.il/. Be sure to check out his "About / Help" link for more tools and sites. Use this “Jump Bar” to directly to any letter of the AlephBet A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Appendix Pronunciation [More]

T t j

t’fillin — black leather boxes containing scrolls of Scripture passages, also called phylacteries. Sometimes during prayers one box is affixed to one’s hand and arm and the other to one’s forehead as a physical effort to obey the passage in Deuteronomy 6:8 (Exodus 13:1-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21)

ta’am ha’elyon — the “upper” mode of cantilation of the passage of the Ten Commandments

ta’anug — evil pleasure

ta’anugot — evil pleasures

ta’avah — evil desire/lust

ta’avot — lusts

Taanit — a section of the Talmud on Fasts … a fast day

aaanit chalom — a fast over a bad dream

taavah — lust

tachanun — a prayer of supplication

tacharut — competition

tachlis — purpose

tachrichim (alt. tachrichin) — burial shrouds

tachtiy — the depths (figuratively a pit, the womb) — low (parts, -er, -er parts, -est), nether (part)

tag — ornamental flourish or “tittle”

taharah — ritual purification of the deceased in preparation for burial … washing of the dead body

tahor — ritually pure or clean … able to enter the Beit HaMikdash or Mishkan

takhrikhim — shrouds prescribed by Jewish law

takhmos — night-hawk

takif — influential man

Tal — (Dew) The prayer for dew (in Eretz Yisrael) recited on first day of Passover

tallit — prayer shawl with ceremonial fringes on four corners (alt. talit, talis)

tallit katan (alt. talit) — a small prayer shawl; a special undershirt with four corners each bearing tzitziyot

talmid — disciple, student (fem. talmidah; pl. talmidim); a true talmid does not only want to know what the teacher knows, he/she wants to be what the teacher is.

talmid chacham — a scholar of the Torah

Talmud — the two commentaries on the Mishnah, one produced in the Holy Land about AD 275, the other in Babylonia about AD 500; the designation for both the Mishnah and the commentaries on it (Gemara). The Talmud is the collected legal and ethical discussions of the rabbis.

tam’ei — (alt. tameh, tameis, tamei) ritually impure or unclean (specifically by virtue of contact with the dead), not able to enter the able to enter the Beit HaMikdash or Mishkan

tamid — the daily sacrifice in the Sanctuary

tamim — faultless

Tammuz — tenth month on the Jewish civil calendar

tana — rabbi in the Mishnaic period (pl. tannaim, alt. tana’im)

Tanakh (alt, Tanach, Tenach) — the Hebrew Bible, consisting of Torah, Prophets, and Writings … an acronym formed from the initial letters of the Hebrew Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings)

tanshemet — horned owl

Targum — (Translation) Traditionally the name given the Aramaic translation of the Bible, read to the populace in Babylonian periods. The custom of reading services in Aramaic following the Hebrew goes back to hundreds of years before the great diaspora. Except for some interpolations and paraphrases, the Targum Bavli, also known as the Targum Onkelos, is a very faithful translation. Less faithful to the text are the Targum Yerushalmi and others of fragmentary character (pl. Targumim)

tarnegol — cock

Tashlich — traditional Rosh haShanah afternoon ceremony in which individuals symbolically cast their sins (crumbs) into a body of water … the casting away of sin

tata — papa

tav — mark

tavnit — pattern; copy

techinnah — petition; supplication

techiyah — resurrection

tefillah — (alt. tefilah) lit. prayer; also refers to the central group of prayers in each service, alternatively called the Amidah or Shemoneh Esre (pl. tefillos, tefillot)

Tefillah Zakah — (alt. Tefilah) “a prayer of purity” recited upon the advent of Yom Kippur before Kol Nidrey

tefillin — (alt. tefilin) black square leather boxes containing parchments with sections of the Torah (Shma etc.). Jewish men are obligated to wear them the forehead and arm during prayers every morning. (Of course if one sees the sunrise 45 times a day as an astronaut might, this may create problems.)

Tehillim — Psalms

tehom — abyss

tehom gedolah — a great abyss; chasm

tehorah — pure

tehorim — clean

Teki’ah — a shofar sound

tekufa — era; period

Tekufah — one of the four seasons of the year (pl. Tekufot)

tekumah — revival

telos — the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination, result, purpose); specifically an impost or levy (as paid) — continual, custom, end (-ing), finally, uttermost

telunnah — murmuring

tema’im — unclean

temarim — palms

Tenakh (alt. Tanach, Tenach) — Tanakh

teretz — excuse

Teruah — an awakening blast on the Shofar

terumah — contribution

terumah haissa — portion; offering of the dough

terutz — excuse

teshukot — desires

teshuvah — (alt. teshuva) lit. turning or returning; repentance … repentance from sin, spiritual reawakening … desire to strengthen the connection between oneself and the sacred … turning toward G‑d

Tetragrammaton — the four Hebrew letters hwhy usually transliterated YHWH or YHVH that form a biblical proper name of G‑d

Tetzaveh — a portion in the Book of Exodus

teva — ark

teva — nature

tevel — world

Tevet — fourth month of the Jewish year

tevilah [lit. immersion] — the total immersing of one’s self in a mikvah (container of “living water”). Christian “baptism” is a based upon this concept, but has been changed from the practice followed by the early Messianic Believers. Whereas Christian “baptism” is performed upon the individual by another, generally a member of the clergy, tevilah is performed upon one's self by the individual, and may may or may not be observed by “official witnesses.”

Therapeutae — sternly ascetic Jewish party whose views and practices were kindred to the Essenes in Palestine

tevunah — wisdom

tief — deep and profound; erudite; keen

tiferet — splendor; beauty

tihur — purification

tikkun — restoration; repair

Tikkun Chatzot — (alt. Tikun) a prayer of lamentation over the destruction of the Sanctuary, recited at midnight

Tikkun Leil Shavuot — (alt. Tikun) lit. service of the night of Shavuot

tikkun olam (alt. tikun) — repairing our broken world

Tikkun Soferim (alt. Tikun) (alt. Sofrim) — the set of rules for the writing of a Torah Scroll

tikvah — hope

tikvateinu — our hope

timtum halev — hardening of the heart

tipesh — idiot

tipshus — foolery

tipus — type; pattern

tish — table

Tishah Be’av — The ninth day of the month of Av; a day of mourning for the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem

tishen — tables

Tishri (alt. Tishrei) (Ethanim) — first month of the Hebrew civil calendar (September-October)

Titkabel — a verse in the kadish, “Let the prayers of Israel be accepted.”

tizkoret — reminder

to’evah — abomination

tochnit — master plan

todah — thanks, thank you, the thanksgiving offering in the Sanctuary

toeva — abomination

tohorah — purification

tohorat mishpakhah — family purity

tohu vavohu — disorder; chaos

tohuw — to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), i.e. desert; figuratively a worthless thing; in vain — confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness

toitzaa — outcome

tokhechah — reproof

toldah — (alt. towledah) descent, i.e. family; (figuratively) history — birth, generations

toldot — genealogies

Torah — teaching or instruction, but usually erroneously translated “law” … the instruction of G‑d.
In its most narrow sense, the Five Books of Moshe (Moses), the Pentateuch — B’resheet (Genesis), Sh’mot (Exodus), Vayikra (Leviticus), B’midbar (Numbers), D’varim (Deuteronomy), called the “Written Torah” and hand-written on a parchment scroll.
   The Torah plus the Prophets (Nevi’im) and Writings (K’tuvim) are together called the TaNaKh (TNK), Tenach (alt. Tanach, Tanakh, Tenakh), the Hebrew Bible, or the so-called “Old Testament.”
   In a broad sense, the whole written Word of G‑d is the Torah, including both the Tanakh and the B’rit Chadashah (New Testament).
   In its broadest sense, “Torah” is all of Judaism, which flows from those Books.
   Additional material called the “Oral Torah” is considered in varying degrees as authoritative in traditional Judaism. Uncapitalized, the work can be understood as “principle.”

Torah-observant — walking in yielded obedience to the teaching of the Scriptures; in traditional Judaism this includes obeying the complex instructions of the Talmud as well.

torud — completely absorbed and involved

Tosefta (alt. Tocefta) — (Supplement) Anthology of tannaitic text parallel to Mishnah, but outside Mishnaic canon, and more expansive. Rabbi Nehemiah, second century, began the work; in the third century it was continued by Hiyya ben Abba and Oshaiah

tous ritztzuy — reconciliation

tov — good

tov l’teshuva — fruit worthy of repentance

tovim — good ones

tovot — good things

toyus — error

treif — (alt. trefah) lit. torn apart; food that is not ritually fit … the opposite of kosher

trombeniks — gluttons

Tru’ah — a shofar sound

Trumah — a heave offering, contribution … the seventh portion in the Book of Exodus

Trumpets, Feast of — the modern Rosh Ha-Shanah, the first day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, celebrated (unbiblically) as the Jewish New Year

tsaphoon — hidden

tsemach xmc — branch

tshuka — yearning

tsur — rock

Tu Bishvat — fifteenth day of the month of Shevat; a minor holiday known as the New Year of the Trees, observed by planting trees

tugah — sadness

tum’a — uncleanness; impurity

tza’ar — pain and suffering

tzad — side

tzaddik — righteous man

Tzaddik (alt. Tzadik) — Chasidic sages were so called; they were often raised by their followers to the status of direct intermediaries with G‑d, super-human miracle workers … a just man, righteous, upright (pl. Tzaddikim, alt. Tzadikim)

tzaddikim — righteous ones

tzafon — north

Tzafun — the phase of the Seder ceremony in which the hidden afikoman is eaten

tzar — narrow

tzarah — trouble

Tzarah Gedolah — Great Tribulation

tzarut ayin — envyings

tzavva’a — will

tzechok — laughter

tzedakah — contribution

tzedakah — (alt. tsedakah) lit. justice or righteousness; the Hebrew word we use for charity and charitable acts

tzedek — righteousness

Tzedokim — (alt. Tzedukim) Sadducees — Religio-political sect of Judaism in the late Second Temple period that focused on priestly functions and the sacrificial system … their views and practices were opposed to those of the Pharisees. They denied the authority of oral tradition, the resurrection of the dead, and the existence of angels.

tzelamim — idols

tzelem — image

tzevi’ut — hypocrisy

tzevua — (pl. tzevuim) hypocrite

tzfarde’im — frogs

tzidkat — righteousness

Tzidkatcha Tzedek — verses recited after the minchah prayer on Shabbat

Tziduk Hadin — a prayer of accepting G‑d’s Judgment

tzitzis  — (alt. tzitzit) ceremonially knotted fringes to be worn on all four-cornered garments (pl. Tzitziyot)

tzive’ot zarim — armies of the aliens

tziveot haparashim — troops of cavalry-men

tznius — modesty

tzom; tzomot — fast; fastings

tzon — flock

tzorich iyun — unresolved puzzlement

tzoros — troubles

tzufloigen — dazed

tzufriedenkait — contentment

tzushtel — comparison

http://familybible.org/Glossary/T.htm
Page last revised on Saturday, November 13, 2010