Glossary of Hebraic Terms: M

M m

ma’al — betrayal

ma’amad ha’banim — the standing as sons

ma’aminim — believers

ma’arav — ambush

ma’arav — west

ma’aseh haemunah — work of faith

ma’aseh tov — good deed

ma’asei haChoshech — works of darkness

ma’aser — tithe (a tenth portion) given to the Kohen, the Levite, or the poor (pl. Ma’asrot; alt. maasros)

ma’asim — works

ma’asim hamitzvot — works of the commandments

ma’asim hara’im — evil deeds

ma’asim metim — dead works

ma’asim tovim — good deeds; works

ma’avak — struggle

ma’ayanot — springs; sources

ma’on — permanent residence

ma’ot chittim — money for wheat; financial contributions

Maamad — “Station”—groups of lay people who assisted the Levites at the daily sacrifices one week a year

maamadot — contributions

maamin Meshichi — Messianic believer

maariv — evening prayer service … evening prayers after sunset

maasros — (alt. ma’aser) tithe

mabbul — flood

machah —to stroke or rub; by implication to erase; also to smooth (as if with oil), i.e. grease or make fat; also to touch, i.e. reach to — abolish, blot out, destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, utterly, wipe (away, out)

machalifei hakesafim — moneychangers

machaloket — controversy

machaloket — division of dissension

machanot — encamping armies

machla — illness

machlokot — divisions of dissension

machmir — stickler

machovim — sorrows

machsh’vot — thoughts

machshavah — thought

machshelah — ruin

machshiv — respect

machsor — shortage; want

Machzor — (Repetition) High Holy Day prayer book. In some Orthodox synagogues, a special prayer book—also known as a machzor—is used on the Pilgrimage Festivals

madduchei shav — false enticement; delusion

madon — strife; quarrel

mafte’ach — key

Maftir — Last part of Torah reading on a given Shabbos or festival … the man who is “called up” to the reading of the concluding passage

Magen Avot — a short summary of the Sabbath amidah prayer recited on Sabbath Eve after the silent prayer

maggid — darshan; preacher, generally itinerant, and popular because of his clever parables … narration

Maggid of Mezritch — Reb Dov Ber of Mezritch; main disciple of the Ba’al Shem Tov and leader of the Chassidic movement after him; also a disciple of the Pnei Yehoshua; born 1704; died 19 Kislev, 1772; mentor of the whole next generation of Chassidic Rebbes.

Mah Nishtanah — Four Questions; at the beginning of the Passover Seder, the youngest child traditionally asks the “Four Questions” which prompt the leader of the Seder to explain the significance of Passover to the celebrants

makhaneh — camp

makhar — tomorrow

makkah — plague

makor — fountain

malach — angel (pl. malachim)

malbush — clothing

male no’am — full of pleasantness

malkah — queen

malkosh — spring rain

malkot — the penalty of lashing

Malkut Shamayim — The Kingdom of Heaven

malon — inn

malshin — informer; accuser

mamashus — real worth

mamlechot — kingdoms

mammon — ill-gained money

manhigim — leaders

manhigut — leadership

manhigut ruchanit — spiritual leadership / administration

manoach — resting place

maot chitim — (alt. maoz chittin) lit. wheat money … money collected prior to Passover to assist the needy to celebrate the holiday and to buy special Passover foods

maoz — fortress

Maoz Tsur — cest-known Chanukkah song. An English version of the song is entitled “Rock of Ages.”

mareh — vision

maror — hitter, ground horseradish … a bitter herb such as horseradish, symbolizing the bitter plight of the enslaved Israelites; one of the symbolic foods used on the seder plate

marot — visions

Marranoes — forcibly converted Jews in Spain

marut — authority; rule

marzipan — a confection made of almond paste and sugar and molded into small shapes, usually of fruits and vegetables

masah — trial (pl. masot)

Mashgiach Ruchani — Spiritual Overseer

Mashiach (alt. Moshiach) — Messiah, anointed, an anointed one. In Israel three classes of persons were anointed for their office of service: prophets, priests, and kings. Yeshua HaMashiach is all three: Prophet, Priest, and King, hence The Anointed One

mashkeh — drink

maskana — outcome

maso panim — favoritism; partiality

masoret — tradition

Masoretic Text — the accepted Hebrew text of scriptures, the first Hebrew writing to contain vowel points as an aid to pronunciation, developed in the 9th century C.E.

masot — trials / temptations (sg. masah)

matanah — gift (pl. matanot)

matanot tovot — good gifts

matarah — objective

mateh — deceiver

matnat hachesed — free gift of grace

Matnat HaTzedakah — the gift of righteousness

matnat kesef — gift of money

matsevot — gravestones

matsli’ach — successful

mattah — below

mattan torah — (alt. matan) the giving of the law or instruction

mattanah — free gift

mattanot le-evyonim — giving to the poor

Mattityahu — Matthew; The Gospel According to Matthew; first book of the B;’rit Chadasha presenting Yeshua HaMashiach in his role as HaMelech

matzah — (alt. matzo, pl. matzot) “without leaven”; a flat bread made without adding leavening (yeast or baking powder). Called the “bread of affliction.” Unleavened bread … The unleavened bread eaten in recollection of the hurried departure from Egypt; the eating of matzah is obligatory only at the seder (pl. Matzot)

matzo tash — (Yid.) a baglike fabric container used for the three ritual wafers of unleavened bread at the seder

matzpun — conscience

matzpun naki — clear conscience

mavet — death

mavo — introduction

mayim — water

mayim hayim — living water

mazal tov —good luck; congratulations

mazikim — malicious spirits

me’ah vchamishim ushloshah — one hundred and fifty three

me’onot — dwelling places; permanent residences; homes

me’ushar — blessedness

meah kevasim — a hundred sheep

meayen — engaged in research

mechabed — honor

mechila — pardon; forgiveness

Mechilta — Halakhic midrash to Exodus

mechitzah — the dividing partition

medakdeke — painstakingly thorough

Medieval — relating to or characteristic of the Middle Ages

mefakkechim — stewards; supervisors

mefarsem — make known

megadef — reviler (pl. megadefim)

megareia — weakened

megillah — (alt. megilah) lit. scroll; there are five megillot in the Bible. The one we read on Sukkot is Ecclesiastes, on Purim is Esther, on Pesach is Song of Songs, on Shavuot is Ruth, and on Tishah Be’av is Lamentations (pl. megillot)

meid — provide testimony; attest

mekabel — receiving; accepting

mekanne — jealous; envious

mekhonen — founder

mekom linah — guest room

mekom megurim — dwelling place

mekor — basis

mekor — passage; citation

melach — salt

melachah — work

melammed — instructor

melech — king (pl. melachim)

melitz echad — one mediator; (Iyon 33:23; Yeshayah 43:27; cf. Devarim 5:5;22-31)

melo — plentitude

memayet — precluded; excluded

memshalah — government; dominion

mena’afim — adulterers

Meni — pagan moon goddess

menorah — the Lamp of the Sanctuary … a 7-branched candelabra representing the lampstand that stood in the Holy Place within the Temple … a version with eight branches plus the shammash (Chanukkiah) is used during Chanukka, in celebration of the Maccabean victory over the Greeks and the rededication of the Temple (pl. Menorot)

menuchah — (alt. menuhan) resting place

meorer — point out; rekindle, stimulate; motivate; shtarken

mered — revolt; uprising

merirut lev — bitterness

merivah — strife

merkavot — chariots

mesader — arrange; place in succession

meshabed — caused to be obligated

meshalim — parables

meshalle’ach — sender

mesharet — minister; servant

mesharetim — ministers; servants

meshichei sheker — false Mashiachs

meshubad — obligated

meshummad — apostate

mesibot — parties

mesim — deceased ones

mesiras nefesh — self sacrifice

Mesorah — the traditional essential requirements in the writing of a Torah Scroll

Messiah — English transliteration of Hebrew Mashiach or Moshiach, meaning “The Anointed One” of G‑d who was to come to fill all three offices for which one must receive anointing; prophet, priest, and king; the promised Redeemer

Messianic Community — the called-out community of Believers in Messiah; used to refer to the entire Body of Messiah as a whole, as well as the local congregation. We use the terms Miqra, Messianic Community, and Body of Messiah interchangeably.

Messianic hatafah — preaching Mashiach

mesupak — uncertain; doubting

metohar — purified

metoharim — clean

metsakhim — foreheads

metzorah —a leper (pl. metzoraim)

mevugar — mature; adult (pl. mevugarim

meyayesh — despairing

mezarez — a spur into action

mezimma — evil design; intrigue

mezuzah — (lit. doorpost) a ritual object consisting of a casing and a klaf that is put on the doorpost(s) of the house (pl. mezuzot)

michshol — stumbling block (pl. michsholim)

michyah — subsistence .

midah hatov — the attribute of virtue

midas chasidus — quality of piety

Midat Hadin — the Divine Attribute of Justice

midbar — wilderness

midrash — (1) homiletical interpretation of the Scriptures; exegesis; commentary (pl. Midrashim)
(2) a collection of works compiled between the third and twelfth centuries that seeks out underlying truths and meanings of the Bible; they are the result of the process of delving into the ramifications of a biblical verse and of the ancient rabbis’ reading “between the lines” of Scripture

mifkad — census

migdal — tower

mikdash me’at — lit. a small sanctuary; refers to the home

mikhla — fold [enclosure]

mikvah — (alt. miqvah) a pool of water conforming to certain dimensions and specifications, used to legal and spiritual purposes … also called a “ritularium” … the ritual bathing in the pool … Christian “baptism” is an equivalent practice

milah — circumcision

milchamot — wars

mimeila — consequently; as a result

minchah — from an unused root mean. to apportion, i.e. bestow; a donation; euphem. tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary) — gift, oblation, (meat) offering, present, sacrifice … afternoon prayer; name of Temple sacrifice … evening prayers during the day … a gift offering in the Sanctuary … an offering made of flour and oil (pl. Menachot)

minhag — custom (pl minhagim)

minim — apostates, heretics; a derogatory term for early (1st and early 2nd century) Jewish Believers in Messiah

minut — heresy; apostasy

minyan — quorum of ten adult Jews necessary for public prayer

miqra — (alt. miqrah, mikra, mikrah) something or someone “called out” … a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the place); also a rehearsal, assembly, calling, convocation, reading … equivalent to Greek ekklesia, called-out ones, erroneously (and we believe deliberately and anti-Semitically) translated “church” in the KJV, which error has continued in later English translations of the Scriptures. There is no valid linguistic reason for translating the word “ekklesia” or for referring to the people of Mashiach as “the church” — it is only a Gentile tradition. We use the terms Miqra, Messianic Community, and Body of Messiah interchangeably.

miqvah — (alt. mikvah) a pool of water conforming to certain dimensions and specifications, used for legal and spiritual purposes … also called in Latin a “ritularium” … the ritual bathing in the pool … Christian immersion of new believers is an equivalent practice

miqveh — something waited for, i.e. confidence; also a collection, i.e. (of water) a pond, or (of men and horses) a caravan or drove — abiding, gathering together, hope, linen yarn, plenty [of water], pool

mir’eh — pasture

mirmah — deceit

mishcha — ointment

mishkan — a residence (including a shepherd’s hut, the lair of animals; figuratively the grave); also the Temple; specifically the Tabernacle (prop. its wooden walls) — to dwell, a dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle, tent … the Sanctuary Tent

mishlo’ach manot — the sending of “portions” to friends on Purim

mishma’at — obedience

Mishnah — code of Jewish oral law edited by Rabbi Judah HaNasi (c. 135 to 220 C.E.) about 200 C.E.; together with the Gemara forms the Talmud

mishpachah — (alt. mishpakhah, mishpochah) a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people — family, kindred

mishpachot — (alt. mishpakhot, mishpokhot) — relatives

mishpat — judgment (pl. mishpatim)

mishpat mavet — a death sentence

Mishpatim — a portion in the Book of Exodus

mishpoyel — standing in awe

mishrah — rule

mishtatef — involved; joining

mispar — number

mitamuhl — suddenly

mitarev — meddlesome

mitnagged — opponent

mitnaggedim — opponents

Mitzbe’ach; — altar

mitznefet — head wrapping

Mitzrayim — Hebraic equivalent of “Egypt.” Spiritually, a picture of the world and the world’s system

mitzvah — (alt. mitzvoh) (lit. commandment) a religious precept or obligation; one of the 613 commandments in the Torah … principle for living, good deed; instruction (pl. mitzvot)

mitzvat aseh — a positive command; a commandment-to-do

mitzvat lo ta’aseh — a prohibition; a commandment-not-to-do

mitzvot — divine commandments given by Hashem to Moshe Rebbenu; divine commandments (sg. mitzvah)

mizmor — hymn; psalm

Mizmor Letodah — Psalm 101 recited daily to commemorate the Thanksgiving Offering in the Sanctuary

mizrach — east

mo’adim — fixed times/seasons/festivals

mo’ed (alt. mow’ed) — an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand) — appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn (-ity), synagogue, (set) time (appointed)

mochesim — tax-collectors

mochiach — one arbitrator

modeh ani — I give thanks

mofet — example; role model

moftim — miracles; wonders

Mohel — A Rabbi specifically trained and authorized to perform ritual circumcision (pl. Mohalim)

moineia — prevented

moked — fire

Molad, Molad Halevanah — the appearance of the new Moon (pl. Moladot)

morech lev — cowardliness

moreh — teacher

Moreh Tzaddikim — teacher of righteousness

mori — my teacher

moshav hashafel — low seat

Moshe — Hebrew name of Moses

moshel — governor (pl. moshelim)

Moshiach — (alt. Mashiach, Moshi’a) Messiah, Savior

Moshieynu — our Deliverer

moshlim — rulers

Motza’ei Shabbat (alt. Shabat) — the night following the Sabbath

Motzi (alt. Hammotzee, Hamotzi) — Literally: [G‑d] who brings forth [bread]; blessing over bread; standard blessing before meals at which bread is served … one of the fifteen phases of the Seder ceremony

Mount Moriah — The Temple site at Jerusalem; also reputed to be the mountain where Avraham bound his son Yitzhak to the altar.

Mount Sinai — The mountain from which the Torah was given by G‑d to Moshe

mufkarim — lawless ones

muktzeh — an object forbidden to carry on the Sabbath and Festival because of its not being fit or meant for use on that day

mumim — defects

murshe — proxy

musar — teaching with an ethical point

mussaf — (alt. musaf) “added” prayer service for Sabbaths and Festivals, immediately following morning prayer … the additional whole offering in the Sanctuary prescribed by the Torah for Sabbaths, Festivals and New Moons; Today: an additional Amidah prayer on said days as against the additional sacrifices

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]

[ Previous ] [ Home ] [ Up ] [ Next ]
http://www.familybible.org/Glossary/M.htm
Page last revised on Friday, October 24, 2008

Abbreviations Used In This Glossary