Chapter 2

Idolatry

Giving worship to something or someone other than the one true God

Hellenization

The adoption of Greek ways and speech as happened in the case of Jews living in the Diaspora

Dead Sea Scrolls

Between 1947 and 1956 thousands of fragments of biblical and early Jewish documents were discovered in eleven caves near the site of khirbet Qumran on the shores of the Dead Sea

rabbi

Hebrew for “My Master” or “My teacher”

Talmud

Two long collections of Jewish religious literature on the Mishnahi

Monotheistic

Subscribing to the doctrine or belief that there is only one God

Holy of Holies

The sanctuary inside the tabernacle in the Temple of Jerusalem

Hasidism

From the Hebrew meaning “pious”, a movement within Judaism founded in eighteenth century Poland where pious devotion to God is as important as study of Torah

Zionism

the movement with origins in nineteenth century that sought to restore a Jewish homeland in Palestine in response to anti-semitism

Midrash

The type of biblical interpretation found in rabbinic literate, especially the Talmuds

Ark

A repository traditionally in or against the wall of a synagogue for the scrolls of the Torah

mitzvot

A commandment of the Jewish law

covenant

A binding and solemn agreement between human beings or between God and his people

Halakhic

From the Hebrew meaning “way” Jewish law that covers all aspects of the life of an individual and of community

Menorrain

A candelabra with seven or nine lights

Havdalah

A religious ceremony that symbolically ends the Shabbat

bimah

The elevated platform in a Jewish synagogue where the person reading aloud from the Torah stands during the service

mezuzah

meaning “doorpost”, a small parchment containing Jewish scripture

kosher

from the hebrew word kaser, meaning '“proper”

snoah

hebrew for “calamity”

diaspora

the dispersion of a people from their original homeland

septuagint

A greek version of the Hebrew bible

sect

A religious group that separates from the larger religious denomination

usury

the illegal action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest

pogroms

an organized massacre of a particular ethnic group

Spanish Inquisition

Combat heresy in Spain

Sh’ma

Serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services

Teshuvah

In Hebrew means “repentance”

shofar

ancient musical horn typically made of a ram’s horn

huppah

A canopy under which a Jewish couple stand during their wedding ceremony