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Terms and definitions for our first quiz in Jewish History II
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1492
The year the Edict of Expulsion was issued by Spain, forcing Jews to convert or leavethe country. This marked a significant moment in Jewish history, leading to the diaspora
1497
The year Portugal expelled or forcibly converted its Jewish population after the Spanish Inquisition began, further contributing to the Jewish diaspora
Marranos
It means swine in Spanish. Jews in Spain and Portugal who converted to Christianity but secretly practiced Judaism. They faced persecution and discrimination, often living in fear of discovery
Conversos
Jews who converted to Christianity, sometimes voluntarily but often under coercion, while some secretly maintained their Jewish practices.
New Christians
A term used for converted Jews (Conversos) and their descendants in Spain and Portugal during the late 15th and 16th centuries, who were often subject to suspicion and persecution by both the Catholic Church and society
Portuguese Inquisition, 1536-1539
The establishment of the Inquisition in Portugal, targeting Conversos suspected of secretly practicing Judaism and enforcing Catholic orthodoxy through trials and punishments
Sephardic Jewry
The Jewish community originally from the Iberian Peninsula, particularly Spain and Portugal, also known for their unique cultural and religious traditions
Samuel Usque
A 16th-century Sephardic Jew, historian, and author known for his work on the expulsion of Jews from Spain
Ottoman Empire
A Muslim empire that welcomed Sephardic Jews after their expulsion from Spain and provided them with opportunities for economic and cultural flourishing.
Theodicy
The theological question of why a just God allows suffering, relevant to Jewish exile and persecution and the existence of evil in the world.
Dona Gracia Mendes
A wealthy Sephardic Jewish woman who helped Jewish refugees escape persecution
Exile, diaspora
The dispersion of Jews from their ancestral homeland, particularly following the Spanish expulsion
Joseph Karo
A Sephardic rabbi who authored the Shulhan Aruch, a major Jewish legal code and is considered one of the most important codifiers of Jewish law
Moses Isserles
A Polish rabbi who added Ashkenazic customs to Karo’s Shulhan Aruch and is known for his authoritative commentary, the Mappa
Shulhan Arukh
A 16th-century code of Jewish law by Joseph Karo, later expanded with Ashkenazic customs
Minhag/Customary Law
Jewish traditions and customs specific to different communities
Mappa
A gloss added by Moses Isserles to the Shulhan Aruch to incorporate Ashkenazic traditions
Ashkenazic Jewry
Jews originating from Central and Eastern Europe, with distinct customs from Sephardic Jews
Lurianic Kabbalah
A form of Jewish mysticism developed by Isaac Luria
Zimzum/contraction
A Kabbalistic concept where God ________ His essence to create space for the world
Shevirat Ha-kelim/Breaking of the Vessels
A mystical idea that divine vessels shattered, leading to the existence of evil and the need for restoration
Kelippot/husks or shells
Impure forces that trap divine sparks, which must be redeemed
Tikkun/repair, restoration/Redemption
The spiritual process of repairing the world and restoring divine harmony
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
A Talmudic sage traditionally believed to have authored the Zohar
Theurgy
The belief that human actions can influence the divine realm
Theosophy
Mystical knowledge regarding the nature of God
Sefirot
The ten divine attributes or emanations in Kabbalah
Sefer ha-Bahir (The Book of Brightness)
An early Kabbalistic text
Sefer ha-Zohar (The Book of Splendor)
A foundational work of Jewish mysticism
Ayn-sof (there is no end)
The infinite, unknowable aspect of God in Kabbalah
Esoteric
Hidden or secret teachings, often referring to Kabbalistic knowledge
Exoteric
Teachings meant for public or general understanding
Maggid Mesharim/Preacher of Righteousness
A mystical voice that guided Joseph Karo
Solomon Alkabetz
A Kabbalistic poet, author of Lecha Dodi
Moses Cordovero
A Kabbalist who systematized early Kabbalistic thought
Isaac Luria
The founder of Lurianic Kabbalah
Hayyim Vital
The primary disciple of Isaac Luria, who recorded his teachings
Shekhinah (God’s Feminine Presence)
The divine presence in the world, often linked to exile and redemption
Devekut (Communion or Union with the Divine)
A mystical state of closeness to God
Yihudim (Combinations of letters)
A Kabbalistic practice of meditating on divine names
Havurot (mystical fellowships)
Groups devoted to Kabbalistic study and spiritual practice
Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Ben Isaac)
A medieval French rabbi known for his commentaries on the Torah and Talmud
Tosafists (“Elaborators”, Additions)
Scholars who wrote extensive commentaries on Rashi’s Talmudic interpretations
Tkhines
Women’s supplicatory, private prayers in Yiddish
Tsenerene
A women’s Yiddish Bible, known as “Go Forth and Gaze”
Bolesław the Pious
A 13th-century Polish ruler who granted rights to Jews
1569: Creation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
A political union between Poland and Lithuania, where Jews had significant autonomy
Latifundia/plantations
Large agricultural estates often leased to Jews
Szlachta/nobles
The Polish-Lithuanian aristocracy
Magnates (wealthiest nobles)
The most powerful noble families in Poland-Lithuania
Arenda (lease of immovable property)
A leasing system where Jews managed estates and collected taxes
Arrendator (lessor, person who holds the lease)
A Jewish lessee responsible for managing estates
1596, Union of Brześć/Uniate Church
An agreement bringing Eastern Orthodox Christians under Catholic authority
1648-1649
The years of the Cossack uprising led by Bogdan Chmielnicki, which devastated Jewish communities
Nathan of Hanover
A Jewish chronicler of the Chmielnicki massacres
Bogdan Chmielnicki
A Cossack leader responsible for the 1648 massacres of Jews and Polish nobility
Yeven Mezulah/Abyss of Despair
A historical account of the Chmielnicki massacres
Va’ad de-Arba Aratsot (Council of the Four Lands)
The governing body of Polish-Lithuanian Jewry, overseeing communal affairs
Kahal/Jewish municipality
A self-governing Jewish community structure
Communal autonomy
The system that allowed Jewish communities to govern their own religious and civil affairs