Judaism Vocab

Vocabulary flashcards defining fundamental terms, practices, concepts, and movements in Jewish tradition.

Aleinu

A foundational Jewish prayer recited near the end of all three daily prayer services, offering praise to God and articulating the hope for universal recognition of the Divine.

Amidah

The central prayer of Jewish liturgy, also known as the Shemoneh Esreh or the Standing Prayer, recited silently while facing toward Jerusalem.

Ashkenazic

Jews with roots in Central and Eastern Europe and their descendants, historically characterized by distinctive cultural traditions, liturgical customs, and the Yiddish language.

Bar mitzvah

A Jewish rite of passage marking a boy reaching religious adulthood at age 13, signifying moral accountability and the duty to observe the commandments.

Bat mitzvah

A Jewish rite of passage marking a girl reaching religious adulthood, traditionally at age 12 or 13, signifying responsibility for observing the commandments.

Berakha

A formulaic Jewish blessing recited on designated occasions, including before performing a commandment, eating food, or observing a natural wonder; “Blessing” or “gift”

Bris

The Jewish ritual circumcision (brit milah) of a healthy infant boy on his eighth day of life, signifying entry into the covenant of Abraham.

Chevra kadisha

The traditional Jewish burial society of volunteers responsible for ritually cleansing (taharah) and preparing deceased Jews for burial according to Jewish law.

Conservative

A modern movement in Judaism that preserves traditional Jewish law and practice while accepting historical development and moderate adaptation to modern circumstances.

Covenant

A sacred and binding agreement (brit) between God and the Jewish people, established with Abraham and affirmed at Mount Sinai through Moses.

Gemara

The section of the Talmud consisting of rabbinic analysis, debates, and expansive commentary on the Mishnah.

Get

A formal, written Jewish document of divorce required under Jewish legal tradition (halakah) to terminate a marriage.

Halakha

The collective corpus of Jewish religious law, customs, and legal rulings drawn from the written and oral Torah.

Israel

A term referring to the Jewish people, the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael), or the modern state, derived from the name given to the patriarch Jacob.

Kaddish

A traditional Jewish prayer praising and sanctifying God's name, incorporated at various points in worship services and recited by mourners.

Ketubah

A formal Jewish marriage contract that specifies the husband's responsibilities to his wife and establishes financial protections for her; "prenupital agreement”

Kosher

Food and ritually prepared items that comply with Jewish dietary regulations (kashrut) or legal standards of fitness.

Ma’ariv

The evening prayer service in Jewish liturgy, recited after sunset.

Messiah/Mashiach

The 'anointed one,' an expected future Jewish leader descended from King David who will bring about redemption, world peace, and the restoration of Israel.

Mezuzah

A parchment scroll inscribed with verses from the Shema, enclosed in a protective case and attached to the doorposts of Jewish residences.

Mincha

The afternoon prayer service in Jewish liturgical practice, recited during the daylight hours before sundown.

Minyan

A religious quorum of ten Jewish adults (traditionally men, or men and women in egalitarian congregations) required for communal prayer and specific rituals.

Mishnah

The foundational written compilation of Jewish oral law and legal discussions, arranged by topic and redacted around 200 CE by Rabbi Judah the Prince.

Mitzvot

The plural form of mitzvah; the 613 divine commandments and rabbinic precepts that define Jewish religious obligations and ethical conduct.

Mohel

A trained individual qualified to perform Jewish ritual circumcisions (brit milah) in accordance with Jewish law.

Olam ha ba

The Jewish concept of 'the world to come,' representing the afterlife or the future messianic era.

Orthodox

The branch of Judaism committed to the traditional understanding of the Torah as the direct, immutable word of God and the strict observance of halakah.

Passover

A major spring festival (Pesach) commemorating the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.

Reconstructionist

A modern stream of Judaism founded by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan that conceptualizes Judaism as an evolving religious civilization rather than a set of divinely revealed laws.

Reform

A modern movement in Judaism that views Jewish tradition as dynamic and evolving, prioritizing ethical monotheism and personal conscience over binding ritual law.

Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish New Year, celebrated in the autumn as a day of divine judgment, solemn introspection, and the start of the Ten Days of Repentance.

Sephardic

Jews originating from the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East, along with their descendants and distinctive liturgical and cultural practices.

Shabbat

The Jewish day of rest and holiness, observed weekly from Friday evening before sunset until nightfall on Saturday.

Shacharit

The morning prayer service in Jewish liturgy, recited at the start of each day.

Shavuot

A pilgrimage festival known as the Feast of Weeks, marking the early summer harvest and commemorating the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Shema

The central declaration of monotheistic faith in Judaism, declaring God's oneness, recited during morning and evening prayers and before sleep; “Oldest” prayer

Shiva

A seven-day period of intensive mourning observed at home by immediate relatives following the burial of a deceased family member.

Siddur

The standard Jewish prayer book containing the fixed order of daily, Shabbat, and festival prayers.

Sukkot

The week-long festival of Booths (or Tabernacles), during which Jews dwell in temporary shelters to recall the wilderness wandering and celebrate the autumn harvest.

Tallit

A traditional four-cornered prayer shawl containing specially tied fringes (tzitzit) at each corner, worn during morning services and special occasions.

Talmud

The extensive compendium of rabbinic law, ethics, and lore comprising the Mishnah and the Gemara, forming the cornerstone of traditional Jewish study.

Tanakh

The Hebrew Bible (24 books), formed as an acronym of its three subdivisions: Torah (Teaching), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).

Tefillin

Two small black leather cases containing Torah passages written on parchment, bound with leather straps to the head and arm during weekday morning prayer.

Tikkun olam

A Jewish theological concept translated as 'repairing the world,' commonly associated with social action, justice, and ethical responsibility.

Torah

The first five books of Moses (the Pentateuch), or more expansively, the complete body of Jewish religious teaching, scripture, and wisdom.

Yom Kippur

The Day of Atonement, the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar, devoted to communal fasting, prayer, and repentance for sins.