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Shofar

A Glossary of
Unfamiliar Terms
Compiled from numerous source documents

Ten Commandments Tablets
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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 GuideBooks of the Bible
Proper NamesTribes of IsraelThe Mishnah

For more Hebrew words and phrases, you might
enjoy John Parsons’ Hebrew4Christians.com

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B  B

B.C.
Before Christ
 
B.C.E.
Before the Common Era (same as B.C. but less offensive to non-Messianic Jewish people)
 
b’avon
in sin
 
b’derech hatevah
naturally
 
B’dikat Chametz
the formal search for leaven before Passover.
 
b’nei
sons
 
b’rakhah hkrb
In Judaism, a b'rakhah (Hebrew ברכה; plural b'rakhot; related to the word baruch) is a blessing, usually recited at a specific moment during a ceremony or while performing a particular activity.
   “After instructing the crowds to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fishes and, looking up toward heaven, made a blessing [b'rakhah]” (Matthew 14:19, Jewish New Testament).
   “When He had said this, He took bread, said the blessing [b'rakhah] to God in front of everyone, broke it and began to eat” (Acts 27:35, Jewish New Testament).
   In the Scriptures when someone makes a b'rakhah, or says a blessing, although the text does not say so specifically, it is reasonable to suppose that he/she recited the customary b'rakhah (“benediction”) for that particulary activity, which Jews have said for more than two thousand years.
Translations of b'rakhah in the NAS:
  1. blessing
  2. (source of) blessing
  3. blessing, prosperity
  4. blessing, praise of God
  5. a gift, present
  6. treaty of peace
     
b’ris
(alt. b’ris, beris, bris, brit) literally, covenant or contract; refers to the covenant between God and Avraham and his descendants (pl. beritot)
 
b’ris milah
(alt. b’rit, bris, brit) circumcision; frequently just b'ris or bris
 
b’rit
(alt. b’ris, beris, bris, brit) literally, covenant or contract; refers to the covenant between God and Avraham and his descendants (pl. beritot)
 
b’rit milah
(alt. b’rit, bris, brit) circumcision; frequently just b'ris or bris
 
B’rit Hadashah
Renewed Covenant (the Apostolic Writings, or so-called “New Testament”)
 
b’seder
in order
 
b’seter
in secret
 
b’shem hazeh
in this name
 
b’yirah
(alt. byirah) with fear
 
b’yom
(alt. byom) at day
 
ba’al
husband, master, owner
 
Ba’al
(lit. master) Name of a number of pagan “deities” worshipped by the Syrians, Persians, and Canaanites, said to be the son of Dagon, who was also the “fish god” of Nineva. There are a number of pagan deities with the word “Ba’al” as part of their name; most notible are the prophets of Ba’al whom Elijah battled in 1 Kings 18 and Baal-zebub in 2 Kings 1 (translated as “Beelzebul” or “lord of the flies” in Matthew 10:25). [For a non-Bilblical discussion, see this article.]
 
ba'al ga'avah
haughty; proud person
 
ba'al habayis
(...of the house) host
  
Ba'al HaKerem
Owner of the Vineyard
 
ba'al koreh
(...who reads) Torah reader
 
ba’al melitzot
rhetorician; fine talker
 
Ba'al Shem Tov
Rabbi Yisroel Ba’al Shem Tov; born 18 Elul, 1698 in Okop, Ukraine; died 6 Sivan, 1760; Rebbe in Mezhibuzh; founder of the modern Chassidic movement; main disciples Maggid of Mezritch & R’ Ya'akov Yosef of Polonnoye
 
ba’al simcha
(... of happiness) the celebrant, esp. the bar or bat mitzvah
 
Ba'al Teshuva
Literally “Master of Repentance.” Used for someone that is newly observant.
 
ba'al toke'a
(master of the sound) shofar blower
 
ba'al tzavva’a
testator; person who makes the will
 
ba'alabusta
(Yid.) hostess; friendly woman
 
ba’alim
husbands
 
Baal HaKerem
Owner of the Vineyard
 
baalei hamum
the maimed
 
baalei-batim
laymen [lit. householders]
 
babushka
kerchief worn as headcovering
 
bachor
first-born male child
 
badchan
humorist
 
badeken
traditional formal veiling of the bride by the groom before the wedding ceremony
 
baderech
on the road
 
baheyma
domesticated beast; “Animal!”
 
bahlt
soon
 
bailus
sovereignty; ownership; dominion
 
bais
house
 
baitel
wallet
 
bakkashot
petitions
 
bakosha
petition; request
 
balailah hazeh
during this night
 
baleidikung
insult
 
Bamah
an improvised altar, outside the Sanctuary (pl. Bamot)
 
bamidbar
in the wilderness
 
Bamidbar
Numbers (4th book of Torah)
 
banim
children
 
bannai chacham
wise builder
 
bar
(Ar.) son
 
Bar Kokhba (alt. Kochba)
Leader of a Jewish revolt (132-135) against Hadrian
 
bar mitzvah
lit. “son of the commandment” or “son of the law” … i.e. has reached his majority; his legal age. Ceremony marking a youngster’s reaching the age of religious majority, traditionally thirteen for boys and twelve for girls; in many congregations, thirteen for girls as well. See bat mitzvah
 
barad
hail
 
barah
created
 
baraita’
(Ar.) a statement of law, historical, or aggadic tradition which is attributed to the tannaitic period but which is not contained in the Mishnah
 
barchu
call upon the congregation to bless (praise) God
 
barech
grace … the part of the Seder when the grace after the meal is recited
 
barei lev
pure in heart
 
bari vshalem
safe and sound
 
bariim
healthy ones
 
baruch
bless, blessed, blessed is
 
Baruch Dayan Ha’emet
a blessing of acceptance of God’s judgments
 
baruch habah
welcome
 
Baruch habah bashem Adonai
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD
 
Baruch Hu Uvaruch Shemo
a phrase of blessing of God’s Name upon hearing it uttered
 
bas haya`anah
ostrich
 
basar
body; flesh; fallen human nature
 
Basar
to announce (glad news); messenger, preach, publish, show forth, (bear, bring, carry, preach, good, tell good) tidings … Good news (same as gospel)
 
basar echad
one flesh
 
basherte
his destined mate
 
baShomayim
heavenly bodies
 
bas mitzvah
bat mitzvah
 
bat
daughter
 
bat mitzvah
lit. “daughter of the law” or “daughter of the commandment” … i.e. has reached her majority; her legal age. Ceremony marking a youngster’s reaching the age of religious majority, traditionally thirteen for boys and twelve for girls; in many congregations, thirteen for girls as well. See bar mitzvah
 
bat kol
a voice from heaven; an “echo” of a Divine Voice
 
batim
households
 
batlanim
male householders who had leisure to give themselves to regular attendance
 
batlanim
unemployed or lazy loafers; idlers
 
bavorn
anticipates
 
bavust
famous
 
Bayit
House
 
bazunder
unrelated and separate
 
b'dikat chametz
the ceremonial, pre-Pesach search for chametz
 
becher
(Yid.) wine goblet
 
bedecken
the veiling of the bride
 
be’einei Hashem
in the eyes of God
 
be’ichud
united
 
be’ikvot
in the footsteps
 
be’ito
“in its season” [Tehillim 1:3]
 
bechi
weeping
 
bechirah
divine election; selection; choosing
 
Bechirim
Chosen Ones
 
Bechor
Firstborn
 
bechorah
inheritance
 
bedavka
deliberately
 
bederech klal
usually
 
bedieved
begrudgingly
 
bedievedike
expedient
 
bedikah
examination
 
Bedikat Chametz
Search for leaven before Passover … casting out the leaven
 
beemes
in truth
 
beerech
approximately; dacht zich
 
beetzem
intrinsically
 
befeirush
explicitly
 
begadim
clothes
 
Beha’alotcha
a portion in the Book of Numbers
 
behechrach
necessarily
 
Bein Hametzarim
the period between the Seventeenth of Tammuz and the Ninth of Av, “Between the Fences”
 
beinoni
of median piety (pl. Beinonim)
 
beit
(alt. beyt, bet, beth) the second letter of the Hebrew alef-beit (alphabet)
 
beit
(alt. bet, beth, beyt, bayt, bayit) house
 
Beit Din (pl. Battei Din)
“House of Judgment [Law].” Jewish court employing religious and Talmudic law … Rabbinical court. The Beit Din was composed of a minimum of three rabbis to ensure that their rulings never resulted in a “split decision.” When the Messianic Shliachim appointed elders in all the new Messianic congregations, these elders served as the Beit Din for those congregations, thus the importance of multiple elders in today’s Messianic congregations. (See Wikipedia)
 
Beit HaMikdash
House of Sanctity; synagogue. The sanctuary or Temple in Jerusalem.
 
Beit haShoevah
The House of the Waterpouring
 
beit hasohar
prison
 
beit kevarot
cemetery
 
Beit Lechem
lit. House of bread; Bethlehem; Birthplace of Yeshua and King David.
 
beit midrash
houses of study (pl. batey midrashot)
 
bekavod
suitable
 
bekeshe
kaftan
 
bekitzur
briefly; concisely
 
bekvius
regularly
 
beleidikt
offended
 
bema
(alt. bemah, bema, bemah) The raised central platform (lectern) in the synagogue from which the Torah is read and from which worship services are usually conducted. The platform is called tevah in Sephardic synagogues. On Succot, it is circled by the community, while holding their lulav. This inevitably results in major “traffic jams” in synagogues.
 
ben
son
 
ben Adam
human being (lit. son of Adam)
 
ben chayil
son of worthiness
 
ben chorin
freeman
 
Ben HaAdam
Mashiach (The Son of Man) [Daniel 7:13-14]
 
ben hanaggar
the carpenter’s son
 
ben torah
scholar
 
ben yachid
only son
 
beni
my son
 
beni haahuv
beloved son
 
benoigeia
regarding
 
bentsh
custom of saying grace after meals
 
berachah
brachah
 
Berachot Hashachar
the blessings of awakening recited each morning
 
Beraichot
a section of Talmudic commentary on benedictions.
 
bereshis
in the beginning
 
beriah
creation
 
berishonah
in the first place
 
berit
(alt. b’ris, beris, bris, brit) literally, covenant; refers to the covenant between God and Avraham and his descendants (pl. beritot)
 
berit milah
(alt. b’ris, bris) the rite of circumcision, often referred to simply as b’ris
 
beriyah
creature
 
beseder
in order
 
besere
better
 
Beshalach
a portion in the Book of Exodus
 
beshita
as a matter of conviction or principle
 
beshum oifen
absolutely
 
besod
in secret
 
Besuras HaGeulah
the Good News of Redemption
 
Besuroh Tovoh
Good Tidings of a Joyous Event
 
bet
(alt. beyt, beit, beth) the second letter of the Hebrew alef-bet (alphabet)
 
bet
(alt. beit, beth, beyt, bayt, bayit) house
 
bet din
(alt. beit din) court of law
 
Bet HaKnesset
House of Assembly; shul; synagogue; shtibel
 
betulim
virginity
 
betulot
virgins
 
betzah
(alt. beytzah) egg, the symbolic hard-boiled and roasted egg on the seder plate; also called Chaggegah or Haggigah; a symbol for the second sacrifice of Passover
 
betzi’at halechem
breaking of bread; meal
 
beyt
(alt. beit, bet, beth) the second letter of the Hebrew alef-beyt (alphabet)
 
beyt
(alt. bet, beit, beth, beyt, bayt, bayit) house
 
beytzah
(alt. betzah) egg
 
bi’ur ma’asrot
the disposal of tithes
 
Bias HaMashiach
Coming of Mashiach; Parousia
 
bibrit hanissuim
in covenant of marriage
 
bichlal
entirely
 
bifraht
particularly
 
bikkur
examining or investigating
 
bikkur cholim
(alt. holim) visiting the sick; a pious duty, carried out in the past by Chevra Kadisha
 
bikkurim
(alt. bikurim) The offering of the first fruit; barley harvest; first fruit
 
bikoret beshbonot
audit
 
bimesibba
reclining at tish
 
binah
understanding
 
binnuy
construction
 
Binyamin (Benjamin)
One of Jacob’s (Ya’akov) 12 sons. One of the 12 Tribes of Israel descended from Ya’akov’s son. The Name means “son of the right hand”
 
binyan
building
 
biradah
trembling
 
birkat
(alt. berachah) blessing
 
Birkat HaChodesh
the blessing of the New Moon
 
Birkat haMazon
benediction over food; grace after meals
 
Birkat HaMinim
(Hebrew ברכת המינים “Blessing on the heretics”) 90 C.E. decree; a Jewish prayer of “blessing” on heretics in general, and sometimes Christians, though in this context "blessing" may also be a euphemism for a curse. The blessing is the 12th of the Eighteen Benedictions or Amidah. The writing of the benediction is attributed to Shmuel ha-Katan at the supposed Council of Jamnia which was inserted in the “Eighteen Benedictions” as the 19th blessing in the silent prayer to be said thrice daily, the Amidah. The benediction is thus seen as related to the Pharisees, the Development of the Hebrew Bible canon, the split of early Christianity and Judaism as heresy in Judaism, the origins of Rabbinic Judaism, Origins of Christianity, Christianity in the 1st century, and history of early Christianity.
 
bishmi
in my name
 
bitachon
confident trust
 
biti
my daughter
 
bitul Torah
the neglect of the study of the Torah
 
bizyoinos
humiliation
 
blailah
at night
 
bnei
sons (sg. ben)
 
bnei basar
carnally-minded believers
 
Bnei Chorin
Sons of Freedom; Freedmen
 
bnei ha-chuppah
wedding invitees
 
Bnei HaKhofshiyah
Sons of Lady Freedom; the Free Woman
 
Bo
a portion in the Book of Exodus
 
bo’u u’re’u
come and see
 
bocher; bochur
bachelor; young man
 
Boethuseans
A religious party of the first century composed of wealthy and influential members of the priesthood, similar in doctrine with the Sadducees
 
boged
traitor; betrayer
 
bogedim
betrayers
 
boh
come
 
boker
morning
 
boneh
builder
 
Boneh Yerushalayim
the blessing over the rebuilding of Jerusalem
 
Booths, Feast of
In Hebrew, Succoth, the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar; a seven-day holiday when Israel was to dwell in booths to commemorate the wilderness wanderings.
 
Bore Nefashot
a short blessing after the eating of food that does not require Birkat Hamazon
 
Bore Peri Ha’etz
the blessing over fruit of the tree
 
borur
obvious
 
brachah hkrb
(alt. brakah, berachah) blessing … a prayer of thanksgiving that always begins, “Baruch etah, Adonai Elohaynu, Melech HaOlam” (“Blessed are You, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe.”) Literally, “a blessing” or “benediction.” Also:
  1. blessing
  2. (source of) blessing
  3. blessing, prosperity
  4. blessing, praise of God
  5. a gift, present
  6. treaty of peace
(pl. berachot; brachot, birchot)
 
Breath of Every Living Thing, The
The closing hymn of the Passover seder.
 
bren
enthusiasm; fervor; hitlahavut
 
Bri’at HaOlam
the creation of the world
 
bria chadasha
a new being
 
briah
creation
 
bris milah
(alt. b'ris, b'rit, brit) the rite of circumcision
 
brit
(alt. b'ris) covenant
 
bubbemeises
(Yid.) old wives tales
 
bukki
expert; meivin
 
bushah
shame
 
buttel
cancelled out
 
byirah
(alt. b’yirah) with fear
 
byom
(alt. b’yom) at day
 

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Page last updated on Monday, 12 June 2023 11:41 AM
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