If your life is not in jeopardy for what you believe, you’re probably on the wrong side!

[includes/like_this_page.html]

Mobile Users: The page will display properly if you hold your device in “landscape”
position and use your touch gesture to resize the page to fit your screen.

A Glossary of Unfamiliar Terms Compiled from numerous source documents

Adobe PDF

See also Words to be Added   Printer-Friendly Versions

MSWord

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 Guide • Books of the Bible Proper Names • Tribes of Israel • The Mishnah
For more Hebrew words and phrases, you might enjoy John Parsons’ Hebrew4Christians.com
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   Liturgy & Worship   Pronunciation   [More]

C

A note about words beginning with or containing “ch”:
There is no “ch” sound (as in “chew” or “China”) in either Hebrew or Aramaic.
The “ch” combination is pronounced as a “breathy k” or “kh”  — as in Johann
Sebastian Bach — and is frequently transliterated that way.

C.E.

Common Era (same as A.D. but much less offensive to non-Messianic Jewish people)
 

cantor

one who leads the chanting [canting, singing] of prayers in the synagogue services.
 

chachah

reproof
 

chacham

wise man (pl. chachamim)
 

chadash

new wine
 

chadashot

new things
 

chafetz

good pleasure
 

chag

festival
 

Chag Habikkurim

(alt. Habikurim) Festival of the First Fruits; another name for Shavuot
 

Chag Haggeulah

Festival of Redemption
 

Chag HaKatzir

Festival of Ingathering or Harvest
 

Chag Sameach

joyous holiday; the greeting used on the festivals
 

chai

alive (or life); when Jews drink a toast, they wish each other “L’chayim” (to life)
 

chaim

(alt. chayyim) life; the plural ending indicates an increase or multiplication, thus “very life” or “abundant life”
 

chaiyal

soldier (pl. chaiyalim)
 

chal

placed under obligation
 

chalav

milk
 

chalil

flute
 

chalitzah

This Biblical ceremony, to absolve a man of marrying his childless brother’s widow, means “removal.” The widow removes his shoe and publicly spits upon the recalcitrant.
 

challah (alt. chalah)

Egg bread eaten on Shabbat and festivals; the challah used on Rosh haShanah is round, often containing raisins, symbolizing a sweet year, distinguishing it from the Shabbat challah that is braided … the kohen’s share in the dough … White braided Sabbath bread; name of the dough tithed from bread baking (pl. chalot)
 

chalutzim

pioneers
 

chamdanut

covetousness greed
 

chamesh

five
 

chamesh elafim

five thousand
 

chametz חָמֵץ

(alt. chometz, hametz) (lit. sour) any fermented product of grain, all leavening agents; hence, that which makes “sour” … leavening, yeast, baking powder; mixes with a leavening agent, bread and bread crumbs; food prepared with leaven, by extension referring to all foods and utensils forbidden on Passover … leavened bread and anything made with wheat, rye, barley, oats, or spelt, which has not been supervised to ensure that it has not leavened; refers to prohibited foods during Pesach.
 

chamor

donkey
 

chamot

shviger; mother-in-law
 

chaninah

mercy
 

Chanukat Habayit

dedication of the home; the ceremony affixing the mezuzah
 

Chanukiah

eight-branched candelabrum, with a place for a ninth candle (shamash) that light the others, especially designed for Chanukkah
 

Chanukkah

(Alt. Hanukah, Hanukkah, Chanukah) Dedication; name of the winter holiday commemorating the Maccabean victory over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E. and the rededication of the Temple
 

chap

grasp mentally; grab
 

charedi

orthodox
 

charon af HaShem

burning wrath or anger of God
 

charoset

(alt. charoset) a mixture of fruits (usually apples), nuts, cinnamon, and wine; one of the symbolic Passover foods on the seder plate. Its color and consistency are reminders of the bricks and mortar used by the Israelite slaves
 

Chas v’shalom

(alt. Chas veshalom) God forbid!
 

chashadot merusha’im

evil suspicions
 

chashivut

importance; prominence
 

Chassidic

pertaining to the Chasidim
 

Chasidim

Ultra-Orthodox followers of the eighteenth-century leader, Rabbi Israel, the Ba’al Shem Tov
Some main features of Chassidic thought, or Chassidism are emphasis on
   Sincerity, fervour
   Prayer
   Joy and spontaneity
   Humility
   Connection to the Tzadik, the Rebbe (Known as ADMO”R, acronym for Adoneinu, Moreinu veRabeinu (Our Master, Our Teacher and Our Rabbi)
   Introduction of Kabbalistic concepts to the masses
 

Some of the common customs of the Chassidim are:
   Specific clothing - Spodek, Shtreimel, long coats, gartel
   Eating with the Rebbe - Tisch, Farbrengen
   Order of prayer of Rav Yitz’chak Luriah (Ari Zal)
   Later prayer times - following preparations
 

Chasidus

The Chassidic movement, was founded by R. Yisrael Ba’al Shem Tov (1700 - 1760) in the early 18th Century and grew to one of the great movements of mainstream Judaism to this day. It grew in the regions of Galicia, the Ukraine and Podolia.
 

chassidus

piety
 

chassuna

wedding
 

chatan

(alt. chosson) bridegroom
 

Chatan Bereshit

(lit. Bridegroom of Genesis) the man called to recite or chant the blessings over the first section of the Torah on Simchat Torah
 

Chatan Torah

(lit. Bridegroom of the Torah) the man called to recite or chant the blessings over the final section of the Torah on Simchat Torah
 

chatat

(alt. hataat, chattat) sin offering in the Temple (2 Chron 5:21)
 

chatetz

good pleasure of his will
 

chatoteinu

our sins
 

chatsot halailah; chatzot halailah

midnight
 

chattaim

sins
 

chattat

(alt, chatat) sin offering; sin-atoning sacrifice;
 

chattoteynu

our sins
 

chaver leneshek

comrade-in-arms
 

chavrusashaft

association
 

chavurah

company; fellowship; society; those who partake of the Paschal lamb together
 

chavurah (alt. chaburah, havra’ah)

a group of “subscribers” convened for the purpose of offering the Pesach Sacrifice and eating of its meat … Informal group, which meets together for Jewish study and celebration (pl. chavurot)
 

Chayyah

Beast; Anti-Mashiach; Antichrist
 

chayyah

living, animal, beast (pl. chayyot)
 

chayyei menuchah

life of rest
 

chayyeinu

our life
 

chayyim

(alt. chaim) life
 

chazakim

strong ones
 

chazan

(alt. chazzan, hazzan, hazan) the cantor, the leader in prayer
 

chazan hakkeneset

synagogue employee
 

Chazarat Hashatz

repetition of the amidah prayer by the cantor aloud after it was recited by the congregants
 

Chazereth

bitter root, usually horseradish, on the Seder plate
 

chazir

swine (pl. chazirim)
 

chazon

vision; revelation; prophecy
 

chazora

review
 

cheder

room or chamber … old-fashioned term for Hebrew school
 

chedvah

rejoicing
 

chefetz

desire
 

chelek

allotted portion
 

chen v’chesed

favor and mercy; lovingkindness
 

chepping

annoying
 

cherem

ban of destruction
 

cherish

a deaf person (pl. chereshim)
 

cheresh-illem

deaf and mute
 

cherev

sword
 

cherub -im

(alt. cheruvim) an order of angelic being; the Cherubim in the Sanctuary (pl. cherubim)
 

cherut

freedom
 

chesed

free; unmerited favor or grace
 

cheshbon

plan; account; bill
 

Cheshvan (Bul)

second month of Jewish year
 

chet

(lit. missing the mark) one of the Hebrew terms translated “sin” … equivalent to Gk. hamartia
 

chevlei leydah

pangs of childbirth
 

Chevlei Mashiach

birthpangs of Mashiach
 

Chevrah Kadisha

group of people entrusted with the mitzvah of preparing a body for burial
 

chikiah

wait
 

Chillul Hashem gidduf

desecration of the Name blasphemy
 

chiloni

secular
 

chiyuv

duty
 

chizzuk

strengthening
 

chochmah

wisdom
 

chodashim

moons
 

chodesh

month
 

choiv

debt
 

chok

decree; law
 

chokmah

wisdom (in a good sense); skillful, wisdom, wisely, wit
 

chol

non-sacred
 

Chol Hamoed

ordinary part of the festival
days in the middle of Pesach or Sukkot when work is allowed … weekdays of the Festival
 

choleh

sick one
 

cholent

a stew usually made from potatoes, beans and meat. The recipe varies from community to community. Calcutta “chamin” has rice, curry and chicken. German cholent has beans, dumpling and beef. Hungarians add whole eggs etc. It is eaten on Shabbat, and is placed on the fire on Friday afternoon. It cooks over Shabbat, and by lunchtime is ready to eat.
 

cholim

sick persons
 

cholom

dream
 

chomed

covetous
 

chomer haDin

rigor of the Law
 

choref

winter
 

chori af

burning wrath
 

chori afhaba

the wrath to come
 

chorim

freedmen
 

choshech

darkness
 

chosson

(alt. chatan) bridegroom
 

chotam

seal
 

chote’im

sinners
 

chotsh

at least
 

chovah musarit

moral duty
 

chozek

encouragement strength
 

Chukat

a portion in the Book of Numbers
 

chukim

laws
 

Chumash

Chumash is a Torah in printed form as opposed to a Sefer Torah, which is a scroll. The word comes from the Hebrew word for five, chamesh. A more formal term is chamishah chumshei Torah, “five fifths of Torah.” It is also known by the Latinised Greek term Pentateuch in common printed editions. (pl. Chumashim)
 

chumra

legalism
 

chupah

(alt. chuppah, huppah) canopy under which pair stand at wedding ceremony, symbol of home to be established; represents the honeymoon chamber
 

churban

destruction
 

chutzpah

nerve
 

cohan

(alt. cohen, kohen) priest
 

Cohen כֹּהֵן

(alt. cohan, kohen) Priest … a descendant Moishe’s brother Aharon, the first High Priest (Cohen Gadol) of the Jewish people. The Cohen is always called up first to the Torah reading. (pl. Cohenim, alt. Cohanim, Kohanim, Kohenim)
 

Cohen Gadol

High Priest. The Cohen Gadol, wore a special turban, tunic and breast plate amongst other things. (pl. Cohenim Gedolim)
 

Cohen haGadol

(alt. Kohen haGadol, Cohen Gadol, Kohen Gadol) The High Priest
 

confirmation

ceremony marking the completion of the religious school course of study, often held on Shavuot
 

consecration

ceremony marking the beginning of a child’s formal Jewish education, often held on Simchat Torah
 

corban

An offering devoted to God. Once dedicated, it can never be used for any other purpose.

 

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   Liturgy & Worship   Pronunciation   [More]

Page last updated on Monday, 12 June 2023 11:41 AM
(Updates are generally minor formatting or editorial changes.
Major content changes are identified as "Revisions”)