SOME TERMS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW
(Please note that h is pronounced “ch” as in the term Hanukkah)
Aliyah This Hebrew term means “going up,” and can either refer to making one’s permanent residence in Israel, as in the phrase, “Rachel decided to make “aliyah,” or it would also refer to an honor to the Torah, during which one typically must ascend or “go up” onto the bimah.
Aliyot The plural of aliyah.
Aron Hakodesh The ark in which the Torah scrolls are kept.
Aufruf An aliyah given to a bride and groom just prior to their wedding day.
Ba’al Keriah This is the Hebrew term for Torah Reader. A woman who reads Torah would be referred to as the Ba’alat Keriah.
Ba’alei Keriah The plural of Ba’al Keriah.
Berakhah The Hebrew word for blessing. It typically begins, “Ba-rookh a-tah Adonai. . .”
Berakhot The plural of Berakhah.
Besamim The spices associated with the Havdalah ceremony, typically cloves and cinnamon stick, symbolizing the wonderful Shabbat aroma we wish to carry with us into the rest of the week.
Bimah The pulpit on which the service is lead and sermons are given.
Birkat Hamazon Literally, “the blessing of the food,” but in reality, a number of blessings recited, and often sung, following a meal.
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards This is a committee of the Rabbinical Assembly that consists of 25 voting rabbis and six non-voting members, who study contemporary problems of Jewish law and resolve these issues in accordance with the dictates of our Tradition and Halakhah, as understood by Conservative Judaism. The committee represents a cross-section of the movement. The Rabbinical Assembly chooses 15 rabbis, the Jewish Theological Seminary chooses five rabbis, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism chooses five rabbis, and it also chooses five non-voting members. A member of the Cantor’s Assembly also sits on the committee as a non-voting member.
Derekh eretz Polite, courteous, respectful behavior. This is one of the primary attributes of a Jewish person.
Eliyahu Hanavi Literally, “Elijah the Prophet,” who worked largely in the Northern Kingdom of Israel around 850 BCE. Tradition assigns him the honor of bringing the people good news about the coming of the Mashiah.
Erev Shabbat Literally, “Sabbath eve,” which is generally a reference to anytime on Friday before sunset, particularly Friday afternoon.
Gabbai A person knowledgeable in the Torah who follows the reading to assure perfection and stands next to the Ba’al Keriah. It is also the person who calls people to the Torah for an aliyah.
Gabba’im The plural of Gabbai.
Gelilah The honor of dressing the Torah.
Gut Shabbos Literally, “Good Sabbath,” a Yiddish greeting on Shabbat akin to “Good morning” or “Good evening.”
Hadlakat Neirot Literally, “candle lighting,” which takes place 18 minutes before sunset and marks, at least for the person lighting the candles, the beginning of Shabbat or Yom Tov.
Haftarah That special section from The Prophets chanted on a particular Shabbat or holiday following the Torah reading.
Hagbahah The honor of lifting the Torah.
Halakhah Literally, “the way,” and the term refers to Jewish law, the traditions and customs that invest our communities the world over with a common character.
Hallah This is the name of the special, braided Shabbat bread that is so closely associated with the beginning of Shabbat. For Shabbat dinner and lunch, there should be two, uncut hallot (that’s the plural), set on a hallah platter and covered with a hallah cover.
Hamotzi This is the name of the prayer recited prior to cutting or breaking the hallah for distribution to all who have come for the Shabbat meal. The term means “who draws out” and is a reference to our gratitude toward God for having “drawn out” this bread from the earth.
Havdalah Literally, “separation,” and the term is the name of the ceremony at the very end of Shabbat which officially brings Shabbat to a close.
Hebrew Birthday The date of birth according to the Hebrew calendar. It is a date that may precede or follow one’s secular birth date, and in rare instances, the two dates may even coincide. Bar and Bat Mitzvah dates follow the Hebrew calendar.
Hiddur mitzvah Literally, “beautifying a mitzvah.” One can fulfill the mitzvah of tallit through one of the nondescript talliyot typically available at the entrance to the synagogue sanctuary or one can purchase a tallit of many colors, rich textures, etc. In the latter case, one has most certainly enhanced or beautified the mitzvah.
Humash The Torah or Five Books of Moses, as printed in a book, not a scroll.
Jewish Theological Seminary This is the principal school of the Conservative movement, and responsible for the training or rabbis, cantors, Jewish educators, and academics for Conservative institutions and secular universities. It is located in New York City.
Kabbalat Shabbat Literally, “welcoming Shabbat.” The term is the name of a welcoming ceremony for Shabbat as created by the sixteenth century Jewish mystics of Safed, Israel.
Kashrut The system of Jewish dietary laws which permits certain animals and prohibits others, permits certain fish and prohibits others, and generally keeps dairy and meat meals, dishes, and utensils, separate and apart. The system creates a sense of Jewish distinctiveness throughout the day, linking us with both our ancestors, our contemporaries, and our descendents who have, do, or will keep these laws.
Keriat Hatorah Literally, “reading the Torah.” The term is the name of that section of any service during which the Torah is read or more specifically, chanted.
Kiddush Literally, “sanctification.” The term is the name of a blessing, usually recited over wine, which points to the sanctity of a particular Shabbat or Yom Tov. Both the Shabbat and Yom Tov Kiddush make reference to the Israelite Exodus from Egypt and the Shabbat Kiddush specifically points to the creation of the universe as a special them of the day.
Kippah A head covering worn by men and women as a sign of humility before God and as an outward expression of Jewish identity.
Lel Shabbat Literally, “Shabbat evening.” The term is a reference to that part of Friday which is Shabbat, as distinguished from Erev Shabbat.
Maftir The person responsible for chanting the Haftarah. It has also come to mean the final few words of a Torah reading, since the maftir is honored with that reading.
Ma’ariv The evening service which is recited each evening. Its essential element is the recitation of the Shema which must be recited every morning and evening.
Minhah The afternoon service recited each day.
Minyan The quorum of ten Jews of Bar or Bat Mitzvah age necessary to recite a full service. Various synagogues differ as to whether women are counted in the minyan or not, but at Midway, the women count!
Minyanim The plural of minyan.
Mishnah A work of rabbinic law, thought, and argument that was compiled by the year 200 CE and represented the best of rabbinic thinking for a few hundred years.
Mitzvah Literally, “a command.” The term specifically refers to the commands that God delivers to the Jewish people. It is often translated inaccurately as “good deed.” The term “mitzvot” is the plural.
Mitzvot The plural of mitzvah.
Musaf Literally, “addition.” The term refers to an extra service recited on Shabbat and Yom Tov. A Jew is supposed to pray three times a day but on Shabbat and Yom Tov, four times a day.
Oneg Shabbat Literally, “Sabbath Delight.” In our synagogue this term refers to the gathering of friends for coffee, tea, pastry, fruits, etc., following a Shabbat Ma’ariv service. The term can actually refer to any pleasurable activity that takes place on Shabbat.
Parashat Hashavu’ah Literally, “the portion of the week,” and the term refers to that portion of the Torah that is chanted in the synagogue on a particular Shabbat.
Petihah The honor of opening the ark where the Torah scrolls rest.
Petihot The plural of petihah.
Se’udah Shelishit Literally, “the third meal.” The term refers to a meal that takes place between Minhah and Ma’ariv on Saturday evening to fulfill the tradition that a person should eat well on Shabbat, at least three meals.
Se’udah Shel Mitzvah A meal that emanates from a mitzvah as the meal that follows a wedding or Bar and Bat Mitzvah.
Shabbat Literally, “Sabbath.” This term is a reference to the great institution that God gave to the Jewish people, and which the Jewish people in turn, gave to the world: a day of rest, learning, and spiritual rejuvenation.
Shabbat Shalom Literally, “Sabbath Peace!” The term is the typical greeting used on Shabbat.
Shabbos/Shabbes This is simply the Yiddish pronunciation of Shabbat.
Shomer Shabbat Literally, “one who observes Shabbat.” Generally this term is used to describe someone who observes Shabbat with tremendous concern for all the various laws of Shabbat.
Shulhan Arukh This work literally means “The Set Table,” and refers to that code of Jewish law written systematically according to topics by the Sephardic Rabbi Yosef Karo of Spain and Israel, (1488-1575). Although it is a sixteenth century work, it is widely consulted, even today.
Siddur This is the name of the prayer book used daily. If the siddur is accidentally dropped, the tradition is to pick it up and kiss it as it contains God’s name and we therefore show the book great reverence.
Tallit The prayer shawl worn during services, particularly morning services.
Talliyot/Tallitot The plural of tallit.
Talmud A 20 volume set of Jewish law, lore and debates, the classic rabbinic interpretation of the Torah between the year one to 600 C.E.
Tanakh This is the Hebrew term for Bible. The term itself is an acronym for the three sections of the Jewish Bible; the Torah, the Nevi’im or Prophets, and the Ketuvim or Scriptures.
Te’amim The musical symbols used to determine how to phrase and chant a Torah or Haftarah reading. They are also known as tropes.
Tefillin The black boxes containing sacred scrolls which are wrapped onto the arm and around the head each morning (except on Shabbat and Yom Tov) in order to express one’s love for God and the degree to which one feels “bound” by the mitzvot. They are typically referred to as phylacteries.
Teshuvah Literally, “turning.” A term that refers to the practice of repentance which all Jewish people are encouraged to engage in daily. It can also refer to the official written answer of a rabbi to a specific problem in Halakhah.
Tikkun Olam Literally, “repair of the world.” It refers to the mitzvah of doing our best to leave this world a better place than we found it.
Torah This is a sacred scroll containing the five books of Moses. Whenever the scroll is lifted, we rise in reverence for the word and spirit of God that the scroll contains.
Trope A musical symbol used to determine how to phrase and chant a Torah or Haftarah reading. They are also known as te’amim.
Tzedakah Literally, “righteousness.” It refers to the daily mitzvah of giving money to those in need. A traditional time to give tzedakah is Erev Shabbat or Friday afternoon, prior to hadlakat neirot.
Yahrzeit The anniversary of the death of a loved one. It is a date that follows the Hebrew calendar. We light a candle on that day (beginning the evening before) and recite the Kaddish prayer at the synagogue services both in the evening and morning.
Zemirot This term is a reference to the special Shabbat songs that are sung on Shabbat during or following a meal.
| 
Updated July 12, 2006 
