List of Hebrew acronyms
Encyclopedia
This is a list of Hebrew acronyms
Hebrew acronyms
Acronyms are a common part of the Hebrew language, with many organisations, places and people known by their acronyms.-Typography:Hebrew typography uses a special punctuation mark called Gershayim to denote acronyms, placing the sign between the second-last and last letters of the non-inflected...

.

This list is far from complete; you can help by expanding it.

Sorting Order

The entries are sorted according to the Hebrew alphabet. Prefixes indicating prepositions and articles (such as ב, ד, ה, ש, כ) have generally been removed, with the following exceptions:
  • Where the acronym is incomprehensible or meaningless without the prefix
  • Where the prefix is so integral to the acronym that variants without it rarely, if ever, occur

Numeronyms

Some abbreviations included here are actually gematria
Gematria
Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...

 (Hebrew numeronyms), but the number is so closely associated with some noun that it is grammatically used as a noun and is synonymous with it, for example ב"ן, Ban. Other abbreviations contain a variable gematria component alongside other words, like the chapter references פי"א perek yud-alef (chapter 11) or פ"ט perek tet (chapter 9). Rather than list separate entries for every possible gematria, or use only one example number, the gematria component is replaced with [x] to produce (for example) [x]"פ.

Aramaic Acronyms

Some Aramaic acronyms may not be included here; more may be found in the List of Aramaic acronyms.

Many of the abbreviations here may be similar or identical to those in the List of Aramaic acronyms. In fact, a work written in Hebrew may have Aramaic acronyms interspersed throughout (ex. Tanya
Tanya
The Tanya is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797. Its formal title is Likkutei Amarim , but is more commonly known by its opening word, Tanya, which means "it was taught in a beraita"...

), much as an Aramaic work may borrow from Hebrew (ex. Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

, Midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....

, Zohar
Zohar
The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...

).

[x]

  • פ"[x] ,פעמים [x] ([x] pe'amim) - [repeat this] [x] times (e.g., a prayerbook instruction)

א

  • אברהם אבינו, א"א (Avraham Avinu) - "our forefather Abraham"
  • אי אפשר, א"א (ee efshar) - it is impossible, it would be impossible
  • אין אומרים, א"א (ein omrim) - not recited (e.g., a prayerbook instruction)
  • איש אלקי, א"א (ish eloki) - the G‑dly man
  • אלא אם כן, אא"כ (ela im kein) - unless
  • אברהם אבינו עליו השלום ,אאע"ה (Avraham Avinu, Alav Hashalom) - "our forefather Abraham, peace on him," see also א"א
  • אצילות בריאה יצירה עשיה, אבי"ע (Abiya, Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah
    Yetzirah
    Yetzirah is the third of four worlds in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, following Atziluth and Briah...

    , Asiah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    , Aramaic) the Four Worlds
    Four Worlds
    The Four Worlds , sometimes counted with a prior stage to make Five Worlds, are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence....

    . See בי"ע
  • אגרת הקדש, אגה"ק (Igeret HaKodesh) - "Holy Letter," a volume of the Tanya
    Tanya
    The Tanya is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797. Its formal title is Likkutei Amarim , but is more commonly known by its opening word, Tanya, which means "it was taught in a beraita"...

    . Or, a treatise by the Ramban
    Nahmanides
    Nahmanides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Naḥman Girondi, Bonastruc ça Porta and by his acronym Ramban, , was a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.-Name:"Nahmanides" is a Greek-influenced formation meaning "son of Naḥman"...

     on marriage
  • אגרת התשובה, אגה"ת (Igeret HaTeshuvah) - "Letter of Teshuvah," a volume of the Tanya
    Tanya
    The Tanya is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797. Its formal title is Likkutei Amarim , but is more commonly known by its opening word, Tanya, which means "it was taught in a beraita"...

  • אג"ק (Igrot Kodesh) - "Holy Letters." Usually authored by the citer's rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

    , unless specified otherwise
  • 'אדון, אד (Adon) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) Mr. (prepended to the name)
  • 'אדני, אד (Adni) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the Name of G‑d
    Names of God in Judaism
    In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title; it represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relationship of God to the Jewish people and to the world. To demonstrate the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for...

     spelled א-ד-נ-י and pronounced Ad-onai in the course of prayer, meaning My L‑rd
  • אדמו"ר האמצעי, אדהאמ"צ (Admor Ha'Emtza'i) - (Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

    ) "Our Middle Master, Teacher and Rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

    ", Rabbi Dovber Schneuri
    Dovber Schneuri
    Dovber Schneuri was the second Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic movement. Rabbi Dovber was the first Chabad rebbe to live in the town of Lyubavichi , the town for which this Hasidic dynasty is named...

    , a.k.a. the Mitteler Rebbe, the second leader of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

     Hasidism
  • אדמו"ר הזקן, אדה"ז (Admor HaZakein) - (Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

    ) "Our Elder Master, Teacher and Rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

    ," Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, first leader of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

     Hasidism
  • אדוננו מורנו ורבינו, אדמו"ר (Admor) - "Our Master, Teacher and Rebbe" (for Chassidic rebbes, used alone or prepended to the name)
  • אהבה רבה, אה"ב (ahavah rabah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) great love, a level of love for G‑d
  • אור אין סוף, אוא"ס (Or Ein Sof)- (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) "The Light of the Infinite One," indicating an "emanation" of the Infinite One. Compare א"ס
  • אומות העולם, אוה"ע (umot ha'olam) - the nations of the world
  • אור התורה, אוה"ת (Ohr HaTorah) - "The Light of the Torah," a commentary on the Tanach (?)
  • אורח חיים, או"ח (Orach Chaim) - the first section of the Tur
    Arba'ah Turim
    Arba'ah Turim , often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher...

    -Shulchan Aruch
    Shulchan Aruch
    The Shulchan Aruch also known as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most authoritative legal code of Judaism. It was authored in Safed, Israel, by Yosef Karo in 1563 and published in Venice two years later...

    , lit. the Way of Life
  • האומות המאוחדות, או"ם (Um, HaUmot HaMe'uchdot) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) the United Nations
    United Nations
    The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

  • אור פנימי, או"פ (or
    Ohr
    Ohr is a central Kabbalistic term in the Jewish mystical tradition. The analogy of physical light is used as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations...

     penimi
    ) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) inner light
  • אוצרות חיים, אוצ"ח (Otzrot Chaim) - "Treasuries of Life", part of the first book of Eitz Chaim by the Arizal. See ע"ח
  • אחר זה, אח"ז (achar zeh) - after this
  • אחר כך, אח"כ (achar kach) - after this, afterwards
  • ארץ ישראל, א"י (Eretz Yisrael) - the Land of Israel
    Land of Israel
    The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...

  • אם כן, א"כ (im kein) - if so
  • אמר(ו) לו/לה/להם, א"ל (amru/amar lo/lah/lahem) - he/they said to him/her/them
  • 'אלקי (Elokim) - "G‑d," indicates severity, judgement and (in Kabbalah) tzimtzum
    Tzimtzum
    Tzimtzum is a term used in the kabbalistic teaching of Isaac Luria, explaining his concept that God began the process of creation by "contracting" his infinite light in order to allow for a "conceptual space" in which a finite and seemingly independent world could exist...

  • אין סוף, א"ס (Ein Sof) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) "The One Who Has No End," the Infinite One
  • את עצמו, א"ע (et atzmo) - itself, himself
  • אף על פי כן, אעפ"כ (af al pi chein) - even so, lit. even by mouth of this
  • 'אפילו, אפי (afilu) - even, even if
  • אין צריך, א"צ (ein tzarich) - does not need, unnecessary
  • 'אצילות, אצי (Atzilut) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the highest of the Four Worlds
    Four Worlds
    The Four Worlds , sometimes counted with a prior stage to make Five Worlds, are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence....

    . See אבי"ע
  • אין צריך לומר, אצ"ל (ein tzarich lomar) - needless to say
  • ארגון הצבאי הלאומי [בארץ ישראל], אצ"ל (Etzel
    Irgun
    The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...

    , Irgun HaTzeva'i HaLe'umi [Be'Eretz Yisra'el]) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) National Military Organization [in the Land of Israel], a.k.a. Irgun
    Irgun
    The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...

  • אדם קדמון, א"ק (Ak, Adam Kadmon
    Adam Kadmon
    In the religious writings of Kabbalah, Adam Kadmon is a phrase meaning "Primal Man". The oldest rabbinical source for the term "Adam ha-Ḳadmoni" is Num. R. x., where Adam is styled, not as usually, "Ha-Rishon" , "Ha-Kadmoni" ....

    ) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) Primordial Man, a spiritual level transcending Atzilut
  • ארצות הברית, ארה"ב (Ar-tzot HaBrit) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) the United States
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

    , lit. Lands of the Alliance
  • ארץ הקודש, ארה"ק (Eretz HaKodesh) - the Land of Israel
    Land of Israel
    The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...

    , lit. the Holy Land. See also חו"ל
  • אמרו רז"ל, ארז"ל (amru razal) - the sages said. See also רז"ל
  • האדון/האלהי/האשכנזי/אדוננו רבי יצחק, אר"י (HaAri) - the Arizal, Rabbi Yitzchak ben Shlomo Luria; (abbr.) lit. "The Lion"; (in full) lit. "The Master/G-dly/Ashkenazi/Our Master Rabbi Yitzchak." Major elucidator of Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    . See also אריז"ל
  • האדון/האלהי/האשכנזי/אדוננו רבי יצחק ז"ל, אריז"ל (Arizal) - Rabbi Yitzchak ben Shlomo Luria; (abbr.) lit. "The Lion, of blessed memory"; (in full) lit. "The Master/G-dly/Ashkenazi/Our Master Rabbi Yitzchak of blessed memory." Major elucidator of Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    . See also אר"י

ב

  • בני אדם, ב"א (b'nei adam) - mankind
  • באר היטב, באה"ט (Be'er Heitev
    Be'er Heitev
    Ba'er Heitev is a Hebrew commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, the chief codification of Jewish law...

    ) - a commentary on the Shulchan Aruch
    Shulchan Aruch
    The Shulchan Aruch also known as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most authoritative legal code of Judaism. It was authored in Safed, Israel, by Yosef Karo in 1563 and published in Venice two years later...

    , lit. "explaining well." The sections on Orach Chaim and Even HaEzer were written by R. Yehudah ben Shimon Ashkenazi; the sections on Choshen Mishpat
    Choshen Mishpat
    Choshen Mishpat is the Hebrew for "Breastplate of Judgement". The term is associated with one of the four sections of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha , Arba'ah Turim. This section treats aspects of Jewish law pertinent to finance, torts, legal procedure and loans and interest in...

     and Yoreh De'ah
    Yoreh De'ah
    Yoreh De'ah is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha , Arba'ah Turim around 1300. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law not pertinent to the Hebrew calendar, finance, torts, marriage, divorce, or sexual conduct....

     by Zechariah Mendel ben Aryeh Leib
    Zechariah Mendel ben Aryeh Leib
    Zechariah Mendel ben Aryeh Leib was a Galician and German preacher and scholar born at Podhaice in the early part of the 18th century. He died at Frankfort-on-the-Oder December 20, 1791....

  • בבא בתרא, ב"ב (Bava Batra
    Bava Batra
    Bava Batra is the third of the three tractates in the Talmud in the order Nezikin; it deals with a person's responsibilities and rights as the owner of property. It is part of Judaism's oral law...

    ) - (Aramaic) a tractate of the Talmud
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

    , lit. final gate
  • בגר"ז (Bogoraz
    Bogoraz
    Bogoraz is a surname of Jewish origin which is an acronym of "Ben ha-rav Zalman" . It may refer to:*Vladimir Bogoraz*Larisa Bogoraz...

    , Ben HaRav Zalman) – "son of Rabbi Zalman," Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum
  • בית דין, ב"ד (beit din) - Jewish court of three adult men, lit. house of judgement. See also בי"ד
  • בית הלל, ב"ה (Beit Hillel
    House of Hillel
    The House of Hillel , also known as the Academy of Hillel, founded by the famed Hillel the Elder, is a school of Jewish law and thought that thrived in 1st century B.C.E.Jerusalem. The House of Hillel is most widely known for its hundreds of disputes with the Beit Shammai, founded by Shammai, a...

    ) - the academy of Hillel
    Hillel the Elder
    Hillel was a famous Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history. He is associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud...

    , lit. the house of Hillel
  • בעזרת השם, ב"ה (be'ezrat Hashem) - with the help of G‑d. Often at the top of a written or printed sheet. See also בס"ד
  • ברוך הוא, ב"ה (Baruch Hu) - "may He be blessed," usually appended to one of the Divine names
  • בית הכנסת, בהכ"נ (beit hak'neset) - the synagogue
    Synagogue
    A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...

    , lit. the house of gathering
  • בית המקדש, בהמ"ק (Beit HaMikdash) - the Temple in Jerusalem, lit. the Sanctified House
  • בזמן הזה, בזה"ז (bizman hazeh) - at this time
  • 'בחינת/בחינה, בחי (bechinat/bechinah) - level, aspect (of)
  • בית יוסף, ב"י (Beit Yosef
    Beit Yosef (book)
    Beit Yosef — also transliterated Beth Yosef — is a book by Rabbi Joseph Caro. It is a long, detailed commentary on the Arba'ah Turim. It served as a precursor to the Shulchan Aruch, which Rabbi Caro wrote later in his life....

    ) - "House of Joseph," a commentary on the Arba'ah Turim
    Arba'ah Turim
    Arba'ah Turim , often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher...

     by Rabbi Yosef Caro
  • בית דין, בי"ד (beit din) - Jewish court of three adult men, lit. house of judgement. See also ב"ד
  • בית הכנסת, ביהכנ"ס (beit hak'neset) - the synagogue
    Synagogue
    A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...

    , lit. the house of gathering
  • בית הספר, ביה"ס (beit hasefer) - school, lit. house of the book[s]
  • בין השמשות, ביה"ש (bein hashemashot) - twilight
  • בית יעקב לכו ונלכה, ביל"ו (Bilu
    Bilu
    Bilu was a movement whose goal was the agricultural settlement of the Land of Israel. "Bilu" is an acronym based on a verse from the Book of Isaiah "בית יעקב לכו ונלכה" Beit Ya'akov Lekhu Venelkha...

    , Beit Ya'akov Lechu VeNelchah) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) an early Zionist movement to settle Israel
    Israel
    The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

    , lit. "House of Jacob, let us go" (Isaiah
    Isaiah
    Isaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...

     2:5)
  • בריאה יצירה עשיה, בי"ע (Biya, Beriah, Yetzirah
    Yetzirah
    Yetzirah is the third of four worlds in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, following Atziluth and Briah...

    , Asiah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    , Aramaic) the three nethermost of the Four Worlds
    Four Worlds
    The Four Worlds , sometimes counted with a prior stage to make Five Worlds, are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence....

    , where the denizens thereof are aware of their own existence. See אבי"ע
  • ברית יוסף תרומפלדור, בית"ר (Beitar, Brit Yosef Trumpeldor) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) a militant, fascist Zionist group that fought against the Nazis in Warsaw and later alongside the Irgun
    Irgun
    The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...

     for independence from the British Empire
    British Empire
    The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

    , lit. Alliance of Joseph Trumpeldor
    Joseph Trumpeldor
    Joseph Trumpeldor , was an early Zionist activist. He helped organize the Zion Mule Corps and bring Jewish immigrants to the Land of Israel. Trumpeldor died defending the settlement of Tel Hai in 1920 and subsequently became a Zionist national hero...

    , (abbr.) the ancient fortress of Beitar
    Betar (fortress)
    The Betar Fortress was the last standing Jewish fortress in the Bar Kochba revolt of the 2nd century CE, destroyed by the Roman army of Emperor Hadrian in the year 135...

     that fell to the Roman Empire
    Roman Empire
    The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....

     in the Bar Kochba revolt
  • בבא מציעא, ב"מ (Bava Metzia
    Bava Metzia
    Bava Metzia is the second of the first three Talmudic tractates in the order of Nezikin , the other two being Bava Kamma and Bava Batra. Originally all three formed a single tractate called Nezikin , each Bava being a Part or subdivision...

    ) - (Aramaic) a tractate of the Talmud
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

    , lit. middle gate
  • בן נוח, ב"נ (ben Noach) - a descendant of Noah, a Noahide
  • ב"ן (Ban) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) a spelling-out of the Tetragrammaton
    Tetragrammaton
    The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...

     numerically equal to 52, the gematria
    Gematria
    Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...

     of ב"ן. (Usually appears as שם ב"ן)
  • בני ישראל, בנ"י (Benei Yisrael) - the Children of Israel
    Jacob
    Jacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...

    , Jews
    Jews
    The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...

  • בסיעטא דשמיא, בס"ד (besiyata dishmaya) - (Aramaic) with the help of Heaven. Typically at the top right corner of a printed or written page. See also ב"ה in the List of Hebrew acronyms
  • בעל(י) גבול, בע"ג (ba'al(ei) gevul) - possessor(s) of limits
  • בעל פה, בע"פ (be'al peh) - oral, orally, by heart
  • בעל שם טוב, בעש"ט (Besht) - "Good Master of the [Divine] Name," Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov. See also ריב"ש
  • בבא קמא, ב"ק (Bava Kama) - (Aramaic) a tractate of the Talmud
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

    , lit. first gate
  • ברית המועצות, ברה"ם (Brit HaMu'a-tzot) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) the Soviet Union
    Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

    , lit. Alliance of Councils
  • בית שמאי, ב"ש (Beit Shammai) - the academy of Shammai
    Shammai
    Shammai was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century, and an important figure in Judaism's core work of rabbinic literature, the Mishnah....

    , lit. the house of Shammai
  • ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד, בשכמל"ו (baruch sheim k'vod) - blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever. The second sentence of the recital of the Shema
  • בל תשקצו, ב"ת (bal tishakeitzu) - "you shall not make yourselves repulsive," phrasing from the Biblical command (Leviticus
    Leviticus
    The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....

     11:43)

ג

  • 'גברת, גב (Geveret) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) Ms. (prepended to the name)
  • 'גומר(ה), גו (gomra/gomer) - etcetera
  • גם כן, ג"כ (gam kein) - as well, lit. like so also
  • גן עדן, ג"ע (Gan Eiden) - the Garden of Eden
  • גאון רבינו אליהו, גר"א (Gra
    Vilna Gaon
    Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman Kramer, known as the Vilna Gaon or Elijah of Vilna and simply by his Hebrew acronym Gra or Elijah Ben Solomon, , was a Talmudist, halachist, kabbalist, and the foremost leader of non-hasidic Jewry of the past few centuries...

    ) - "The Gaon
    Gaon (Hebrew)
    Gaon originally referred in Ancient Hebrew to arrogance and haughty pride . Later became known as pride in general: whether good or bad . Today it may refer to:...

     Rabbi Eliyahu [ben Shlomo Zalmen]," the Vilna Gaon. Great Talmudical scholar and Halachic decisor of Ashkenazic Jewry
  • גר(ים) תושב(ים), ג"ת (ger toshav
    Ger toshav
    Ger toshav , is a term used in Judaism to refer to a gentile who is a "resident alien", that is, one who lives in a Jewish state and has certain protections under Jewish law, and is considered a righteous gentile .-Definition:...

    /geirim toshvim
    ) - resident alien, i.e. a Gentile who has accepted the Seven Laws of Noah and may live in the Land of Israel

ד

  • ד' אמות, ד"א (dalet amot) - four amot, or cubits
  • הוי' אלוקיכם, ד"א (Havayeh Elokeichem) - "The L‑rd your G‑d" (note the dalet, ד, in place of the hei, ה - a slightly uncommon substitution)
  • סדור עם דברי אלוקים חיים, סדור עם דא"ח (Siddur im Dach, Dach = Divrei Elokim Chaim) - (Lubavitch Chasidism) "Siddur
    Siddur
    A siddur is a Jewish prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. This article discusses how some of these prayers evolved, and how the siddur, as it is known today has developed...

     with [commentary entitled] Words of the Living G‑d," a prayerbook with a Chassidic commentary
  • דברי הימים, ד"ה (Divrei HaYamim) - the Books of Chronicles
    Books of Chronicles
    The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...

  • דיבור המתחיל, ד"ה (dibur hamatchil) - the statement beginning with
  • דוד המלך עליו השלום, דהמע"ה (David HaMelech Alav HaShalom) - King David, peace on him
  • דין וחשבון, דו"ח (du'ach, din vecheshbon) - report, lit. judgement and accounting
  • די למבין, ד"ל (dai lamaivin) - [this is] sufficient for the understanding
  • דברי סופרים, ד"ס (divrei sofrim) - words of the sages, i.e. Rabbinical law
  • דעת עליון, ד"ע (da'at elyon) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) Supernal knowledge. See also ד"ת
  • דברי תורה, ד"ת (divrei Torah) - words of Torah
  • דעת תחתון, ד"ת (da'at tachton) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) lower knowledge. See also ד"ע

ה

  • 'השם, ה (Hashem) - "G‑d," lit. the Name
  • הגהות המחבר, הגה"מ (hagahot hamechaber) - notes of the compiler, notes of the author
  • הד' יסודות (hadalet yesodot) - the four elements, fire, air, water and earth
  • הרי הוא, ה"ה (harei hu) - it is, he is
  • הר הבית, הה"ב (Har HaBayit
    Temple Mount
    The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as , and in Arabic as the Haram Ash-Sharif , is one of the most important religious sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been used as a religious site for thousands of years...

    ) - the Temple Mount, lit. Mount of the [Holy] House
  • 'הוי (Havayeh) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) "G‑d," (a rearrangement of the letters indicating) the Tetragrammaton
    Tetragrammaton
    The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...

    , indicating kindness, mercy and revelation
  • הוה ליה למימר, הול"ל (havah leih lemeimar) - (Aramaic) shouldn't he have said
  • הוא ענין, הו"ע (hu inyan) - this is the idea
  • הרי זה, ה"ז (harei zeh) - this is
  • 'היה, הי (hayah) - was. See also 'והי
  • השם ישמרנו, ה"י (Hashem yishmerenu) - may G‑d save us
  • הני מילי, ה"מ (hanei milei) - (Aramaic) this statement, lit. these words
  • הוא עצמו, ה"ע (hu atzmo) - he himself/it itself
  • הקדוש ברוך הוא, הקב"ה (HaKadosh Baruch Hu) - "The Holy One, blessed be He"

ז

  • 'זכר, ז (zachar) - male, masculine
  • .זאת אומרת, ז. א (zot omeret) - this means, lit. this says
  • זה בזה, זב"ז (zeh vezeh) - this with that
  • זוהר הקודש, זה"ק (Zohar
    Zohar
    The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...

     HaKodesh
    ) - "the Holy Zohar," the fundamental tome of Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

  • [x]"זח ,[x] זוהר חלק (Zohar
    Zohar
    The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...

     Cheilek [x]
    ) - "the Zohar, part [x]" the fundamental tome of Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

  • זכרונו יגן עלינו, זי"ע (Ziya) - "may his memory protect us" (appended to a name)
  • זה לשונו, ז"ל (vezeh leshono) - begin quote, lit. and this is his language
  • זכרונו/זכרונם לברכה, ז"ל (Zal) - "of blessed memory," lit. his memory for blessing (appended to the name)
  • זכר צדיק לברכה, זצ"ל (Zetsal) - "may the memory of a saint be for a blessing" (appended to a name)
  • זרע קדוש, ז"ק (Zak
    ZAK
    Sterile alpha motif and leucine zipper containing kinase AZK, also known as ZAK, is a human gene.- Further reading :...

    , Zera Kodesh) – "holy seed," a surname (from Isaiah 6:13
    Book of Isaiah
    The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...

    )
  • זיהוי קורבנות אסון, זק"א (ZAKA
    ZAKA
    ZAKA , is a series of voluntary community emergency response teams in Israel, each operating in a police district . These organizations are officially recognized by the government...

    , Zihuy Korbanot Ason) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) a religious rescue and recovery organization that also specializes in identifying and burying the dead after a disaster, lit. Disaster Victim Identification
  • זכר קדוש לברכה, זק"ל (Zekal) - "may the memory of the holy be for a blessing" (used for saintly martyrs, appended to a name)
  • זכר קדוש צדיק לברכה, זקצ"ל (Zekatzal) - "may the memory of the holy righteous be for a blessing" (appended to a name)
  • זה שכתוב, ז"ש (zeh shekatuv) - this is as it is written

ח

  • [x]"ח ,[x] חלק (cheilek [x]) - part [x]
  • חכמה בינה דעת, חב"ד (Chabad
    Chabad
    Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...

    , Chochmah, Binah, Da'at) - a Jewish Chasidic movement emphasizing intellectual comprehension of spirituality; also (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the three intellectual sefirot: lit. knowledge, wisdom and understanding.
  • חסד גבורה תפארת, חג"ת (chagat, chesed, gevurah, tiferet) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the three inner emotional sefirot of loving-kindness, severity and harmony
  • חג הסוכות, חה"ס (Chag HaSukot) - the festival of Sukkot
    Sukkot
    Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...

  • חג הפסח, חה"פ (Chag HaPesach) - the festival of Pesach
  • חג השבעות, חה"ש (Chag HaShavuot) - the festival of Shavuot
    Shavuot
    The festival of is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan ....

  • חס ושלום, ח"ו (chas veshalom) - Heaven forbid, lit. compassion and peace
  • חכמה ובינה, חו"ב (chuv, chochmah vebinah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) Chochmah and Binah
    Binah (Kabbalah)
    Binah, , in the Kabbalah of Judaism, is the second intellectual Sephirah on the tree of life. It sits on the level below Keter , across from Chokmah and directly above Gevurah...

    , the first two sefirot; these being the "Father" and "Mother," this term often includes the "children" of these sefirot, too
  • חסד וגבורה, חו"ג (chug, chesed ugevurah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) Chesed
    Chesed
    The Hebrew noun khesed or chesed is the Hebrew word for "kindness." It is also commonly translated as "loving-kindness," or "love." Love is a central Jewish value, and leads to many particular commandments. Chesed is central to Jewish ethics and Jewish theology...

     and Gevurah, the first two "emotional" sefirot; sometimes, this term includes the "branches" of these sefirot, too
  • חול המועד, חוה"מ (Chol HaMo'ed) - the "weekday" of the festival
  • חול המועד סוכות, חוהמ"ס (Chol HaMo'ed Sukot) - the Chol HaMo'ed of Sukot. See חוה"מ
  • חול המועד פסח, חוהמ"פ (Chol HaMo'ed Pesach) - the Chol HaMo'ed of Pesach. See חוה"מ
  • חוץ לארץ, חו"ל (Chutz LaAretz) - the Diaspora
    Diaspora
    A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...

    , lit. outside the [Holy] Land. See also ארה"ק
  • חכמינו זכרונם לברכה, חז"ל (Chazal
    Chazal
    Chazal or Ḥazal is an acronym for the Hebrew "Ḥakhameinu Zikhronam Liv'rakha",...

    ) - "Our Sages, of blessed memory," referring to Jewish sages of previous generations. See also רז"ל
  • ח"י (chai) - 18, the gematria
    Gematria
    Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...

     of chai, life; commonly used to specify dates and currency amounts for tzedakah
    Tzedakah
    Tzedakah or Ṣ'daqah in Classical Hebrew is a Hebrew word commonly translated as charity, though it is based on the Hebrew word meaning righteousness, fairness or justice...

     (ex. double-chai, chai times chai, etc.)
  • חיה יחידה, ח"י (chayah yechidah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the two highest levels of the soul, which are unified with G‑d and perceive no other existence aside from His. See also נרנח"י
  • חיים יוסף דוד אזולאי, חיד"א (Chida
    Chaim Joseph David Azulai
    Chaim Joseph David Azulai ben Isaac Zerachia , commonly known as the Chida , was a Jerusalem born rabbinical scholar, a noted bibliophile, and a pioneer in the publication of Jewish religious writings.- Biography :Azulai was born in Jerusalem, where he received his education...

    , Chaim Yosef David Azulai) - Jerusalemite Halachist, Kabbalist and Talmudist, a prolific author
  • חיי אדם, חיי"א (Chayei Adam
    Chayei Adam
    Chayei Adam is a work of Jewish law by Rabbi Avraham Danzig , dealing with the laws discussed in the Orach Chayim section of the Shulchan Aruch...

    ) - "The Life of Man," a post-Acharonic
    Acharonim
    Acharonim is a term used in Jewish law and history, to signify the leading rabbis and poskim living from roughly the 16th century to the present....

     collection of Jewish Law by Rabbi Avraham Danzig
    Avraham Danzig
    Rabbi Avraham Danzig was a Posek and codifier, best known as the author of the works of Jewish law Chayei Adam and Chochmas Adam; he is sometimes referred to as "the Chayei Adam".-Biography:...

     on certain laws in Orach Chaim
  • חכמת אדם, חכ"א (Chochmat Adam) - "Wisdom of Man," a post-Acharonic
    Acharonim
    Acharonim is a term used in Jewish law and history, to signify the leading rabbis and poskim living from roughly the 16th century to the present....

     collection of Jewish Law by Rabbi Avraham Danzig
    Avraham Danzig
    Rabbi Avraham Danzig was a Posek and codifier, best known as the author of the works of Jewish law Chayei Adam and Chochmas Adam; he is sometimes referred to as "the Chayei Adam".-Biography:...

     on certain laws in Yoreh De'ah
    Yoreh De'ah
    Yoreh De'ah is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha , Arba'ah Turim around 1300. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law not pertinent to the Hebrew calendar, finance, torts, marriage, divorce, or sexual conduct....

    , Even HaEzer and Choshen Mishpat
    Choshen Mishpat
    Choshen Mishpat is the Hebrew for "Breastplate of Judgement". The term is associated with one of the four sections of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha , Arba'ah Turim. This section treats aspects of Jewish law pertinent to finance, torts, legal procedure and loans and interest in...

  • חכמה נסתרה, ח"ן (chein, chochmah nistarah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) hidden wisdom, i.e. the field of Kabbalah in general; (abbr.) grace
  • חומש תהלים תניא, חת"ת (Chitas
    Chitas
    ChiTaS is a Hebrew acronym for Chumash , Tehillim , and Tanya...

    , Chumash, Tehillim
    Psalms
    The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...

    , Tanya
    Tanya
    The Tanya is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797. Its formal title is Likkutei Amarim , but is more commonly known by its opening word, Tanya, which means "it was taught in a beraita"...

    ) - (Lubavitch Chasidism) the Five Books of Moses
    Moses
    Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...

    , the Psalms and the Tanya, bound together in a single volume; or, the daily study schedule for these three books

ט

  • טלית גדול, ט"ג (talit gadol) - the large talit
  • טוב ורע, טו"ר (tov vera) - good and evil
  • טור שולחן ערוך, טושו"ע (Tur Shulchan Aruch) - a.k.a. the Arba'ah Turim
    Arba'ah Turim
    Arba'ah Turim , often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher...

    , an extremely famous halachic work by R. Yaakov ben Asher, himself a.k.a. the Baal HaTurim after this work
  • טלית קטן, ט"ק (talit katan) - the small talit

י

  • יש אומרים, י"א (yeish omrim) - there are those who say
  • יום הכפורים, יוה"כ (Yom HaKipurim) - Yom Kippur
    Yom Kippur
    Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...

    , lit. the Day of Atonement
  • יום טוב, יו"ט (Yom Tov) - festival, lit. good day
  • יש לומר, י"ל (yeish lomar) - it might be said
  • יש להקדים, ילה"ק (yeish lehakdim) - we must first explain, lit. we must precede
  • יעוין שם, יעו"ש (ye'uyan sham) - see there
  • יפת תואר, יפ"ת (yefat to'ar) - a [wartime captive woman of] beautiful appearance, whose captor has special laws and obligations regarding her treatment
  • יצר הטוב, יצה"ט (yetzer hatov) - the good inclination. See also יצ"ט
  • יצר הרע, יצה"ר (yetzer hara
    Yetzer Hara
    In Judaism, yetzer hara , or yetzer ra refers to the inclination to do evil, by violating the will of God. The term is drawn from the phrase "the imagination of the heart of man [is] evil" , which occurs twice in the Hebrew Bible, at Genesis 6:5 and 8:21.The yetzer hara is not a demonic force, but...

    ) - the evil inclination
  • יצר טוב, יצ"ט (yetzer tov) - good inclination. See also יצה"ט
  • יציאת מצרים, יצי"מ (yetziat Mitzrayim) - the Exodus
    The Exodus
    The Exodus is the story of the departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt described in the Hebrew Bible.Narrowly defined, the term refers only to the departure from Egypt described in the Book of Exodus; more widely, it takes in the subsequent law-givings and wanderings in the wilderness...

     from Egypt
    Egypt
    Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

    . See also יצ"מ
  • יציאת מצרים, יצ"מ (yetziat Mitzrayim) - the Exodus
    The Exodus
    The Exodus is the story of the departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt described in the Hebrew Bible.Narrowly defined, the term refers only to the departure from Egypt described in the Book of Exodus; more widely, it takes in the subsequent law-givings and wanderings in the wilderness...

     from Egypt
    Egypt
    Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

    . See also יצי"מ
  • 'יתברך, ית (yitbareich) - may He be blessed

כ

  • 'כתיב, כ (ketiv) - written (often regarding a keri uchetiv). See also 'ק
  • כי אם, כ"א (ki im) - unless, but rather, except
  • כל אחד ואחד, כאו"א (kol echad va'echad) - each and every one, lit. each one and one
  • כתבי אר"י, כאר"י (kitvei Ari) - writings of the Arizal
  • כתבי אריז"ל, כאריז"ל (kitvei Arizal) - writings of the Arizal
  • 'כביכול, כבי (kivyachol) - as it were, lit. as it could be
  • 'כולו, כו (chulu) - etcetera
  • כמה וכמה, כו"כ (kamah vechama) - many, lit. several and several
  • כוכבים ומזלות, כו"מ (kochavim umazalot) - stars and constellations (usu. idols)
  • כולי עלמא, כו"ע (kulei alma) - (Aramaic) all hold [the opinion]
  • כל זה, כ"ז (kol zeh) - all this
  • כל זמן, כ"ז (kol zman) - the entire duration of, all the time
  • כל יחיד, כ"י (kol yachid) - everyone, lit. each individual
  • כל כך, כ"כ (kol kach) - to such an extent
  • כמו כן, כ"כ (kemo chein) - similarly, lit. like so
  • כמו שכתוב, כמ"ש (kemo shekatuv) - as it is written
  • כמו שיתבאר, כמשי"ת (kemo sheyitba'er) - as will be explained
  • כמו שנתבאר לעיל, כמשנת"ל (kemo shenetal, kemo shenitba'er la'eil) - as was explained above. See also נת"ל
  • כנסת ישראל, כנ"י (k'neset Yisrael) - the collective of Israel, i.e. the Jewish people
  • כהן צדק, כּ"ץ (Katz
    Katz (name)
    Katz is a common German surname. It is also one of the oldest and most common Ashkenazi Jewish surnames.Germans with the last name Katz may originate in the Rhine River region of Germany, where the Katz Castle is located...

    , Kohen Tzedek) – "priest of righteousness," a surname
  • כבוד קדושת, כ"ק (Kevod Kedushat) - "His Holy Honor" (for Chassidic rebbes, prepended to Admor and then the name)
  • כל שכן, כ"ש (kol shekein) - all the more so. See also ק"ו
  • כתבי יד, כת"י (kitvei yad) - writings, lit. manuscripts

ל

  • 'לשון, ל (lashon) - relating to, lit. tongue/language (used to indicate etymology
    Etymology
    Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...

     or a definition)
  • ל"ג בעומר (Lag Be'Omer) - the thirty-third (gematria
    Gematria
    Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...

     of ל"ג Lag) day of the Omer
    Counting of the Omer
    Counting of the Omer is a verbal counting of each of the forty-nine days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot...

  • לדברי/לדעת הכל, לד"ה (ledivrei/ledaat hakol) - according to all opinions
  • ל"ו (Lamed Vov, also Lamed Vovniks) - 36; the 36 hidden tzadikim alive in any generation and time, on whose merit the world is sustained
  • לוחמי חרות ישראל, לח"י (Lechi, Lochamei Cheirut Yisra'el) - a militant Zionist group that fought against the British Empire
    British Empire
    The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

     for Israel
    Israel
    The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

    's independence, lit. Fighters for the Freedom of Israel
  • לחם משנה, לח"מ (Lechem Mishneh) - a commentary on the Mishneh Torah
    Mishneh Torah
    The Mishneh Torah subtitled Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka is a code of Jewish religious law authored by Maimonides , one of history's foremost rabbis...

     by Rabbi Abraham de Boton
    Abraham de Boton
    Abraham Hiyya de Boton was aTalmudist and rabbi, a pupil of Samuel de Medina, who later dwelt for the most part at Salonica as rabbi and leader of a Talmudic academy. The name "Ḥiyya" was given him during a dangerous sickness...

  • 'למעלה, למע (lema'alah) - above
  • לשון עם זר, לע"ז (la'az, lashon am zar) - language of a foreign nation
  • לעתיד לבא, לע"ל (le'al, le'atid lavo) - the future, lit. the time to come
  • לעניות דעתי, לענ"ד (le'aniyut da'ati) - to my humble (lit. poor) understanding
  • לפני הצמצום, לפה"צ (lifnei ha-tzimtzum) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) before the tzimtzum
    Tzimtzum
    Tzimtzum is a term used in the kabbalistic teaching of Isaac Luria, explaining his concept that God began the process of creation by "contracting" his infinite light in order to allow for a "conceptual space" in which a finite and seemingly independent world could exist...

  • לפי זה, לפי"ז (lefi zeh) - according to this, lit. by the mouth of this. See also ע"פ
  • לפי מה שכתוב, לפמ"ש (lefi mah shekatuv) - according to what is written
  • לקוטי תורה, לקו"ת (Likkutei Torah) - "A Torah Anthology." Either the Kabbalistic work written by the Arizal, or the later Chassidic work by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi
  • לא תעשה, ל"ת (lo ta'aseh) - prohibition[s of the Torah], lit. do not do

מ

  • [x] 'מ, [x] משנה (mishnah [x]) - teaching [x]
  • מגלת אסתר, מג"א (Megilat Ester) - the Megillah
    Megillah (Talmud)
    Megillah is the tenth Tractate of Mishnah in the Order Moed. It and its Gemara deal with the laws of Purim and offers exegetical understandings to the Book of Esther. It also includes laws concerning the public reading of the Torah and other communal synagogue practices...

     of Esther
    Esther
    Esther , born Hadassah, is the eponymous heroine of the Biblical Book of Esther.According to the Bible, she was a Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus...

    , i.e. the Book of Esther
    Book of Esther
    The Book of Esther is a book in the Ketuvim , the third section of the Jewish Tanakh and is part of the Christian Old Testament. The Book of Esther or the Megillah is the basis for the Jewish celebration of Purim...

  • מגן אברהם, מג"א (Magen Avraham) - Rabbi Avraham Abele Gombiner, Polish Talmudist and commentator on the Shulchan Aruch
    Shulchan Aruch
    The Shulchan Aruch also known as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most authoritative legal code of Judaism. It was authored in Safed, Israel, by Yosef Karo in 1563 and published in Venice two years later...

  • מיין דכורין, מ"ד (mad/mayin dechurin) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    , Aramaic) "masculine" waters, i.e. Heavenly action
  • מגן דוד אדום, מד"א (Mada, Magen David Adom
    Magen David Adom
    The Magen David Adom is Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means "Red Star of David"...

    ) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) the Israeli Emergency Service, lit. Red Shield of David
  • מדרש רבה, מד"ר (Midrash Rabah) - "Great Midrash
    Midrash
    The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....

    "
  • 'מדריגה/מדריגת, מדרי (madreigah/madreigat) - step, level (of)
  • מ"ה (Mah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) a spelling-out of the Tetragrammaton
    Tetragrammaton
    The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...

     numerically equal to 45, the gematria
    Gematria
    Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...

     of מ"ה. (Usually appears as שם מ"ה)
  • מהדורא קמא, מהדו"ק (mahadura kama) - (Aramaic) "first edition," editio princeps
    Editio princeps
    In classical scholarship, editio princeps is a term of art. It means, roughly, the first printed edition of a work that previously had existed only in manuscripts, which could be circulated only after being copied by hand....

  • מהות ענין, מהו"ע (mahut inyan) - what the idea is
  • מורינו הרב ליואי/ליוא/ליווא, מהר"ל (Maharal) - "Our Teacher, Rabbi Loew," the Maharal of Prague. A great commentator on the Torah, Talmudic scholar and Kabbalist
  • מורינו הרב שמואל, מהר"ש (Maharash, Moreinu HaRav Rabi Shmu'el) - "Our Teacher, the Rabbi, Rebbe Shmuel [Schneersohn]," fourth rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

     of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

  • מורינו ורבינו הרב, מו"ר (moreinu verabeinu harav) - our teacher and master the rabbi (prepended immediately before a name)
  • מורינו ורבינו הרב רבי יוסף יצחק, מוהריי"צ (Moharayatz) - "Our Teacher and Master, the Rabbi, Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak [Schneersohn]," the Rebbe Rayatz, sixth rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

     of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

     See also ריי"ץ
  • מורינו ורבינו הרב רבי, מוהר"ר (Moharar) - "Our Teacher and Rebbe, the Rabbi, Rebbe" (for Chassidic rebbes, prepended to the name)
  • מוצאי שבת, מוצ"ש (Motzei Shabbat
    Motzei Shabbat
    The term Motzei Shabbat in Judaism refers to the time in the evening immediately following Shabbat, that is Saturday night. It is a time when, following one's declaration of the intention to end Shabbat, it is permissible to resume weekday activities that are prohibited on Shabbat...

    ) - after Shabbat
    Shabbat
    Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...

    , lit. the exit of Shabbat
  • מכל שכן, מכ"ש (mikol shekein) - all the more so
  • 'מלכות, מל - (malchut) - kingdom, dominion. (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the last of the ten sefirot, which receives from all the other sefirot and expresses them
  • מאיר לייבוש בן יחיאל מיכל, מלבי"ם (Malbim
    Malbim
    Meïr Leibush ben Jehiel Michel Weiser , better known by the acronym Malbim , was a rabbi, Hebrew grammar master, and Bible commentator....

    ) - "[Rabbi] Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel [Weiser]," Russian commentator on the Torah
  • מלמטה למעלה, מלמטלמ"ע (milematah lema'alah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) from Below to Above
  • מלמעלה למטה, מלמעלמ"ט (milema'alah lematah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) from Above to Below
  • מצו(ו)ת לא תעשה, מל"ת (mitzvot/mitzvat lo ta'aseh) - negative commandment(s), i.e. prohibition(s), lit. commandment(s) not to do
  • מכל מקום, מ"מ (mikol makom) - in any case, lit. from any place
  • מלך מלכי המלכים, ממה"מ (Melech Malchei HaMelachim) - "The King Who Reigns Over Kings"
  • ממלא כל עלמין, ממכ"ע (memaleh kol almin) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    , Aramaic) immanent in creation, lit. filling all worlds
    Four Worlds
    The Four Worlds , sometimes counted with a prior stage to make Five Worlds, are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence....

    . See also סוכ"ע
  • מיין נוקבין, מ"ן (man/mayin nukvin) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    , Aramaic) "feminine" waters, i.e. human action
  • מנחת חינוך, מנ"ח (Minchat Chinuch
    Minchat Chinuch
    Minchat Chinuch is a legal commentary on the Sefer ha-Chinuch. It was written by Yosef Babad , Av Beit Din of Ternopil...

    ) - a commentary on Sefer HaChinuch written by Rabeinu Yosef Babad
    Yosef Babad
    Yosef Ben Moshe Babad was a Rabbi, posek and Talmudist, best known for his work, the Minchat Chinuch, a commentary on the Sefer Hachinuch. He studied under Chaim Halberstam, the Sanzer Rov, and enjoyed close relationships with the various Hasidic leaders of Galicia...

  • מצו(ו)ת עשה, מ"ע (mitzvot/mitzvat asei) - positive commandment, lit. commandment [to] do. See also רמ"ח
  • מורינו הרב שמואל קאידנוור, מרש"ק (Marshak
    Marshak
    Marshak, Marschak, Marczak is a Jewish surname, which is an acronym from the Hebrew expression Morenu Rabbi Shmuel Kaidanover - "our teacher Rabbi Samuel Kaidanover", after Aharon Shmuel ben Israel Kaidanover, a talmudic scholar and preacher from eastern Europe .* Boris Marshak, Russian...

    , Moreinu HaRav Shmuel Kaidanover) – "our teacher Rabbi Samuel Kaidanover," Aharon Shmuel ben Israel Kaidanover
  • מה שכתוב, מ"ש (mah shekatuv) - that which was written
  • מה שאין כן, משא"כ (mashe'ak, mah she'ein kein) - which is not so
  • משום זה, משו"ז (mishum zeh) - because of this
  • משנה ברורה, משנ"ב (Mishnah Berurah
    Mishnah Berurah
    The Mishnah Berurah is a work of halakha by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan , also colloquially known by the name of another of his books, Chofetz Chaim "Desirer of Life."...

    ) - "Clarified Mishnah," a condensed work of Halacha for the layman written by the Chafetz Chaim
    Yisrael Meir Kagan
    Yisrael Meir Poupko , known popularly as The Chofetz Chaim, was an influential Eastern European rabbi, Halakhist, posek, and ethicist whose works continue to be widely influential in Jewish life...

  • מה שנתבאר לעיל, משנת"ל (mah shenetal, mah shenitba'er le'eil) - that which was explained above. See also נת"ל
  • מתן תורה, מ"ת (matan Torah) - the giving of the Torah
    Torah
    Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...

     [at Mount Sinai
    Mount Sinai
    Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...

    ]

נ

  • נוסח אחר, נ"א (nusach
    Nusach
    Nusach is a concept in Judaism that has two distinct meanings. One is the style of a prayer service ; another is the melody of the service depending on when the service is being conducted.-Meaning of term:Nusach primarily means "text" or "version", in...

     acher) - another version
  • נשמתו בגנזי מרומים, נבג"מ (Nishmato BeGinzei Meromim) - "his soul is in the treasuries of Heaven" (appended to the name)
  • נברא העולם, נבה"ע (nivra ha'olam) - the world was created
  • נפש האלוקית, נה"א (nefesh ha'elokit
    Nefesh ha'elokit
    In Kabbalah the nefesh ha'elokit is the Divine soul. It functions as the yetzer tov, the good inclination, and is the source of G‑dly desires....

    ) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the Divine soul
  • נפש הבהמית, נה"ב (nefesh habehamit
    Nefesh habehamit
    In Kabbalah the nefesh habehamit is the part of the soul that gives life to the physical body, and is the source of animalistic desires within a person...

    ) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) animal soul
  • נצח הוד יסוד, נה"י (nahi, netzach, hod, yesod) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the three outer emotional sefirot of victory, glory and bonding-foundation
  • 'נוקבא, נוק (nukva) - (Aramaic) female, feminine
  • נביאים וכתובים, נ"ח (Nach) - the parts of the Tanach aside from the Pentateuch, lit. "Prophets and Writings." See also תנ"ח
  • נרות חנוכה, נ"ח (neirot Chanukah) - the lights of Chanukah
  • נטילת ידים, נט"י (netilat yadayim) - ritual washing of the hands, lit. taking the hands
  • נר ישראל, נ"י (neir Yisra'el) - the light of Israel, i.e. a leader and sage (prepended to a name)
  • נזכר לעיל, נ"ל (nal, nizkar la'eil) - mentioned above
  • נשמתו עדן, נ"ע (Nishmato Eiden) - "his soul is [in] Eden" (appended to a name)
  • 'נקבה, נק (nekeiva)- female, feminine
  • 'נקרא, נק (nikra) - it/he is called
  • נפש רוח נשמה, נר"ן (naran, nefesh, ruach, neshamah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the three lower aspects of the soul that are aware of their own existence. See also נרנח"י
  • נפש רוח נשמה חיה יחידה, נרנח"י (naranchi, nefesh, ruach, neshamah, chayah, yechidah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) all five levels of the soul, from the coarsest to the most transcendent. See also נר"ן and ח"י
  • נמל התעופה בן גוריון, נתב"ג‎ (Natbag, Namal HaTe'ufa Ben Gurion) – (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) Ben Gurion International Airport
  • נתבאר לעיל, נת"ל (netal/nitba'er la'eil) - that which was explained above

ס

  • [x]"ס ,[x] סמן (siman [x]) - chapter/section [x]
  • ספרים אחרים, ס"א (sefarim acheirim) - other books
  • ספירת העומר, ס"ה (Sefirat HaOmer) - the counting of the Omer, between Pesach and Shavuot
    Shavuot
    The festival of is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan ....

  • ספר המאמרים, סה"מ (Seifer HaMa'amarim) - (Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

    ) "Book of Discourses," usually with a year specified
  • ספר המנהגים, סהמ"ן (Seifer HaMinhagim) - "Book of Minhagim," a book describing the customs of a particular Jewish community
  • ס"ו (Samech Vov) - '66, referring to the series of discourses beginning with "Yom Tov Shel Rosh HaShanah" delivered over a period of three years starting in 5666 (ה'תשסו) by the Rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

     Rashab of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

    . See also המשך ס"ו
  • סובב כל עלמין, סוכ"ע (sovev kol almin) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    , Aramaic) transcending all creation, lit. surrounding all the worlds
    Four Worlds
    The Four Worlds , sometimes counted with a prior stage to make Five Worlds, are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence....

    . See also ממכ"ע
  • סוף סוף, סו"ס (sof sof) - ultimately, lit. end of end
  • סטרא אחרא, סט"א (sitra achra) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    , Aramaic) the side of unholiness and the Kelipot, lit. the other side
  • ספר יצירה, ס"י (Seifer Yetzirah) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) an early, foundational Kabbalistic work, lit. Book of Formation
  • סכין כף ומזלג, סכו"ם (sekum, sakin, kaf umazleg) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) knife, spoon and fork
  • ספר מצוות גדול, סמ"ג (Semag) - "The Great Book of Commandments," a codification of the 613 biblical commandments
  • סוף פרק, ס"פ (sof perek) - end of chapter
  • [x]"ספ ,[x] סוף פרק (sof perek [x]) - the end of chapter [x]
  • 'ספירות, ספי (sefirot) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the sefirot
  • ספר של בינונים, סש"ב (Sefer shel Beinonim
    Tanya
    The Tanya is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797. Its formal title is Likkutei Amarim , but is more commonly known by its opening word, Tanya, which means "it was taught in a beraita"...

    ) - another name for the Tanya
    Tanya
    The Tanya is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797. Its formal title is Likkutei Amarim , but is more commonly known by its opening word, Tanya, which means "it was taught in a beraita"...

    , also known as Likutei Amarim, lit. "The Book of the Intermediates"
  • ספר תורה, ס"ת (Seifer Torah) - a Torah
    Torah
    Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...

     scroll, containing the Pentateuch

ע

  • 'עמוד, ע (amud) - side, page, lit. column. See also 'עמ
  • על גבי, ע"ג (al gabei) - on the back of, on top of
  • על דרך משל, עד"מ (al derech mashal) - by way of analogy
  • עליו/עליה השלום, ע"ה (Alav/Aleha HaShalom) - "peace be upon him/her" (appended to a name)
  • עמוד הימני, ע"ה (amud ha'yimani) - the pillar of the right [side] (prepended to a name)
  • עמוד השחר, ע"ה (amud hashachar) - the break of dawn, when the sky begins to lighten, lit. the beam of morning
  • עץ הדעת, עה"ד (eitz hada'at) - the Tree of Knowledge
    Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
    In the Book of Genesis, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or the tree of knowledge was a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. . God directly forbade Adam to eat the fruit of this tree...

  • עבודת הקודש, עה"ק (Avodat HaKodesh) - "The Holy Service," a Kabbalistic work by Rabbi Meir ben Ezekiel ibn Gabbai
    Meir ben Ezekiel ibn Gabbai
    Meir ben Ezekiel ibn Gabbai was a Kabbalist born in Spain toward the end of 1480, and living probably in the East....

  • עולם הבא, עוה"ב (olam haba) - the World to Come. Compare עוה"ז
  • עולם הזה, עוה"ז (olam hazeh) - This World. Compare עוה"ב
  • עובדי עבודה זרה, עוע"ז (ovdei avodah zarah) - those who serve alien worship, i.e. idolaters
  • עבודה זרה, ע"ז (avodah zarah) - alien worship, i.e. idolatry
  • על זה, ע"ז (al zeh) - on this, regarding this, above this
  • עץ חיים, ע"ח (Eitz Chaim) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) "Tree of Life," an eight-volume work of Kabbalah by the *על ידו/ידיו/ידיהם/ידיכם, ע"י - because of him/them/you, lit. by his/their/your hand/hands
  • על ידי, ע"י (al yedei) - because of, through agency of, lit. by the hand of
  • עיר הקודש, עיה"ק (Ir HaKodesh) - Jerusalem, lit. the Holy City
  • על ידי זה, עי"ז (al yedei zeh) - through this, lit. by the hand of this. See also ע"י
  • עיין ענין, עיי"ע (ayein inyan) - see the topic [of]
  • עיין שם, עיי"ש (ayein sham) - see there, lit. eye/investigate there
  • עד כאן, ע"כ (ad kan) - until this point, lit. until here
  • על כך, ע"כ (al kach) - thus, lit. [based] on this
  • על כן, ע"כ (al kein) - therefore
  • על כרחך, ע"כ (al karchach) - we are forced [to conclude], perforce, lit. on your compulsion
  • עובדי כוכבים (ומזלות), עכו"ם (akum) - idolaters, lit. those who serve the stars (and constellations)
  • עם כל זה, עכ"ז (im kol zeh) - despite all this, lit. with all this
  • עד כאן לשונו, עכ"ל (akel, ad kan leshono) - end quote, lit. until here his words
  • על כל פנים, עכ"פ (al kol panim) - in any case, lit. on all sides

Arizal
  • 'עליה, עלי (aliyah) - ascent
  • 'עמוד, עמ (amud) - side, page, lit. column. See also 'ע
  • עיין מה שכתוב, עמ"ש (ayein mah shekatuv) - see what is written
  • על נטילת ידים, ענט"י (al netilat yadayim) - "concerning the washing of the hands," indicating the blessing recited on netilat yadayim, lit. on taking the hands
  • עשר ספירות, ע"ס (eser sefirot) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) the ten sefirot
  • על פי, ע"פ (al pi) - according to, lit. by the mouth of
  • על פסוק, ע"פ (al pasuk) - regarding the verse
  • על פי זה, עפ"ז (afi, al pi zeh) - according to this, lit. by the mouth of this
  • על פי מה שבתוב, עפמש"כ (al pi mah shekatuv) - according to what is written, lit. by the mouth of that which is written
  • 'עצמיות, עצמי (atzmiyut) - essence
  • 'עצמיים/עצמית, עצמי (atzmiyim/atzmit) - essential
  • עשרת ימי תשובה, עשי"ת (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah) - the Ten Days of Teshuvah
    Ten Days of Repentance
    The Ten Days of Repentance are the first ten days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, usually sometime in the month of September, beginning with the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah and ending with the conclusion of Yom Kippur.-Introduction:...

  • ערב שבת קודש, עש"ק (Erev Shabat Kodesh) - the Eve of the Holy Shabbat, i.e. Friday

פ

  • 'פסוק, פ (pasuk) - the verse [in Scripture]
  • 'פרשת, פ (parshat) - the [Torah] portion of
  • [x] 'פ ,[x] פרק (perek [x]) - chapter [x]. But, see פ"ק
  • פעם אחת, פ"א (pa'am achat) - once
  • פטיש החזק, פ"ה (patish hachazak) - the strong hammer (prepended to a name, styl. cit. Berachot 28b)
  • 'פירוש, פי (pirush) - which means, lit. explanation
  • פירוש המשנה, פיה"מ (pirush hamishna) - the elucidation of the Mishnaic passage
  • פרשת פרה, פ"פ (Parshat Parah) - the weekly Torah portion of the Red Heifer
    Red heifer
    The red heifer or red cow was a sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible the ashes of which are used for the ritual purification of an ancient Israelite who had come into contact with a corpse.- Hebrew Bible :...

  • פרק קמא, פ"ק (perek kama) - (Aramaic) the first chapter. See also [x] 'פ
  • פרקי דאליעזר, פרד"א (Pirkei DeEliezer) - "Sayings of [Rabbi] Eliezer," a book of Aggada and Midrash
    Midrash
    The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....

     by Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus. See also פרדר"א
  • פרקי דרבי אליעזר, פרדר"א (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer) - "Sayings of Rabbi Eliezer," a book of Aggada and Midrash
    Midrash
    The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....

     by Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus. See also פרד"א
  • פרי מגדים, פרמ"ג (Pri Megadim) - Rabbi Joseph ben Mein Teomim, a Galician commentator on Orach Chaim by the same name
  • פירוש רש"י, פרש"י (pirush Rashi) - Rashi
    Rashi
    Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...

     explains, Rashi's explanation. See also רש"י

צ

  • צבא ההגנה לישראל, צה"ל (Tzahal, Tzavah HaHagana LeYisrael) – (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) Israel Defense Forces
  • צריך להבין, צ"ל (tzarich lehavin) - needs to be understood
  • צריך להיות, צ"ל (tzarich lihiyot) - it should/must be (can be used to indicate a textual correction)
  • צריך עיון, צ"ע (tzarich iyun) - [this] requires investigation. See also צע"ק
  • צריך עיון קצת, צע"ק (tzarich iyun ketzat) - [this] requires a little investigation. See also צ"ע
  • צמח צדק, צ"צ (Tzemach Tzedek) - Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, the third rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

     of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...


ק

  • 'קרי, ק (keri) - pronounced, read (often regarding a keri uchetiv). See also 'כ
  • קרני הוד תורה, קה"ת (Kehot, Karnei Hod Torah) - Glorious Pillars of Torah, the publications branch of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

  • קל וחומר, ק"ו (kal vachomer) - all the more so, at least as much so, lit. light and weighty. See also כ"ש
  • קודשא בריך הוא, קוב"ה (Kudsha Brich Hu) - (Aramaic) the Blessed Holy One
  • קהילה וחזן, קו"ח (kehilah vechazan) - [both] the congregation and the prayer-leader (e.g. a prayerbook instruction)
  • קימלא לן, קי"ל (kaimla lan) - (Aramaic) we have established, lit. established for us
  • קהילה קדישא, ק"ק (kehilah kadisha) - the holy congregation, i.e. a synagogue
  • קריאת שמע, ק"ש (keriat shema) - reading of the Shema
  • קיצור שולחן ערוך, קשו"ע (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
    Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
    Kitzur Shulchan Aruch may refer to:#The famous work of that name by Shlomo Ganzfried#A similar Sephardi work entitled "Kitzur Shulchan Aruch" by Rabbi Raphael Baruch Toledano....

    ) - the Condensed Shulchan Aruch, a highly compressed work of Halachah written by R. Shlomo Ganzfried
    Shlomo Ganzfried
    Shlomo Ganzfried was an Orthodox rabbi and posek best known as author of the work of Halakha , the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch , by which title he is also known.- Biography :Ganzfried was born in the year 1804 in Uzhhorod in the Carpathian region of the...

     for the layman. See שו"ע

ר

  • 'רבי/רב/רבן, ר (Rabi/Rav/Raban) - Rabbi
    Rabbi
    In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...

     (prepended to the name)
  • רבינו אברהם בן דוד, ראב"ד (Ra'avad, Rabeinu Avraham ben David) - early Provençal Kabbalist, Halachist and Talmudist
  • רבי אהרון הלוי, רא"ה (Ra'ah, Rabi Aharon HaLevi) - Rabbi Aharon ben Joseph HaLevi of Gerona, a Spanish Talmudist
  • 'ראיה, ראי (raya) - proof
  • ראש השנה, ראה"ש (Rosh HaShanah
    Rosh Hashanah
    Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...

    ) - the beginning of the year
  • רבי אליהו מזרחי, רא"ם (Re'em, Rabi Eliyahu Mizrachi) - Turkish Talmudist and Halachist, known for Sefer HaMizrachi, a supercommentary on Rashi
    Rashi
    Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...

    's commentary on the Torah
  • רבינו אשר, רא"ש (Rosh
    Asher ben Jehiel
    Asher ben Jehiel- Ashkenazi was an eminent rabbi and Talmudist best known for his abstract of Talmudic law. He is often referred to as Rabbenu Asher, “our Rabbi Asher” or by the Hebrew acronym for this title, the ROSH...

    ) - "Our Teacher, Asher," Rabbi Asher ben Yechiel, a very influential Talmudist among the Rishonim
    Rishonim
    "Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...

  • ראשון לציון, ראשל"צ (Rishon LeTziyon) - fourth-largest city in Israel
    Israel
    The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

    , south of Tel-Aviv, lit. First to Zion
  • רבינו הקדוש, רבה"ק (Rabeinu HaKadosh) - "Our Holy Teacher," Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, compiler of the Mishna
  • רבונו של עולם, רבש"ע (Ribono Shel Olam) - "Master of the World"
  • רבי דוד קמחי, רד"ק (Radak, Rabi David Kimchi) - biblical commentator and grammarian, defender of Rambam, known for his commentary on the Prophets
  • ראש השנה, ר"ה (Rosh HaShanah) - 1) the holiday of Rosh HaShanah
    Rosh Hashanah
    Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...

    , lit. head of the year; 2) tractate Rosh Hashanah
    Rosh Hashanah (Talmud)
    Rosh Hashanah is the name of a text of Jewish law originating in the Mishnah which formed the basis of tractates in both the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud of the same name. It is the eighth tractate of the order Moed...

    , a tractate of the Talmud
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

  • ראש השנה, רה"ש (Rosh HaShanah
    Rosh Hashanah
    Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...

    ) - the beginning of the year
  • רצוא ושוב, רו"ש (ratzo veshov) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) "running and returning," the states of [wanting to] be on high then being within. See also רצו"ש
  • רבותינו זכרונם לברכה, רז"ל (Razal) - "Our Rabbis, of blessed memory," referring to Jewish sages of previous generations. See also חז"ל
  • ראש חודש, ר"ח (Rosh Chodesh
    Rosh Chodesh
    Rosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon. The new moon is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent is observed...

    ) - the beginning of the month
  • רב חיים ויטאל, רח"ו (Rav Chaim Vital) - kabbalist and student of the Arizal
  • רבי ישראל בעל שם, ריב"ש (Rivash) - Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem, a.k.a. the Baal Shem Tov. See also בעש"ט
  • רב יצחק בן ששת, ריב"ש (Rivash) - Rabbi Yitzchak ben Sheshet
    Isaac ben Sheshet
    Isaac ben Sheshet Perfet was a Spanish Talmudic authority, also known by his acronym, Rivash . He was born at Valencia and settled early in life at Barcelona, where he studied under Perez ha-Kohen, under Hasdai ben Judah, and especially under R...

    , Spanish talmudic authority
  • רבינו ירוחם, רי"ו (Rabeinu Yerucham) - a French Talmudist, student of Rabbi Asher ben Yechiel
  • רבי יום טוב בן אברהם, ריטב"א (Ritva, Rabi Yom Tov ben Avraham) - Rabbi Yom Tov Asevilli, a Spanish Talmudic commentator and student of the Rashba and Ra'ah
  • רבי יוסף יצחק, ריי"ץ (Rayatz) - "Rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

     Yosef Yitzchok [Schneersohn]," sixth Rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

     of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

  • רבי יצחק אל פסי, רי"ף (Rif
    Isaac Alfasi
    for other Al-Fasi's see Al-Fasi disambiguationIsaac ben Jacob Alfasi ha-Cohen - also known as the Alfasi or by his Hebrew acronym Rif , was a Talmudist and posek...

    , Rabi Yitzchak al-Fasi) - Rabbi Isaac Alfasi, author Seifer HaHalachot
  • רחמנא לצלן, ר"ל (Rachamana litzlan) - (Aramaic) Heaven forbid, lit. may the Merciful One spare us
  • ריש לקיש, ר"ל (Reish Lakish) - an Amora
    Amora
    Amoraim , were renowned Jewish scholars who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral law, from about 200 to 500 CE in Babylonia and the Land of Israel. Their legal discussions and debates were eventually codified in the Gemara...

     of the Talmud
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

  • רצה לומר, ר"ל (ratzah lomar) - meaning to say, lit. desired to say
  • רעיא מהימנא, ר"מ (Ra'aya Mehemna) - (Aramaic) a commentary on the Zohar
    Zohar
    The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...

    , lit. The Faithful Shepherd
  • רבי משה איסרליש, רמ"א (Rema/Rama, Rabi Moshe Isserles) - a Talmudist and Halachic decisor known for his commentaries and glosses on the Tur
    Arba'ah Turim
    Arba'ah Turim , often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher...

     Shulchan Aruch
    Shulchan Aruch
    The Shulchan Aruch also known as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most authoritative legal code of Judaism. It was authored in Safed, Israel, by Yosef Karo in 1563 and published in Venice two years later...

  • רבי משה בן מימון, רמב"ם (Rambam) - "Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon," also known as Maimonides. Compiler of the Sefer HaMitzvot
    Sefer Hamitzvot
    Sefer Hamitzvot is a work by the 12th century rabbi, philosopher and physician Maimonides. While there are various other works titled similarly, the title "Sefer Hamitzvot" without a modifier refers to Maimonides' work...

     and the Mishneh Torah
    Mishneh Torah
    The Mishneh Torah subtitled Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka is a code of Jewish religious law authored by Maimonides , one of history's foremost rabbis...

  • רבי משה בן נחמן, רמב"ן (Ramban
    Nahmanides
    Nahmanides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Naḥman Girondi, Bonastruc ça Porta and by his acronym Ramban, , was a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.-Name:"Nahmanides" is a Greek-influenced formation meaning "son of Naḥman"...

    ) - "Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman," also known as Nahmanides
    Nahmanides
    Nahmanides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Naḥman Girondi, Bonastruc ça Porta and by his acronym Ramban, , was a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.-Name:"Nahmanides" is a Greek-influenced formation meaning "son of Naḥman"...

    . Kabbalist and commentator on the Torah
  • רבי מאיר הלבי, רמ"ה (Ramah
    Meir Abulafia
    Meir ben Todros HaLevi Abulafia , also known as the Ramah , was a major Sephardic Talmudist and Halachic authority in medieval Spain...

    , Rabi Meir HaLevi) - "Rabbi Meir the Levite," also known as Meir Abulafia Talmudist and Kabbalist, known for his leadership of the Jewish community in Spain, and his argument with the Rambam
  • רמ"ח (remach) - 248, indicating either the 248 positive mitzvot or the 248 organs of the human body. See also תרי"ג and שס"ה
  • רבינו נסים, ר"ן (Ran
    Nissim of Gerona
    Nissim ben Reuven of Girona, Catalonia was an influential talmudist and authority on Jewish law. He was one of the last of the great Spanish medieval talmudic scholars. He is also known as the RaN .-Biography:The Ran was born in Barcelona, Catalonia...

    ) - "Our Teacher, Nissim," a very influential Talmudist among the Rishonim
    Rishonim
    "Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...

  • רפ"ח (rapach) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) 288, indicating the 288 sparks resulting from the Shattering of the Vessels of the world of Tohu
  • רצוא ושוב, רצו"ש (ratzo veshov) - (Kabbalah
    Kabbalah
    Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

    ) "running and returning," the states of [wanting to] be on high then being within. See also רו"ש
  • רחמים רבים, ר"ר (rachamim rabim) - abundant mercies
  • רבי שמעון, ר"ש (Rabi Shimon) - (Talmud
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

    ) Rabbi Shimon
  • רבינו שמואל [דו]בער, רש"ב (Rashab, Rabeinu Shalom [Dov-]Ber) - "Our Teacher, Shalom Dov-Ber," the fifth rebbe
    Rebbe
    Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...

     of Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch
    Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...

  • רבי שמואל בן מאיר, רשב"ם Rashbam
    Rashbam
    Samuel ben Meir after his death known as "Rashbam", a Hebrew acronym for: RAbbi SHmuel Ben Meir, was a leading French Tosafist and grandson of Shlomo Yitzhaki, "Rashi."-Biography:...

    ) - "Rabbi Shmu'el ben Meir." Talmudist and commentator on the Tanach
  • רבי שלמה יצחקי, רש"י (Rashi
    Rashi
    Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...

    ) - "Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki," commentator on the Torah
    Torah
    Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...

     par excellence, among the Rishonim
    Rishonim
    "Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...

  • רבינו תם, ר"ת (Rabeinu Tam
    Rabbeinu Tam
    Rabbeinu Tam , born Jacob ben Meir, was one of the most renowned French Tosafists and a foremost halachic authority of his generation...

    ) - "Our Teacher, Tam," lit. Our Pure Teacher. Famous French halachist among the Rishonim
    Rishonim
    "Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...

    , known for his legal debates with his grandfather Rashi
    Rashi
    Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...

    . (Often appears as תפילין דר"ת)

ש

  • שאם כן, שא"כ (she'im kein) - because if this were so
  • שרות ביתחון קללי, שב"כ (Shabak, Sherut Bitachon Klali) – (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) Shin Bet, the Israel Security Agency, Israel's internal security service
  • שולחן ערוך, שו"ע (Shulchan Aruch
    Shulchan Aruch
    The Shulchan Aruch also known as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most authoritative legal code of Judaism. It was authored in Safed, Israel, by Yosef Karo in 1563 and published in Venice two years later...

    ) - the Code of Jewish Law, lit. The Set Table
  • שאלות ותשובות, שו"ת (shut, sha'alot uteshuvot) - responsa, lit. questions and replies
  • שני לוחות הברית, של"ה (Shelah
    Isaiah Horowitz
    Isaiah Horowitz, , also known as the Shelah ha-Kadosh after the title of his best-known work, was a prominent Levite rabbi and mystic.-Biography:...

    , Shnei Luchot HaBrit) - 1) Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz, a Kabbalist who main work as entitled Shnei Luchot HaBrit; 2) a compilation of ethics, mysticism, customs and laws by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
    Isaiah Horowitz
    Isaiah Horowitz, , also known as the Shelah ha-Kadosh after the title of his best-known work, was a prominent Levite rabbi and mystic.-Biography:...

    , lit. Two Tablets of the Covenant
  • שיזכה לימים טובים וארוכים, שליט"א (Shlita) - "may he merit good and long life" (appended to a name)
  • שמחת תורה, שמח"ת (Simchat Torah
    Simchat Torah
    Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle...

    ) - the celebration of [the giving of] the Torah
    Torah
    Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...

  • שמיני עצרת, שמע"צ (Shemini Atzeret
    Shemini Atzeret
    Shemini Atzeret is a Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. In the Diaspora, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah...

    ) - Shemini Atzeret
  • 'שנאמר, שנא (shene'emar) - as it says
  • שישה סדרים, ש"ס (Shas
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

    )- the Talmud, lit. "The Six Orders [of the Mishna]" with the accompanying Gemara
    Gemara
    The Gemara is the component of the Talmud comprising rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah. After the Mishnah was published by Rabbi Judah the Prince The Gemara (also transliterated Gemora or, less commonly, Gemorra; from Aramaic גמרא gamar; literally, "[to] study" or "learning by...

  • שס"ה (shesah) - 365, indicating either the 365 negative mitzvot, the 365 veins and sinews of the human body, or the 365 days of the solar year
    Year
    A year is the orbital period of the Earth moving around the Sun. For an observer on Earth, this corresponds to the period it takes the Sun to complete one course throughout the zodiac along the ecliptic....

    . See also תרי"ג and רמ"ח
  • שמנה עשרה, ש"ע (Shemoneh Esrei) - the amidah, or standing prayer, lit. [the order of] 18 [blessings]
  • שליח ציבור, ש"ץ (shatz/shali'ach tzibur) - prayer leader, lit. emissary of the community
  • שבת קודש, ש"ק (Shabat Kodesh) - the Holy Shabbat
    Shabbat
    Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...


ת

  • תוספות דבר המתחיל, תוד"ה (tosafot davar hamatchil) - Tosafot
    Tosafot
    The Tosafot or Tosafos are medieval commentaries on the Talmud. They take the form of critical and explanatory glosses, printed, in almost all Talmud editions, on the outer margin and opposite Rashi's notes...

    ['s commentary on the Talmud
    Talmud
    The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

    ,] the statement beginning with
  • תורת חיים, תו"ח (Torat Chaim) - "Teachings of Life," a book of discourses by the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch
  • תורת כהנים, תו"כ (Torat Kohanim) - an alternate name for Leviticus
    Leviticus
    The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....

    , lit. the Teaching of Kohanim.
  • תורה ומצוות, תומ"צ (Torah umitzvot) - Torah
    Torah
    Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...

     and mitzvot
  • 'תוספות, תוס (Tosafot
    Tosafot
    The Tosafot or Tosafos are medieval commentaries on the Talmud. They take the form of critical and explanatory glosses, printed, in almost all Talmud editions, on the outer margin and opposite Rashi's notes...

    ) - Tosafot, lit. additional things. The sages who wrote an elucidation of the Talmud by the same name
  • תורה שבכתב, תושב"כ (Torah SheBichtav) - the Written Torah. See also תושבע"פ and תנ"ח
  • תורה שבעל פה, תושבע"פ (Torah SheBe'al Peh) the Oral Torah
    Oral Torah
    The Oral Torah comprises the legal and interpretative traditions that, according to tradition, were transmitted orally from Mount Sinai, and were not written in the Torah...

    . See also תושב"כ
  • תם ונשלם שבח לאל בורא עולם, תושלב"ע (tushlaba
    Tushlaba
    Tushlaba is the Hebrew acronym for תם ונשלם שבח לאל בורא עולם meaning "Finished and Complete, Praise be to God, Creator of the Universe."...

    ) - finished and complete with the help of G‑d, Creator of the World (appears at the end of a large work)
  • תחיית המתים, תחה"מ (techiyat hameitim) - the Resurrection of the Dead
  • 'תלויה, תלוי (teluyah) - dependent, lit. hanging
  • תורה נביאים וכתובים, תנ"ח (Tanach) - the Bible, lit. "Torah [five books of Moses], Prophets and Writings." See also נ"ח and תושב"כ
  • 'תענית, תענ (Ta'anit
    Ta'anit
    A ta'anit or taanis or taʿanith in Classical Hebrew is a fast in Judaism in which one abstains from all food and drink, including water...

    ) - fast
  • תפוח זהב, תפו"ז (tapuz, tapu'ach zahav) - (Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew
    Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....

    ) orange, lit. golden apple
  • תנא קמא, ת"ק (Tanna kama) - (Aramaic) the first Tanna
    Tannaim
    The Tannaim were the Rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, from approximately 70-200 CE. The period of the Tannaim, also referred to as the Mishnaic period, lasted about 130 years...

     [mentioned]
  • תרי"ג (taryag) - 613, usu. indicating the 613 mitzvot. Also used to indicate the 613 corresponding organs and veins of the human body. See also רמ"ח and שס"ה
  • תקיעה תרועה תקיעה, תר"ת (tarat, tekiah teruah, tekiah) - a series of shofar
    Shofar
    A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...

     blasts
  • תקיעה שברים-תרועה תקיעה, תשר"ת (tashrat, tekiah, shevarim-teruah, tekiah) - a series of shofar
    Shofar
    A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...

     blasts
  • תקיעה שברים תקיעה, תש"ת (tashat, tekiah, shevarim, tekiah) - a series of shofar
    Shofar
    A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...

     blasts
  • תפילה של יד, תש"י (tefilah shel yad) - the arm tefillin
    Tefillin
    Tefillin also called phylacteries are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. Although "tefillin" is technically the plural form , it is loosely used as a singular as...

  • תפילה של ראש, תש"ר (tefilah shel rosh) - the head tefilin
  • תלמוד תורה, ת"ת (talmud Torah) - learning Torah, Torah learning

External links and other references

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