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Glossary
Hebrew words and key terms from the trail, explained in plain English. In lessons, tap any underlined word to see its meaning.
- Amidah עֲמִידָה
- The central Jewish prayer, said standing, three times a day. One of its blessings asks God to restore the kingdom of David.
- Apologetics
- From the Greek apologia, “a reasoned defense.” Explaining and defending beliefs with evidence and careful reasoning.
- Covenant בְּרִית (brit)
- A binding agreement between God and people, such as the covenants with Noah, Abraham, and Israel at Sinai.
- Echad אֶחָד
- Hebrew for “one.” The last word of the Shema: “the LORD is One.”
- Gehinnom גֵּיהִנֹּם
- In Jewish thought, a place where the soul is purified after death, for most people no longer than twelve months.
- Incarnation
- The Christian belief that God the Son became human as Jesus. Judaism teaches that God has no body or form.
- Mashiach מָשִׁיחַ
- “Anointed one.” In Judaism, a future human king from David's family who will bring peace, rebuild the Temple, and gather the exiles.
- Mezuzah מְזוּזָה
- A small case on a Jewish doorpost holding a handwritten scroll of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21).
- Mishnah מִשְׁנָה
- The first written collection of the Oral Torah, compiled around 200 CE.
- Mitzvah מִצְוָה
- A commandment (plural: mitzvot). Jewish tradition counts 613 mitzvot in the Torah.
- Noahide laws
- Seven universal laws for all humanity from God's covenant with Noah: no idolatry, blasphemy, murder, theft, sexual immorality, or cruelty to animals, plus setting up courts of justice.
- Olam Haba עוֹלָם הַבָּא
- “The World to Come.” The future reward of the righteous, open to good people of every nation.
- Oral Torah
- The explanations and traditions passed down alongside the written Torah, later recorded in the Mishnah and Talmud.
- Original sin
- The Christian teaching that all people inherit a sinful nature from Adam. Judaism teaches each person is born pure and free to choose.
- Second coming
- The Christian belief that Jesus will return to complete the messianic work. The Hebrew Bible describes the Messiah coming once.
- Shabbat שַׁבָּת
- The Sabbath: the seventh day, from Friday sundown to Saturday nightfall, a day of rest and holiness.
- Shema שְׁמַע
- “Hear.” The declaration of God's oneness in Deuteronomy 6:4, said by Jews every morning and evening.
- Shofar שׁוֹפָר
- A ram's horn trumpet, sounded on Rosh Hashanah as a call to teshuvah.
- Talmud תַּלְמוּד
- The great collection of rabbinic discussion of the Mishnah. The Babylonian Talmud was completed around 500 CE.
- Tanakh תַּנַ״ךְ
- The Hebrew Bible: Torah (Teaching), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). 24 books, the same text as the Protestant Old Testament.
- Teshuvah תְּשׁוּבָה
- “Return.” Repentance: regretting a wrong, stopping it, confessing and repairing it, and resolving to do better.
- Torah תּוֹרָה
- “Teaching.” The Five Books of Moses and, more broadly, all Jewish learning.
- Trinity
- The Christian belief in one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Judaism teaches that God's oneness is absolute.
- Yetzer hatov יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב
- The good inclination. Its partner, the yetzer hara, is the selfish inclination. Judaism teaches we can choose between them.
- Yom Kippur יוֹם כִּפּוּר
- The Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year, spent in fasting, prayer, and teshuvah. The Book of Jonah is read that afternoon.