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Glossary of Basic Vocabulary
Learning Hebrew may seem daunting. After all, in it, me means "who", who means "he", and he means "she"! It has a different alphabet. It is read from right to left. But it does follow very logical patterns that make each next step easier.It even appears to have been the original human language; the names of everyone prior to the tower of Babel make sense only in Hebrew. So it is thus the "pure language" to which Yahweh promises He will eventually return everyone who wants to call on Him. (Zephaniah 3:9)
In any case, it is the language that most of the authors of Scripture wrote in, and those who wrote in Greek (if indeed that was the original version) still thought in Hebraic terms, as evidenced by the kind of non-Greek idioms they used. So if you want to really be sure you are understanding the Bible properly, Hebrew is the key language to learn. Even the exceptions to the rules can teach us deep spiritual truths.
While there is a name for each number, Hebrew numerals are usually written using letters and combinations of letters. Therefore, each word has a numeric value when all its letter values are added together. This is called Gematria.
("Ch" is pronounced like "kh"; vowels are much like Spanish, and the apostrophe stands for the "schwa", a very short, unstressed vowel.)
Adam: Human being, mankind, humanity
Adon, Adonai: Master (often a substitute for YHWH)
Am: A people (particular ethnicity/group)
Aviv: Springtime (when green ear of barley is visible)
Avodah: Service, worship, spiritual work
Bikkur: Firstborn, firstfruit
Baruch: Blessed (Barchu = bless! plural)
Basar: Flesh, meat, good news
Bat: Daughter (suburb, hill around Jerusalem)
Ben: Son, descendant (plural B'nei=children)
Beit, Beth: House, household, place
Beit ha Miqdash: "House of the Sanctuary"--the Temple
Beit Knesset: House of assembly = synagogue
B'rit: Covenant (cutting)
B'rit Chadashah: New or Renewed Covenant
B'rit Milah: Circumcision
Chai Life, to be alive
Chag (Hag): Holy festival, dancing in a circle
Chayim: Life, Living (pl. as in Mayim Chayim)
Chodesh: The moon (Chadash = make new, renew)
Echad: One (or unified, acting fully in unison)
Elohim, El: Mighty ones, judges, spiritual beings,
(Eloheynu=our El) name of YHWH emphasizing His justice
Emunah: Faith (Aman=steadfast, firm, trustworthy)
Ephraim: Joseph's younger son; Northern Kingdom
Eretz, Aretz: Land (e.g., Eretz Israel); Earth
Even: Building stone; weight to measure value
Goyim: Nations or Gentiles; specially applied to (some) descendants of Japheth (Gen 10:5)
HaMotzi: "Who brings forth"; blessing over bread
HaM'vorach: The One who is to be blessed
"HaShem": The Name: Judaic substitute for YHWH
Havdallah: Distinction (ceremony ending Sabbath)
Hesed: Mercy, Lovingkindness
Hineh: Behold! Here (is)!
Ish / Ishah: Man / Woman (N'kevah=fem., pierced)
Kavod: Glory, weight, importance, esteem
Kiddush (Qidush): Sanctification (blessing over wine)
L'Olam va Ed: Forever; lit., "to the age and until..."
Lo-Ammi: "Not My people"
Lo-Ruhamah: "No Pity"
Malach: Angel, Messenger
Malachah: Work (for our own sustenance, personal gain; what is forbidden on Shabbat)
Malchut: Kingdom (Malchuto = His reign)
Mashiach: Messiah, Anointed One
Mayim: Water(s)
Mayim Chayim: "Living"/running/flowing water
Melekh: King, sovereign
Menorah: Lampstand; candlestick (Ner=candle)
Mevaser: One who brings good news (basar)
Miqdash: Sanctuary (place of holiness)
Miqvah: Ritual purification bath (immersion)
Mishkan: "Dwelling place", tabernacle
Mishnah: 2nd "Tanak" explanatory companion vol.
Mitzvah: Commandment, order, placing in charge
Mo'ed: Appointed time, proper time
Nefesh: Soul, life, desire (resides in the blood)
Od: Again, still
Olam: Age, Universe, World, Eternity
Or: Light (or, more basically, energy)
Oseh: One who does/makes; making; doing
Qadosh: Holy, set apart, separate
Qodesh: Holy One; being holy
Regel: Foot, leg (Regalim= pilgrim festivals)
Reshith: Beginning (B'reshith = Genesis)
Rishon: First (Yom haRishon = Sunday, etc.)
Rosh: Head (related to Reshith and Rishon)
Rosh Chodesh: New Moon
Ruach: Spirit, breath, wind
Ruhamah: Compassion, Pity
Sameach: Joyful, happy (e.g., Chag Sameach!)
Sasson: Gladness
Shaliach: Sent one (shalach=send; Shiloach=sent)
Shalom: Peace, greeting, well-being, wholeness
Shamar: Observe, keep, watch over, guard
Shamayim: Heavens, sky, euphemism for YHWH
Shanah: Year (HaShanah= the year)
Shekhinah: Dwelling presence of YHWH
Shem: Name (Shemo = His name)
Sheva: Seven or an oath
Shevet: Sitting, dwelling (from Yashav)
Sh'ma: Hear, listen, hearken, obey
Shofar: A trumpet made from an animal horn
Shomer Israel: One who keeps/watches over Israel
Simchah (t): Joy; simchu = be joyful (sameach)
Talmid(ah): Student
Talmud: Book of Learning, expands on the Mishnah
Tanach, Tanak: Acrostic for Torah (instruction),
(Hebrew Scriptures) Navi'im (prophets), and
K'tuvim (writings)
Tavnit: Picture, type, stamped image, pattern
Torah: Instruction, teaching, legal directive
Tsadiq: A righteous person
Ts'daqah: Righteousness/Charity (for the poor)
Tsion: "Zion"; mountain at site of Jerusalem
Tsur: Rock (place of refuge)
Yachad: Unity (based on Echad)
Yashav: To sit, settle down, dwell (> Yeshiva)
Yerushalayim: Jerusalem ("He will see double peace")
YHWH, Yahweh: The revealed name of the Creator
Yeshuah: Salvation (Yisheynu = our salvation)
Y'shua/Yahshua: The Son and image of Elohim
(short for Y'hoshua = "YHWH saves")
Zecher: Remembrance (of a command only applicable in the Land); marked; male
FESTIVALS
Chag haMatzah: Feast of Unleavened Bread
Pesakh: Passover
Shabbat: Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, "ceasing"
Shavuot: Pentecost or "Feast of Weeks"
Sukkoth: Feast of Booths or Tabernacles
Yom haBikkurim: Day of Firstfruits
Yom haTeruah: Day of Trumpet-blast (awakening, alarm)
Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement
Chol haMoed: Ordinary days during a festival
OFFERIINGS:
Chata'at: Sin Offering
Korban: Drawing Near
Olah: Burnt (Ascending/Elevating) Offering
Shalem: Peace Offering
Terumah: Lifting off/contribution ("wave offering")
Minchah: Grain/unleavened bread offering
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