I will try to keep this page up to date with definitions of all Hebrew, Aramaic, and Yiddish terms that I use in the posts.
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beraita – a mishna-style teaching that R. Yehuda HaNasi decided not to include in is compilation of the Mishna.
Chumash – The five books of Moses: Bereshit (Genesis), Shemot (Exodus), Vayikra (Leviticus), Bamidbar (Numbers), Devarim (Deuteronomy). This is the Written Torah that Moses received at Har Sinai (Mount Sinai).
derash – One of the four major methods for explaining verses in the Torah (peshat, derash, remez and sod). This is a less obvious meaning of the text often taking into account information from outside the text.
Gemara / Talmud – After the Mishna was redacted by Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, discussions were held in study halls to better understand it. These discussions form the basis of the Gemara. When we use the word Gemara or Talmud we usually mean the Babylonian Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud was compiled Rav Ashi and Ravina (and several others) and was completed in 505 CE or 4265 from creation.
gematria – A system of assigning numerical values to each Hebrew letter and comparing words and phrases based on these values.
Jewish Year
The Jewish year consists of 12 months. Each month begins when the new moon is seen as a small sliver in the western sky near sunset. All months are either 29 or 30 days long. At periodic intervals a 13th month is added (a leap month, similar to adding February 29 to the secular calendar). The 13th month ensures that the festival of Passover always happens in the spring. (The months are listed below in a separate entry.)
Ketuvim / Writings
These are the books of the third section of the Tanach.
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Job
- Song of Songs
- Ruth
- Lamentations
- Ecclesiastes
- Esther
- Daniel
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Chronicles 1 & 2
According to Jewish tradition, Ezra and Nehemiah are one book.
Mishna – This is part of the Oral Torah that was transmitted from the time of Moses. The Mishna contains details of Laws from the Torah and those based on rabbinic decrees. Much of the Talmud / Gemara is a commentary on the Mishna. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi committed it to writing in about the year 188 CE or 3948 from creation.
The Mishna is divided into six major sections called Orders:
- Zeraim -agriculture laws
- Moed – laws of sabbath and festivals
- Nashim – laws of relationships between men and women
- Nezikim – civil and criminal laws
- Kadashim – offerings and dietary laws
- Taharot – laws of purity
Months of the Jewish Year
In Tanach, the months are usually refered to by their number in the year. The names were adopted later. Every month is either 29 or 30 days long. Here are the months of the Jewish calendar in order:
- Nisan – 30 days
- Iyar – 29
- Sivan – 30
- Tamuz – 29
- Av – 30
- Elul – 29
- Tishrei – 30
- Cheshvan – usually 29, sometimes 30
- Kislev – usually 30, sometimes 29
- Tevet – 29
- Shevat – 30
- Adar – 29, but 30 if there is Adar Sheni
- if needed, 29 days long Adar Sheni is added as the “leap month”
Nevi’im / Prophets
These are the books of the second section of the Tanach.
- Joshua
- Judges
- Samuel 1 & 2
- Kings 1 & 2
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Ezekiel
- Twelve Prophets (also called the “Minor” prophets):
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
Oral Torah / Tradition – When Moses received the Written Torah on Har Sinai, he also received a detailed explanation of the Torah. This detailed explanation was not meant to be written down, but rather passed on verbally from one generation to the next. Over the centuries many parts of the Oral Torah have been written down, such as Mishnah, Talmud, Midrash, and Kabbalah.
Pentateuch – Chumash – The five books of Moses: Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim. This is the Written Torah that Moses received at Har Sinai.
peshat – One of the four major methods for explaining verses in the Torah (peshat, derash, remez and sod). Peshat is the simple meaning or plain sense of the text.
remez – One of the four major methods for explaining verses in the Torah (peshat, derash, remez and sod). Remez is the interpretation of a verse based on ideas that hinted at or alluded to by the text.
sod – One of the four major methods for explaining verses in the Torah (peshat, derash, remez and sod). Sod is the interpretation of a verse based on the secret (sod) which is reveled in the mystical teaching of Kabbalah.
supercommentary – A commentary on a commentary. For example, Rashi wrote a commentary on Chumash. The Maharal wrote a supercommentary on Rashi.
Tanach
This word is an acronym for the 3 sections of the Jewish Bible known as the written Torah: Torah, Nevi’im / Prophets, Ketuvim / Writings.
Written Torah – Chumash – The five books of Moshe: Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim. This is the Written Torah that Moses received at Har Sinai.