An asterisk indicates a cross reference within this Glossary.

afikoman	the piece of *matzah eaten at the conclusion of the *Seder meal recalling the Pesach sacrifice
beitzah	a hard-boiled egg used on the *Seder plate
Beis HaMikdash	the Temple that existed -- and will exist -- in Jerusalem
bichedei achilas p'ras	the time period in which one can usually eat a portion of food of a specific size
Binah	(lit., "understanding"): the second of the Ten *Sefiros, or divine emanations; the second stage of the intellectual process, the power that develops abstract conception, giving it breadth and depth
bittul	self-nullification, a commitment to G-d and divine service that transcends self-concern
Chabad	(acronym for the Hebrew words meaning "wisdom, understanding, and knowledge"): the approach to Chassidism which filters its spiritual and emotional power through the intellect; a synonym for Chabad is *Lubavitch, the name of the town where this movement originally flourished
Chagigah	the festive offering, a sacrifice offered on festivals, and in particular, on the 14th of Nissan to be eaten before the Paschal sacrifice
chametz	leaven which is forbidden to be eaten on Passover
charoses	a mixture of ground apples, pears and nuts to which red wine is added during the *Seder
chassid	a pious, kind-hearted person, whose commitment extends beyond the requirement of the law; an adherent of the chassidic movement; a follower of a Rebbe
Chassidus	Chassidism, i.e., the movement within Orthodox Judaism founded in White Russia by R. Yisrael, the Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760), and stressing: emotional involvement in prayer; service of G-d through the material universe; the mystical in addition to the legalistic dimension of Judaism; the power of joy, and of music; the love to be shown to every Jew, unconditionally; (b) the philosophy and literature of this movement
chazeres	In Talmudic terminology, the term used to refer to romaine lettuce; in contemporary usage, the bitter herbs placed on the *Seder plate and used for the *korech
Chesed	(lit. "kindness," or "grace"): a term used to refer to the Divine attribute which parallels the abovementioned human qualities and thus is associated with the dispersion of G-dly light and energy to lower levels of existence
Chochmah	(lit., "wisdom"): the first of the Ten Sefiros, or divine emanations; the first stage of the intellectual process (cf. *Chabad); thought in potentia
Chol HaMoed	the intermediate days of a festival
Eretz Yisrael	(lit., the land of Israel)
Gehinnom	the spiritual realm in which the souls are cleansed from the blemishes brought about by their conduct in this material realm
Gemara	one of the portions of the Talmud; the elucidation of the *Mishnah, and the discussion of related concepts by the Sages
Gevurah	(lit. "might"): a term used to refer to the Divine attribute which parallels the abovementioned human quality and thus is associated with the holding back Divine revelation and restricting the dispersion of Divine light to lower levels of existence
Haggadah	(lit., "telling"): the text from which the *Seder service is conducted on the first two nights of Passover (outside of *Eretz Yisrael, and in Eretz Yisrael on the first night only)
Halachah	the body of Jewish Law; alternatively a, single law
Hallel	Psalms of praise and thanksgiving (Psalms 113-118) recited on the festivals.
HaMotzi	the blessing recited over bread or *matzah
Havdalah	(lit. "separation"): the blessing pronounced over a cup of wine at nightfall on the conclusion of a Sabbath or festival to distinguish it from the days that follow
Kabbalah	(lit., "received tradition"): the Jewish mystical tradition
kabbalas ol	(lit., "the acceptance of [G-d's] yoke"): an unswerving, selfless commitment to carrying out the will of G-d
karpas	a vegetable placed on the *Seder plate, and eaten in the early portion of the *Seder
kelipah	(lit., "rind" or "shell"): used figuratively (on a personal or universal level) to signify an outer covering which conceals the light within; hence, the unholy side of the universe
kezayis	a measure formally described as the size of an olive, and traditionally determined as one ounce; 25.6 grams
Kiddush	(lit., "sanctification"): blessings recited over a goblet of wine which express the sanctity of the *Shabbos or a festival
Kohen, pl. Kohanim	(lit. "priest"): one of the descendants of Aaron
korech	a sandwich of *matzah and *maror eaten during the *Seder
Levi	a Levite, a descendant of the tribe of Levi who is not a *Kohen
Lubavitch	name of the village in White Russia which for a century was the home of the Rebbeim of *Chabad, and which is hence used as a name for the movement
Malchus	(lit. kingship): the last of the ten Divine attributes; the dimension in each spiritual realm that makes possible the transition to a lower realm of existence
Mashiach	the Messiah
marror	the bitter herbs eaten of Passover
matzah	the unleavened bread eaten on Passover
Menorah	the golden candelabrum lit in the Temple
Midrash	the classical collection of our Sages' homiletical teachings on the Bible
Mishnah	the first compilation of the Oral Law authored by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi (approx. 150 C.E.); the germinal statements of law elucidated by the *Gemara, together with which they constitute the *Talmud; when not capitalized, a single statement of law from this work
mitzvah	(lit., "commandment; pl., mitzvos): one of the 613 Commandments; in a larger sense, any religious obligation
Musaf	the additional service recited on festivals
Nirtzah	the prayer -- and promise -- that our Pesach service will be accepted by G-d
Nissan	the first month of the Jewish year according to certain reckonings, or the seventh when counting the months from Tishrei; the month of the Exodus from Egypt
Paschal sacrifice	the sacrifice required to be brought in the Temple on the afternoon of the 14th of Nissan and eaten after the Passover meal
Pesach	Passover, seven-day festival beginning on 15 Nissan, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt; also, the Hebrew term for the *Paschal sacrifice
Pesachdikke	kosher for Passover use
Pharaoh	the ruler of Egypt at the time of the Exodus
Rebbe	(lit., "my teacher [or master]"): saintly Torah leader who serves as spiritual guide to a following of chassidim
reviis	a liquid measure, approximately 3.5 fluid ounces in contemporary measure
seasonal hour	one twelfth of the period from the beginning of the day (sunrise) until its conclusion (sunset)
Seder	(lit., "order"): the order of service observed at home on the first two nights of Passover (see *Pesach)
Sefirah, pl. Sefiros	the Kabbalistic term for the attributes of G-dliness which serve as a medium between His infinite light and our limited framework of reference
Sefiras HaOmer	(lit., "the counting of the Omer"): the mitzvah to count the 49 days from the second day of Passover to the eve of Shavuos
seraph	(lit. "flaming one"): an angel given this name, because it consumes itself in fiery love for G-d
shaatnez	a mixture of wool and linen forbidden by the Torah
Shabbos	the Sabbath
Shabbos HaGadol	(lit., "the Great Shabbos"): the *Shabbos preceding Pesach
Shechinah	the Divine Presence
Shemurah matzos	(lit., "matzah that has been watched"): Round, hand-made *matzah prepared under exacting supervision with the intent that it be used for the *mitzvah of eating matzah on *Pesach
Shlita	an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning: "May he live a long and good life"
Shema	the fundamental Jewish prayer which we are obligated to recite each day, in the evening and in the morning
Shulchan Aruch	(lit., "a set table"): the standard Code of Jewish Law compiled by R. Yosef Caro in the mid-sixteenth century; the term is also used to refer to Shulchan Aruch HaRav, the code of law authored by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
siddur	a prayer book
Talmud	the basic compendium of Jewish law, thought, and Biblical commentary, comprising *Mishnah and *Gemara; when unspecified refers to the Talmud Bavli, the edition developed in Babylonia, and edited at end of the fifth century C.E.; the Talmud Yerushalmi is the edition compiled in *Eretz Yisrael at end of the fourth century C.E.
teshuvah	(lit., "return [to G-d]"): repentance
Yisrael	(lit. the name "Israel"): also used to refer to an Israelite, a person who is neither a *Kohen or a Levite
zeroa	the shankbone used on the *Seder plate
Zohar	(lit., "radiance"): The title of the classic mystical work embodying the teachings of the *Kabbalah