An asterisk indicates a cross reference within this Glossary. All non-English entries are Hebrew unless otherwise indicated.

"770"	770 Eastern Parkway, the address of Lubavitch World Headquarters today
Adar	the twelfth month of the Jewish year when counting from Nissan (or the sixth when counting from Tishrei); the month of joy and celebration in which the holiday of Purim is celebrated
afikoman	the piece of the middle matzah* which is broken at the beginning of the Pesach Seder,* hidden throughout the recitation of the Haggadah, and eaten at the conclusion of the festive meal
aliyah	(lit., "ascent"): immigration to Eretz Yisrael
Aron HaKodesh	(lit., "the holy ark"): the place where the Torah scrolls are held in a synagogue
Asiyah	(lit., "action"), the World of: the lowest of the four spiritual worlds
Atzilus	(lit., "emanation"), the World of: the highest of the four spiritual worlds, the world which is in a state of infinity, but nevertheless, contains entities whose nature is defined
bris	(lit., "covenant"): referring to the covenant of circumcision
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
Chabad House	An outreach center established by the Chabad movement
challah	a loaf of fine bread baked in honor of the Sabbath and festivals
Chanukah	(lit., "dedication"): eight-day festival beginning 25 Kislev, commemorating the Maccabees' rededication of the Temple in the second century B.C.E., and marked by the kindling of lights
chassid	(a) adherent of the Chassidic movement; (b) follower of a Rebbe
Chassidus	chassidic thought
cheder (pl., chadarim)	school in which young children learn reading skills and begin the study of the Torah
chol hamoed	The intermediate days of a festival
chutzpah	nerve
davenning	(Yid.): "prayers".
erev	the day preceding
Elul	the sixth month of the Jewish year when counting from Nissan (or the twelfth when counting from Tishrei); a month devoted to repentance and soul-searching in preparation for the Days of Awe
emunah	faith
Eretz Yisrael	the Land of Israel
farbrengen	a gathering of chassidim
gabbai	the person responsible for the proper functioning of a synagogue or communal body
gartel	prayer belt
gemach	an acronym for the Hebrew words gemilus chesed which mean "deed of kindness," a term used for an interest-free loan, or for a fund which distributes such loans
halachah (pl., halachos)	(a) the body of Torah law; (b) a particular law
Havdalah	(lit., "distinction"): the blessings recited over a cup at the conclusion of a Sabbath or festival to distinguish it from the ordinary weekdays that follow
ikvesa diMeshicha	(Aram.): the time when the approaching footsteps of Mashiach can be heard
kashrus	the state of being kosher*
kiddush	(lit., "sanctification"): (a) the blessing over the wine expressing the sanctity of the Sabbath or of a festival; (b) refreshments served in the synagogue after the recital of kiddush, the occasion is usually graced by the sharing of Torah thoughts and song
Kiddush Levanah	(lit., "the sanctification of the moon"): a group of prayers recited in the first half of each month blessing the new moon
kohen	priests, the descendants of Aaron
kosher	(lit., "fit for use"): an adjective used to indicate that food or religious articles have met the standards Torah law prescribes for their use
lechaim	(lit., "to life"): the toast offered over strong drink
maamar	a Chassidic discourse
maariv	the evening prayer service
machzor	the special prayer book used on holidays
Mashiach	(lit., "the anointed one"): the Messiah
mashpia	(lit., "source of influence"): a spiritual mentor serving in a yeshivah* or a chassidic community
matzah (pl., matzos)	the unleavened bread eaten on Passover
mechitzah	(lit., "partition"): the partition separating between the men's and women's sections in a synagogue.
Mem	The thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet
menorah	The candelabra in the Temple; the term is also used to refer to the candelabra lit on Chanukah
mezuzah (pl., mezuzos; lit., "doorpost")	a small parchment scroll affixed to a doorpost which contains the first two paragraphs of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21)
mikveh (pl., mikvaos)	a ritual bath used by women for purification after emerging from the state of niddah, and used by both men and women in their endeavors to attain spiritual self-refinement
minchah	the afternoon prayer service
minyan	(lit., "number"): the quorum necessary for prayer
mitzvah (pl., mitzvos; lit., "command")	a religious obligation; one of the Torah's 613 Commandments
Moshe Rabbeinu	Moses our teacher
nadden	dowry
Negev	the southern portion of Eretz Yisrael*
nigleh	(lit., "the revealed [knowledge]"): the study of the Jewish law as reflected in the Talmud, and in the works of the subsequent commentaries and codifiers
nistar	(lit., "the hidden knowledge"): the Jewish mystic tradition, also known as the Kabbalah
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
Pesach	Passover, seven-day (eight in the diaspora) festival beginning on 15 Nissan, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt
Pesach Sheni	(lit., "the second Passover"): opportunity given to certain persons who were unable to offer the Paschal sacrifice to do so one month later, on 14 Iyar
Purim	(lit., "lots"): one-day festival falling on 14 Adar and commemorating the miraculous salvation of the Jews of the Persian Empire in the fourth century B.C.E.
Rambam	(acronym for Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon; 1135-1204): Maimonides, one of the foremost Jewish thinkers of the Middle Ages; his Mishneh Torah is one of the pillars of Jewish law, and his Guide to the Perplexed, one of the classics of Jewish philosophy
Rashi	(acronym for Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki; 1040-1105): The sage whose commentaries on the Torah and the Talmud are regarded as the classic guides to these texts.
rav	(lit., "Rabbi"): the halachic authority and spiritual guide of a community
Reb	(Yid.): for Mr.
Rebbe	(lit., "my teacher [or master]"): saintly Torah leader who serves as spiritual guide to a following of chassidim
Rebbitzin	the wife of a Rabbi or Rebbe
Rosh HaShanah	(lit., "head of the year"): the New Year festival, falling on [1] and [2] Tishrei
Rosh Yeshivah	(lit. "head of the academy"): an academic leader of a yeshivah*
Seder	(lit., "order"): the order of service observed at home on the first two nights of Passover (see *Pesach)
shaliach	(lit., "agent"): an emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita* involved in Jewish outreach work
Shabbos	the Sabbath
Shavuos	(lit., "weeks"): festival commemorating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai, in Eretz Yisrael falling on 6 Sivan, and in the Diaspora on 6-7 Sivan
Shlita	an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning: "May he live a long and good life"
shochet	ritual slaughterer
shomer-Shabbos	Sabbath observant
shul	synagogue
shtetl	(Yid. "village"): the Eastern European townships where many Jews lived in the previous centuries
Simchas Torah	(lit., "the rejoicing of the Torah"): the final day (in Eretz Yisrael, the eighth day; in the diaspora, the ninth) of the festival of Sukkos on which the annual cycle of Torah readings is completed; this event is celebrated with exuberant rejoicing
Sivan	the third month of the Jewish year when counting from Nissan (or the ninth when counting from Tishrei)
Sukkos	(lit., "Booths"): seven-day festival (eight days in the Diaspora) beginning on 15 Tishrei, taking its name from the temporary dwelling in which one lives during this period
Talmud	the basic compendium of Jewish law, thought, and Biblical commentary; when unspecified refers to the Babylonian Talmud authored in Mesopotamia at the end of the fifth century C.E.
Tammuz	the fourth month of the Jewish year when counting from Nissan (or the tenth when counting from Tishrei)
Tanya	the classic text of *Chabad chassidic thought authored by the Alter Rebbe
tefillin	small black leather cubes containing parchment scrolls inscribed with the Shema and other Biblical passages; bound to the head and forearm, customarily worn by men during the morning prayer service
tish	(Yid.): "table"; i.e., the ceremonial Sabbath meal which a chassidic Rebbe conducts in the company of his chassidim
Tishrei	the first month of the Jewish year according to certain reckonings, or the seventh when counting the months from Nissan; the month which includes *Rosh HaShanah, *Yom Kippur and *Sukkos
Teves	the tenth month of the Jewish year when counting from Nissan (or the fourth when counting from Tishrei)
tzaddik, pl. tzaddikim	righteous man, often used as a synonym for Rebbe
tzedakah	charity
Uforatza	(lit., "and you shall spread out"): the Biblical phrase that has become a byline for Lubavitch outreach efforts
Yasher Koach	a term used to imply both congratulations and thanks
yechidah	the highest of the five levels of the soul, the rung in which the soul is united in absolute unity with G-d
yechidus	a private meeting with a Rebbe
yeshivah, pl. yeshivos	Rabbinical academy
Yid	(Yid.): Jew
Yom Kippur	the Day of Atonement, fast day falling on 10 Tishrei and climaxing the Days of Awe
Yud-Beis Tammuz	the twelfth of Tammuz; the Previous Rebbe's birthday and the anniversary of his release from capital sentence and imprisonment in Soviet Russia in 1927
Yud Shvat	(lit., "the Tenth of Shvat"): anniversary of the passing of the *Previous Rebbe in 1950
Yud-Tes Kislev	(lit., "the Nineteenth of Kislev"): anniversary of the passing of the Maggid of Mezritch in 1772, and anniversary of the release from capital sentence of his disciple, the *Alter Rebbe, in 1798