Jewish Mysticism Glossary

Alpha Directory

Adam HaRishon (lit. "the first man”) – Biblical Adam

Adam Kadmon (lit. "primordial man”) – the will of the Or Ein Sof* to create

Ahavat Hashem - love of God

Ahavat Yisrael - Iove of a fellow Jew

Aleph Bet - The Hebrew alphabet

Amidah - The silent prayer said while standing

Assiyah - The world of “action,” lowest of the four worlds of Creation

Atzilut - The world of “emanation,” highest of the four worlds of Creation

Atzmut - The essence of God

Avodat Hashem – service of God

Baal Teshuvah (lit. "a returnee”) - one who has become observant of the commandments

Benoni - the intermediate person; between the Tzaddik* and the Rasha*

Beriah - The world of "creation," second-highest of the four worlds of Creation

Binah - Sefirah* of understanding

Bitachon - trust in God

Bnai Yisrael (lit. "the children of Israel") - the Jewish people

ChaBaD - acronym for Chochmah*, Binah*, Daat*- also the name of the worldwide Chassidic* movement

ChaGaT - acronym for Chessed*, Gevurah*, and Tiferet*

Challah - bread used on Shabbat* and holidays

Chassid (pI. chassidim) - follower(s) of the Chassidic* movement

Chassidic - movement of Judaism that focuses on the study of Kabbalah*; founded by the Baal Shem Tov 5458 - 5520 (1698 – 1760)

Chassidut - Chassidic* philosophy

Chaya - Hebrew for "living one"*; second-highest of five general souls

Chayot Hakodesh (lit. "holy beings") - A Group of angels

Chessed - Sefirah* of kindness

Chochmah - Sefirah* of wisdom

Daat - Sefirah* of Knowledge

Daat Elyon - Supernal knowledge

Daat Tachton - terrestrial knowledge

Dirah BeTachtonim - quoted from the Midrash*: God desired to have a "dwelling place in the lower worlds;" the purpose of Creation

Drush - "homiletical" interpretation of the Torah*; second – highest level of Pardes*

Ein Sof (lit. "without end") - the Infinite God as enclothed in Creation

Elokut - Godliness

Emet - truth

Emunah - faith

Farbrengen - Chassidic gathering

Gehinom - Hell

Gevurah - Sefirah* of strength

Gilgul - reincarnation

Hashgochah Pratit - Divine providence

Hatzlachah - success

Havaye - The Tetragrammeton*; four-letter name of God.

Hiddur Mitzvah - Beautification of the Mitzvah*; i.e. doing a commandment in a beautiful way.

Hod - Sefirah* of splendor

Kabbalah (lit. "received") - mystical tradition of the Torah*

Kaddish - prayer recited in the memory of a departed soul

Kav - circular "beam" of pre-Tzimtzim* Light*

Kedushah - holiness

Kelipah (pl. Klipot; lit. "peel" for "shell") - words used by Kabbalah to describe coverings of impurity.

Kelipat Nogah (lit. "illuminating shell") - Klipah* that can be utilized for good

Keter - Sefirah* of crown

Back to Top

Light - English for "Or." Metaphor for Divine energy.

Back to Top

Malchut - Sefirah* of kingship

Mashiach (lit. "anointed one") - the Messiah

MazaI (pI. Mazalot) - constellation or planetary influence

Memale KoI Almin - Light* that fills all worlds; also referred to as the Kav*

mezuzah - parchment scroll attached to doorpost

Midrash - anthology of rabbinic scriptural commentary

mikvah - ritual bath used for spiritual purification

Mishnah - Oral Law of the Torah* compiled by Tannaim* under the leadership of Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi.

mitnagid (pI. mitnagdim) - opponents of the Chassidic* movement

Mitzvah (pI. Mitzvot) - Divine commandment(s) derived from the Torah*

Modeh Ani - first words of the following prayer said immediately upon awakening: "I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for you have restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is abundant."

Mussar (lit. "rebuke") - a movement of Judaism that encourages people to study ethics and morals and to improve character.

Back to Top

Nefesh - Hebrew for "soul of vitality"; lowest of five general souls

Nefesh Elokit - Godly Soul of a person

Nefesh HaBehamit - Animalistic Soul of a person

NeHiY - acronym for Netzach*, Hod*, and Yesod*

Neshamah - Hebrew for "breath of life"; third-highest of five general souls

Netzach - Sefirah* of victory

Nigleh - revealed dimension of Torah*

Nistar - inner dimension of Torah*

Nistarim - clandestine Kabbalistics during the days of Baal Shem Tov

Back to Top

OIam (lit. "concealment") - world

OIam Haba - the World to Come

Ophanim - Group of angels

Or Ein Sof - Hebrew for "Light of the Infinite"; metaphor for Divine energy used in Creation

Or Makkif - a peripheral Light*

Or Pnimi - an inner Light*

Back to Top

Pardes (lit. "orchard") - acronym for four levels of Torah* study

Pshat - "simple" interpretation of the Torah*; most basic level of Pardes*

Back to Top

Rasha - wicked person

Rebbe - leader of Chassidim*

Remez - "allusionary." interpretation of the Torah*; third-highest level of Pardes*

Rosh Hashanah - The Jewish New Year

Ruach - Hebrew for "spirit"; fourth-highest of five general souls

Ruach Hakodesh (lit. "holy spirit") - Divine inspiration

Back to Top

Seder Hishtalshlut - chain-ordered process used in Creation

Sefirah (pI. Sefirot) - a channel of Divine energy or attribute used in Creation

Seraphim - Group of angels

Shabbat - Sabbath

Simchah - joy

Shechinah - Divine Presence

Shema or Shema YisraeI - beginning word(s) or the "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One" prayer

Shevirat HaKelim - Shattering or Breakage of the Vessels

Shliach - emissary

shofar - ram's horn blown primarily on Rosh Hashanah*

Simchah - joy

Sitra Achra (lit. "The other side") - the side of impurity

Sod - "secret/mystical" interpretation of the Torah*; highest level of Pardes*

Sovev Kol Almin - Light that transcends all worlds

Back to Top

Tachanun - Prayer of supplication recited after Amidah*

Talmud - Repository of Jewish Oral Law; an explanation of the Mishnah*

Tannaim - Rabbis who authored the Mishnah* during the first centuries of the Common-Era.

tefillah - prayer

tefillin - leather boxes and straps worn by Jewish men

Teshuvah - repentance

Tiferet - Sefirah* of beauty

Tikkun HaMiddot - correction of negative character traits

Tikkun Olam - Correction of the world

Tinok Shenishbah (lit. child abducted at early age) - term used for estranged Jews

Torah (lit. "instruction") - the five books of Moses in particular, and all Scriptural text in general.

Tzaddik - righteous person

Tzaddik HaDor - Tzaddik* or leader of the generation

Tzedakah - charity

Tzimtzum - Divine "contraction" used in Creation

tzitzit - fringes on garment worn by Jewish men

Back to Top

Vessel - English for "Keli." Metaphor for Divine concealment.

Back to Top

Yechidah - Hebrew for "singular one"; highest of five general souls

Yesod - Sefirah* or foundation

Yetzirah - world of "formation," third-highest of the four worlds of Creation

Yartzeit - Anniversary of death

Back to Top