hillula

Edit
Record a Pronunciation

Definitions

  • n. The anniversary of the death of a great tzaddik; a celebration of the tzaddik's life on that day.

Example Sentences

  • "Public hillula celebrations take place on Lag ba-Omer, the traditional anniversary of the death of R. Simeon b. Yoḥai...and on the 14th of Iyyar, the anniversary of the death of R. Meir Ba'al ha-Nes, at their respective gravesides in Meron and Tiberias, in Galilee." (source)

Record a Sentence

Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • Aramaic

Etymology

  • יוֹם) הִלּוּלָא) (yom) hillulah '(day of) festivity'

      • Who Uses This

      • Orthodox: Jews who identify as Orthodox and observe halacha (Jewish law)

      Regions

      • North America
      • Great Britain
      • South Africa
      • Australia / New Zealand

      Dictionaries

      • None

      Alternative Spellings

      hillulah, hiloula, hilloula, hiloulah, hilloulah, hilula, hilulah

Notes

  • Also yom hillula.


    "A Yom Hillula...is another word for yahrzeit (the anniversary of a death). However, it differs from a regular yahrzeit in two respects. It refers specifically to the yahrzeit of a great Tzaddik who taught Kabbalah and/or Chassidus, and unlike a regular yahrzeit, which is marked with sadness and even fasting, a Yom Hillula is commemorated specifically through simcha...and festive celebration. This term is most often used in Hasidic circles to refer to the day of the death of Hasidic Rebbes" (source).

Edit     Something missing from this entry? Inaccurate? Feel free to suggest an edit.