ad kdei kach

so much. has it gone this far? (Weiser: "expression of wonder regarding the extent or intensity of something.")

assur

forbidden

avade

Of course. / Obviously!

And how!

b'emet

"As a matter of fact." (Weiser); "Really?"

balabotish

"Quiet; respectable; well mannered" (Rosten). "middle class"; normal

beiyun

"With depth and in detail: intensively"

bekies

"range of personal knowledge" (Weiser)

broad but not deep knowledge

bichlal

in any way, entirely, in general, altogether

bochur

young unmarried male, especially a yeshiva student

bring down

cite or reference

broiges

angry, annoyed (adj.)

a dispute (n)

by

at [a location], at the house of, with, among, according to the opinion of, at [an event, time of year] (in addition to Standard English near).

chabura

study group

chacham

rabbi (Sephardi)

wise, learned person; genius

wiseguy

chakira

proposition, treatise, deliberation

chap

"to comprehend" (Weiser) (lit. "to grasp")

chazarah

(n.) review of material previously studied

chazer

"go over; review" (Weiser)

chidush

innovative idea; an insight; discovery; novelty

chumrah

a religious stringency

ein hachi nami

"granted"; yes, that's how it is, that's certainly true

farher

noun: an oral examination, typically on one's understanding of Talmud

verb: examine, test, quiz

fress

To gobble up food; to gorge oneself. "To eat quickly or noisily, like an animal" (JPS)

gadol

literally "big," refers to particularly well respected rabbis; "luminary" (Weiser)

gashmiyus

materialism, in contrast with spiritual concerns; "indulgence in earthly pleasures" (Weiser)

gedolim

Secondary usage: feces or excrement.

Important, influential people, especially renowned rabbis of the present or recent past. Luminaries (Weiser)

glatt

Showing consistency of reason (Weiser).

Super-kosher (not only of food), or acceptable to the Haredi community.

gurnisht

"nothing, zilch, zero" (JPS)

halevai

"Would that it be so" (Steinmetz, Yiddish and English)

If only

I wish!

hashkafah

ideological outlook; point of view; "philosophy" (Weiser)

Hashpa'ah

Motivating force, source for change in one's actions, influence

Influence, or effect, particularly on one's character, development, and/or behavior

heimish

2. Haredi Orthodox

3. at home, comfortable

1. familiar, homey, informal, cozy, warm

hold

to be on the verge of

to opine; to act in accordance with; to be of the opinion; to believe "maintain" (Weiser)

to maintain a degree of religious observance

agree with

iyun

study, "examination of sources to develop a coherent, educated opinion" (Weiser)

kal v'chomer

by extrapolation we know; all the more so. "with assuredness of mind or action based on an earlier, more restrictive, premise; assuredly; certainly: indubitably." (Weiser)

kedai

"worth it" (Weiser)

kesher

connection, relationship, link

kimat

"almost or nearly" (Weiser)

kiruv

outreach work meant to encourage non-religious Jews to become religious, [lit. "to bring closer"]

kuntz

peculiarity, particular oddness (JPS)

strategy (Weiser)

feat, stunt, trick, challenge, ingenuity

l'hachis

spitefully; deliberately; literally "in order to anger"

learn

"To be involved in the acquisition of Torah knowledge through reading and reflection, or to do so as an occupation: STUDY" (Weiser)

lechoira

seemingly as such while allowing for the possibility of the opposite; apparently; ostensibly (Weiser)

Able to be taken for granted; assumed true in the absence of proof to the contrary; presumably (Weiser)

leibedik

lively, enthusiastic; warm, heartfelt

loshn

language; jargon

maarich

to extend, talk/write at length

machmir

stringent, "taking the stricter position on an issue" (Weiser)

meticulous

mamish

"1. As though true to fact...2. Surely or certainly...3. Actually, genuinely...4. To a high degree...5. Enthusiastic response: WOW." (Weiser)

mazel

luck (good)

congratulations

mekarev

Literally "bring closer", used in the sense of bringing closer to traditional Judaism A noun for one who brings people closer to traditional Judaism.

nafke mine

practical difference

nebach

interjection, adverb: "unfortunately"; noun: an unfortunate person

nogeia b'dovor

one who has a vested interest in something; not a disinterested party. "related in a way as would affect an opinion: associated." (Weiser)

oilam

the world; the public

a group of people

parasha

Selection of the Pentateuch read publicly on the Sabbath.

period of dating for marriage (Orthodox Jews)

conversation (Weiser)

general realm of feasibility, ballpark (Weiser)

a tedious, lengthy enumeration or account, litany (Weiser)

pasken

to rule halachically

patur

not liable, exempt

peshat

"The literal, obvious meaning scholars give to a Jewish text. It can also refer to the simple interpretation of any issue or question." (JPS)

"An explanation of the logic behind or the source of a passage, event, work, etc." (Weiser)

Justification

prost

coarse, base, not classy, vulgar, common

rachmones

mercy

reid

n. "unofficial information spread through the grapevine" (Weiser), especially information related to Talmud study

v. refer someone for a marriage match; pronounce a match

n. speech, talk

sakanah

danger

sefer

Hebrew or Aramaic book

"A literary composition written particularly of, on, or about the Torah" (Weiser)

seforim

Religious books written in Hebrew or Aramaic.

shidduch

mate

arranged spousal match

match

a date in the process of finding one's spouse

shluffy

[to go] to sleep (child-directed speech)

shtark

Verb: "shtark out" - to identify oneself closer to the Black Hat end of the Modern Orthodox to Black Hat continuum, in comparison to one's previous location on that continuum.

Adj: religiously intense. Literally "strong," generally used in reference to someone more religious than the speaker

shteig

strive; study; lit. "rise"

shtender

lectern

shvach

weak, pathetic, (a place or gathering that is) lacking in activity

simcha

"A joyous occasion; a celebration" (JPS); usually related to a lifecycle event

stam

Just kidding!

only, simply, just for fun, not for a specific purpose

That's it!

sugya

passage from the Talmud

"A distinct matter for consideration in discussion, thought, or study" (Weiser)

svara

justification, reason, plausible explanation

guess, hypothesis

svive

environment, surroundings

group or get-together

tafkid

divinely ordained purpose

task

assignment

taka

(can also be used ironically)

Is that so? Really, actually, indeed, "in consideration of all the information available" (Weiser)

tell over

to repeat or teach a story heard elsewhere

teva

character (quality of a person or thing)

nature

yeshivish

Litvish; Lithuanian; associated with the rationalistic Lithuanian tradition; associated with non-Hasidic Black Hat communities