Jewish English Lexicon

belt, which varies in width, but is worn over the outside of the pants or coat and often tied in a symbolic way, as to differentiate it from a regular belt. It is primarily used by Chassidic Jews (and a growing number of Litvaks) for prayer, or may be used for everyday wear over a long frock coat. It symbolically differentiates the heart from the loins.

gayve

pride; arrogance; obnoxiousness

geferlech

Dangerous, terrible

gehenom

Considered to be a temporary place one's soul goes after death, for atonement, before reuniting with God.

Hell (metaphoric)

geshmak

delicious, delightful

get

a writ or deed of divorce

geulah

redemption

glatt

Showing consistency of reason (Weiser).

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

goyish

"in the manner or style of a non-Jewish person" (JPS), especially something WASPy or "white bread"

gramen

rhymes; especially a rhyming poem or song

gurnisht

"nothing, zilch, zero" (JPS)

hachnasas orchim

hospitality (lit. "bringing in guests")

halevai

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

If only

I wish!

hashgacha

Rabbinic supervision designating food as kosher

Divine providence, interference, attention

hashpa'ah

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

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

hechsher

(Rabbinic) stamp or seal of approval-- typically designating a product as kosher

hefker

running wild, undisciplined

ownerless

heimish

3. at home, comfortable

1. familiar, homey, informal, cozy, warm

2. Haredi Orthodox

heter

rabbinic allowance

inyan

matter (Steinmetz)

significance within Jewish law.

topic [of conversation] (Weiser, Glinert).

kaboles ponem

the reception before a wedding ceremony, consisting of a tish (for men) and a bedeken (for women). Lit. 'receiving the faces'.

kallah

Jewish communal gathering, conference

bride

kaparot

Ritual performed between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to remove sins carried out by swinging a chicken over ones head.

kashe

A question posing some difficulty because of apparent inconsistencies with accepted premises: problem. A tough, perplexing question.

Question, difficulty (Steinmetz), challenge, objection.

kedai

"worth it" (Weiser)

keinehora

"no evil eye" (Rosten). "An expression said to ward off the evil eye or bad luck in general; the verbal equivalent of knocking on wood." (JPS)

kimat

"almost or nearly" (Weiser)

kishka

"Stuffed derma: a sausagelike comestible of meat, flour, and spices stuffed into intestine casing and baked" (Rosten) Also, "guts," literally, Slavic. (Wikipedia)

kuntz

feat, stunt, trick, challenge, ingenuity

peculiarity, particular oddness (JPS)

strategy (Weiser)

l'hachis

spitefully; deliberately; literally "in order to anger"

lamden

a proficient Talmudic scholar

leibedik

lively, enthusiastic; warm, heartfelt

levaye

funeral

leytsanus

silliness; buffoonery

lo aleynu

"I hope it won't happen to us"; "God forbid" lit. "not unto us"

mabul

the Biblical Flood

a deluge; a torrent of rain

maidel

girl

matzeivah

headstone

mazel

congratulations

luck (good)

mazik

(with verb "to be") to ruin partially; damage (Yeshivish usage)

a mischievous person, often a child

mazume

"ready money, cash" (Steinmetz)

"A group of three or more adult males who join together to recite the after-meal blessings..." (Steinmetz).

mesiras nefesh

self-sacrifice

mise meshune

horrible, violent, or unnatural death, often used as a curse

moshl

parable, example

musar

reproof; system of ethics; discipline

a Jewish ethical movement that crystallized among non-Hasidic Orthodox Jews in Lithuania in the 19th century, led by Israel Salanter, focusing on character development.

nafke mine

practical difference

nebach

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

nes

miracle

nifter

deceased

oilam

the world; the public

a group of people

okh un vey

"a pity on him"

an unenviable position

ongepotchket

overly elaborate, excessively decorated, slapped together senselessly

pasken

to rule halachically

patsh

to give a light slap

a smack (playful)

patur

not liable, exempt

pekel

little bundle

pintele yid

"essential Jewishness"

poshet

simple

posl

invalid

pritse

an immodest woman

prost

coarse, base, not classy, vulgar, common

psak

rabbinic ruling

rachmones

mercy

ruchnies

spirituality

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.

segula

"procedure that is not based on medical or scientific logic yet is efficacious in improving a situation or protecting a person from harm" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segula_(Kabbalah))

Folk remedy, safeguard, superstitious action, talisman

divinely bestowed reward as a result of an individual's participation in a minhag or mitzvah

shaila

a question, usually while looking for a halachic ruling

Shayach

1. Capable of being true or believable: Conceivable. / 2. Capable of being done: Surmountable / 3. Practical, reasonable, or possible: Feasible. (Weiser)

Pertinent, relevant (Steinmetz).