An asterisk indicates a cross reference within this Glossary.

AriZal	(lit., "the lion of blessed memory"): R. Isaac Luria (1534-1572), one of the leading Kabbalistic* luminaries
atzvus	(lit. "sadness"): a heavy-hearted sense of depression
Beis HaMikdash	The Holy Temple in Jerusalem
bitochon	(lit. "trust"): confidence in G-d's ever-present assistance
bittul	self-nullification; rising above one's personal concerns and dedicating one's energies towards a higher goal or level of awareness
b'simchah	in a state of joy
buttel	selfless, see *bittul
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
cheder, pl. chedarim	(lit., "room"): Torah schools for young children
chassid (pl., chassidim)	adherent of the Chassidic movement (see *Chassidus)
Chassidism	see *Chassidus
Chassidus	Chassidism, i.e., the movement within Orthodox Judaism founded in White Russia by R. Yisrael, the Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760), and stressing: emotional involvement in prayer; service of G-d through the material universe; wholehearted earnestness in Divine service; the mystical in addition to the legalistic dimension of Judaism; the power of joy and of music; the love to be shown to every Jew, unconditionally; and the mutual physical and moral responsibility of the members of the informal Chassidic brotherhood, each chassid having cultivated a spiritual attachment to his saintly and charismatic leader, the *Rebbe; (b) the philosophy and literature of this movement; see also *Chabad
Eretz Yisrael	the land of Israel
farbrengen	an informal gathering of chassidim for mutual edification and brotherly criticism
Gehinnom	purgatory
Hakkofos	the celebratory dancing with the Torah on Simchas Torah
hashgachah pratis	Divine Providence, the manner in which G-d controls every aspect of existence
holelus	(lit. "frivolity"): happiness devoid of meaning or purpose
Kabbalah	(lit., "received tradition"): the Jewish mystical tradition
kabbalas ol	(lit., "the acceptance of [G-d's] yoke"): an unswerving, selfless commitment to carrying out the Will of G-d
kashrus	the state of being fit for use, a term most frequently used with regard to food
Kol Nidrei	the prayer recited before the evening service of Yom Kippur
Lubavitch	name of the village in White Russia which for a century was the home of the Rebbeim of *Chabad, and which is hence used as a name for the movement
mashpia, pl. mashpiim	(lit. "source of influence"): In Chassidic terminology, a spiritual mentor
matzah	the unleavened bread eaten on Passover
merirus	(lit. "bitterness"): negative feelings which spur a person to positive activity
Midrash	the classical collections of the Sages' homiletical teachings on the Torah, on the non-literal level of derush
mikveh, pl. mikvaos	A ritual bath in which a person immerses himself as part of the transition from impurity to purity, or from a lower state of holiness to a higher state.
Mishnah	The fundamental compilation of the Oral Law compiled by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi.
mitzvah (pl., mitzvos)	a religious obligation; one of the 613 Commandments
nesi'im	leader; in the Chassidic context, synonymous with *Rebbe
nisayon	(lit. a "test") a challenge in one's Divine service
Olam HaBo	(lit. "the world to come"): the spiritual realm of the souls in the afterlife; also used to refer to the Era of the Resurrection
Pirkei Avos	the Ethics of our Fathers, the tractate of the *Mishnah which contains the ethical teachings of our Sages
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
Rebbe	(lit., "my teacher [or master]"): saintly Torah leader who serves as spiritual guide to a following of chassidim
seder	(lit., "order"): the order of service observed at home on the first two nights of Passover
Shabbos	the Sabbath
shul	synagogue
simchah	happiness, meaningful joy
Talmud	the basic compendium of Jewish law, thought, and Biblical commentary, comprising *Mishnah and Gemara; when unspecified refers to the Talmud Bavli, the edition developed in Babylonia and edited at the end of the fifth century C.E.; the Talmud Yerushalmi is the edition compiled in *Eretz Yisrael at the end of the fourth century C.E.
Tanya	the classic text of *Chabad Chassidic thought authored by the Alter Rebbe
Tehillim	the Book of Psalms
teshuvah	(lit., "return [to G-d]"): repentance
tzaddik (pl., tzaddikim)	(a) completely righteous individual (b) *Rebbe
yesh	(lit. "it exists") in Chassidic terminology, an entity which is limited and self-conscious
yeshivah, pl. yeshivos	Torah academy for advanced students
yetzer hora	the Evil Inclination
Zohar	(lit., "radiance"): classical work embodying the mystical teachings of the *Kabbalah