(pe-oht hah-ROHSH) n. Earlocks; Sidelocks; Note that the verse: "Ye shall not round the comers of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the comers of thy beard" (Leviticus 19:27) is understood by the Talmudic rabbis not to mean that it is wrong for a man to be cleanshaven, but only that facial hair must not be removed with a razor.
Ebionites
A group of Jews who (during the early history of the Christian Church) accepted Jesus Natseret as the Mashiach but only adhered to the Gospel According to Matthew (in Aramaic) and rejected Rav Sha’ul Paul as a heretic. Ebionites continued to follow Jewish law and celebrate Jewish feasts and holidays and considered Torah Observance to be necessary to follow Jesus’ way.
The Ebionites were descendants of John the Baptist. They denied the deity of Jesus, the doctrine of the Trinity and the virgin birth. They emphasized Jesus’ humanity as the mortal son of Mary and Joseph, who was 'adopted' as a son of God (or rather elevated to the status of prophet) when he was anointed with the Holy Spirit at his baptism. Jesus could have become the Messianic king-priest of Israel, but was chosen to be the last and greatest of the prophets.
It appears that the Ebionites also rejected the doctrine of atonement for sin through the death of Jesus, and judged sightings of the risen LORD as spiritual experiences such as dreams and visions rather than an actual physical resurrection.
The Ebionites revered Jesus' blood relatives, especially James the Just, as the legitimate apostolic successors of Jesus, rather than Peter. Ebionites believed that all followers of Jesus, whether they be Judean or Gentile, must adhere to Noahide Laws and Mosaic law, tempered with the wisdom teachings of Jesus. Obviously Ebionism is a heresy and unfortunately appears to be re-emerging in the new Torah-Observant Messianic movement. (*sources for this information include: Wikipedia, Catholic Encyclopedia, Jewish Enclycopledia.com).
Echad
(e-KHAD) n/adj. Echad. One.
Echad mi yodea
(e-KHAD mee yoh-DAY-ah) n. A song at the end of the Passover Haggadah designed to keep the children awake until the end of the Seder service. The fundamental Jewish beliefs and traditions are imparted in the 13 stanzas of this poem.
Ecclesiastes
(ko-HE-let) n. Ecclesiastes, one of the five scrolls (part of the Ketuvim). King Solomon’s (sh’lomo’s) study of the futility and meaninglessness inherent in natural reasoning “under the sun.” Read during Sukkot (Tabernacles). Kohelet means “one who assembles.”
Ecology
(bal tash-KHEET) phr. “Don’t be destructive or wasteful.” Principle not to destroy anything needlessly; i.e., preservation of environment. The foundation of most Jewish concepts regarding ecology.
Ed / Edim
(ayd / ay-DEEM) n. Witness(es); edut means witness or testimony.
Eden
(AY-den) n. Delight; Pleasure; Luxury; Gan Eden is the Garden of Eden representing paradise.
Egypt
(meets-RAI-yeem) Egypt. Also transliterated as Mitsraim, Mitsrayim. Mitzrayim, etc.
Eichah
(ay-KHAH) n. Echah. Lamentations. One of the five scrolls. Jeremiah’s acrostic lament over Jerusalem’s destruction. Part of the Ketuvim in the Tanakh.
Eidot
(ay-DOHT) n. (sing. eidah). “Testimonials” (from the root ‘ed, witness). Mitzvot that commemorate or represent something -- e.g., the commandments to put on tefillin, wear tzitzit, eat matzah on Passover, blow a shofar, etc. Since they commemorate or symbolically represent something, the eidot occupy a sort of middle ground between the rationally understandable mishpatim and the supra-rational chukkim. Note that a testimony is eidut in Hebrew.
Eil Ha-milu’im
(ayl ham-mee-loo-EEM) n. “The Ram of Ordination” (from aiyil, ram and milu, installation or dedication). The eil ha-milu’im was a ram whose blood was sprinkled upon Aaron as the Kohen Gadol of the newly established mishkan (Tabernacle). The blood of the eil ha-milu’im was put on the right ear, right thumb, and big toe of the Aaron and his sons (a clear picture of Yeshua and His sacrifice as the coming greater High Priest) and the rest of the blood was dashed upon the sides of the altar. After its slaughter, Moses also took the innards of the eil hamilu’im and some unleavened bread and put them in the hands of the priests to perform tenufah (a wave offering) before burning them upon the altar (a picture of the resurrection). Finally, Moses mixed some of the blood of the eil hamilu’im and anointing oil and sprinkled it on the priest’s garments to sanctify them.
Ein Keiloheinu
(AYN kay-loh-HAY-noo) n. “There is none like our God,” a well-known synagogue song that exalts the Lord. It is noteworthy on account of its memorable melody and the easy Hebrew phrasing. One charming custom in Orthodox synagogues is to appoint a child to be the chazzan (or cantor) for this song at the end of a Musaf (additional) service.
Ein Sof
(AYN sohf) n. “Without end”; A Kabbalistic Name for God.
El
(EL) n. Name for God; “Strength.” Used 250 times in the Tanakh. See the Names of God.
El Haromiyim
(el ha-RO-mee-YEEM) n. “To the Romans.” Paul’s letter to the kehillah (congregation) in Rome. This letter is perhaps Pauls greatest doctrinal work, expounding all of the key doctrines of the gospel of God (besorat haelohim) in a masterfully written summary.
Elijah the Prophet
(e-lee-YA-hoo ha-nah-VEE) n. Elijah the prophet; Mal. 3:23, 4:5 says he will herald “the great and terrible day of Adonai.” Jewish tradition regards him as the forerunner of the Messiah. Eliyahu means “My God is Yah.”
Elijah's Cup -- a cup with wine which is poured but not drunk during the Passover Seder, between the third and fourth cups.
Elisha
(e-lee-SHAH) n. Elisha. Elijah’s talmid and successor (1 Kings 19:16); Elisha means “God is Salvation.”
Elisheva
(e-lee-SHE-va’) n. Elizabeth. Luke 1:15. Elisheva means “Oath of God.”
El Melekh Ne’eman
(el ME-lekh ne-ay-MAHN) phr. “God is a faithful king;” the phrase spoken before the recitation of the Shema; a supposed acronym for “Amen.”
Elohim
(e-loh-HEEM) n. God; gods. The plural form of el, meaning “strong one.” Occurs 2,570 times in the Tanakh. (Isa. 54:5; Jer. 32:27; Gen. 1:1; Isa. 45:18; Deut. 5:23; 8:15; Ps. 68:7). First name of God in Tanakh. See the Names of God.
Elohim Avinu
(e-loh-heem ah-VEE-noo) n. phr. “God our Father” (John 8:42).
El Shaddai
(el shad-DIE) n. The All Sufficient God.Shad means “breast” in Hebrew (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; 49:25; Exod. 6:3; Num. 24:6; Ruth 1:20; Job (various references); Psa. 22:10; 68:15; 91:1; Ezek. 1:24; 10:5; 23:21 etc.). Occurs 48 times in the Tanakh.
Elul
(e-LOOL) n. The 6th month of the Jewish calendar (late summer). The name Elul is claimed to be an acronym of Ani l'dodi v'dodi li, "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine," a quote from Song of Songs 6:3, where the Beloved is G-d and the "I" is the Jewish people. This month is particularly a time set apart for repentence, or teshuvah, in preparation of the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur).
Elyon
(el-YOHN) n. The Most High; God; Upper; Highest. See the Names of God.
Emanation(s)
(se-fee-RAH / se-fee-ROHT) n/pl. A channel of Divine energy or life-force. This most fundamental concept of Kabbalah is that in the process of creation an intermediate stage was emanated from God's infinite light to create what we experience as finite reality. These channels are called the Ten Sefirot, Ten Divine Emanations, Ten Divine Radiances, Ten Divine Eluminices, or Ten Divine Powers which are the basic terms and concepts of the inner wisdom of the Torah which is called Kabbalah. The Ten Sefirot are the ten “Divine Emanations” within Zoharic mysticism.
The Ten Sefirot are:
Keter - Crown
Chochmah - Wisdom
Binah - Understanding
Chessed - Kindness
Gevura - Strength
Tiferet - Beauty
Netzach - Victory
Hod - Awe
Yesod - Foundation
Malkhut - Kingdom
Sometimes the Sefirot are listed without Keter, and then Da'at (wisdom) is included between Binah and Chesed.
Emet
(EH-met) n. Emet. Truth. Firmness; Stability.
Emissary
(shah-LEE-akh) n. Messenger; Delegate. Emissary. A person sent forth as an agent to perform a task for a Principal. In Jewish understanding the identity of the agent becomes that of the Principal when the agent performs the task given to him by the Principal. Plural form is Sh’lichim.
(kheez-ZOOK) n. Encouragement. Giving chazak to someone. (Give the guy some ~).
End (Goal) of the Torah
(takh-LEET) n. Aim, purpose, end; as in, “One of the “tachlitot” (pl.) of studying Torah is to reveal the need for the Mashiach. Romans 10:4 says, “For Mashiach is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes”:
Ephod
(ay-FOHD) n. Ephod. A linen apron with two shoulder straps to which the golden breastplate (choshen) was attached. For some interesting information about the ephod, click here.
Ephraim
(ef-RAI-eem) n. Ephraim, one of the two sons of Joseph the son of the Patriarch Jacob, hence a half-tribe (as was Manasseh). Also a town northeast of Jerusalem.
Eretz Ha-kodesh
(E-rets hak-KO-desh) n. The holy land. Israel.
Eretz Ha-Muvtachat
(E-retz ha-moov-TA-khat) n. The Promised Land; the land promised to Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya’akov (and their descendants) to inherit the land of Eretz Israel (the land of Israel). This is also sometimes spelled Ha'aretz Hamuvtachat.
Eretz Yisrael
(E-rets yis-ra-EL) n. The land of Israel. Also known as Eretz Hakkodesh.
Erev Shabbat
(e-rev shab-BAHT) n. Erev Shabbat. Friday up to sundown. Sabbath Eve (Friday evening). Erev means “evening.” Erev Tov! means “good evening.”
Eruv
(e-ROOV) n. A Rabbinic religious legal fiction of drawing a symbolic line or “fence” around an area so that the area may be considered as one’s “own yard,” thus permitting the carrying of things within it without fear of desecrating the Sabbath.
Esau
(e-SAHV) n. Esau. The eldest son of Isaac and Rebecca and twin brother of Jacob; sold the birthright for food when he was hungry and the divine blessing went to Jacob; progenitor of the Edomites. Esau means “hairy.”
Eser Sefirot
(e-ser se-fee-ROHT) n. Ten Sefirot. Ten divine emanations or manifestations of God of Jewish mysticism. These "emanations" or "enumerations" form the very heart of all Kabbalistic theology and theosophy. The sefirot are the ten archetypal attributes or characteristics of the Godhead. A distinction is made in Kabbalah between the unknowable Godhead, the Ein Sof or "infinite", and the knowable qualities of God, represented by the sefirot.
Eshet Chayil
(e-shet KHAI-yeel) n. phr. “Woman of valor.” Ideal woman (Prov. 31). Balabusteh. The poem in praise of the good wife (Proverbs 31:10-31) has an acrostic arrangement that describes the ideal Jewish housewife. Reading this is part of the Kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming of the Shabbat) liturgy, prior to the Shabbat meal.
Essenes
(ees-SEEM) n. pl. Essenes; According to Josephus, one of the three major sects of first-century c.e. Judaism (the other two being the Sadduces and the P'rushim, the Pharisees). The Essenes seem to have originated in the second century BCE and came to an end in the second century CE. Little is known of their life, but it is known that they were highly organized, ascetic, and communistic. It is speculated that almost all of the principal founders of what would later be called Christianity were Essenes--St. Ann, Joseph and Mary, John the Baptist, Jesus, John the Evangelist, etc.
Ester
(ES-tayr) n. Ester. The last of the five Megillot (scrolls) that are part of the Ketuvim. The story of God’s providence in the affairs of the Jews during the time of Xerxes (486-465 B.C.), ruler of Persia. Ester is read during Purim. The Fast of Ester is the 13th of Adar on the Jewish Calendar.
Ester, Book of
(me-gee-lat ES-tayr) n. Esther; The scroll with the story of Ester.
Etrog
(E-trog) n. One of the arba mimim (four spices) used during the festival of Sukkot (Lev. 23:40). Citron.
Etzem
(EH-tzem) n. Bone; essence; core; substance. A noun in Hebrew is called shem etzem, literally the “name of the essence.”
Etzem me’atzamai
(EH-tzem may-a-tzah-MAI) phr. Bone of my bone (Gen. 2:23). Hence, woman, wife.
Etz hachayim
(ayts ha-KHAI-yeem) n. The Tree of Life (Gen. 2.9).
Eved Hashem
(E-ved ha-SHEM) n. Servant of God.
Evening Service
(ma-a-REEV) n. Evening prayer; service for evening prayers. It is said that Abraham invented Shacharit by regularly praying to God in the morning; Issac is said to have invented Minchah (the afternoon service) by praying in the afternoon, and Jacob invented the Ma'ariv.
Everlasting Covenant
(be-REET oh-LAHM) n. Everlasting covenant. The exact nature of olam is subject to some dispute. For instance, the Sinai covenant is olam, yet it has been superceded by the brit chadashah. The terms qua that covenant are eternal, but they apply only so long as the covenant itself is in force.
Everlasting Love
(ah-ha-VAT oh-LAHM) phr. “Everlasting love.”
Everything is for the Best
(gam zoo le-toh-VAH) phr. “This too, is for the best.” From a story in the Talmud of a sage named Nachum, whose staunch faith in God led him to declare all of God's actions as being for the best. His name therefore became Nachum Ish Gam Zu, Nachum, the Man of 'Everything is for the Best.' (Note: gamzu is an abbreviation for the phrase.) An old saying: “The optimist believes this is the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist is afraid that the optimist is correct.”
Evil Eye
(ra’ AI-yeen) n. Evil eye; envy; selfishness (ra’ and ra’ah mean evil, wickedness, and injury).
Evil Speech
(lah-SHOHN hah-RAH) n. “The evil tongue,” which means saying something bad about another person even if it happens to be true. In other words, lashon hara is gossip, spreading evil (even if true) reports, or expressing a critical or negative spirit about others. Such behavior is explicitly forbidden in Levitcus 19:16. Of course there are times when a person is obligated to speak out, even though the information is disparaging (for example, while testifying under oath, and so on). However, the practice of being motzi ra (someone who speaks evil) is related to the status of metzora, the one who is afflicted with tzara’at, and therefore many of the Jewish sages have made the connection between the sin of lashon hara and the unclean condition known as tzara’at.
Exodus
(she-MOHT) n. pl. Names; Exodus. The story of the liberation of the Jewish people from their bondage in Egypt and the giving of the Mosaic covenant to Israel. The book of Exodus in the Bible is called “Sefer Yetziat Mitzraim” - the book of the Exodus from Egypt.
Exodus from Egypt
(ye-tsee-AT meets-RIGH-eem) n. Yetztiat Mitzraim: “The Exodus from Egypt.”
Expert
(may-VEEN) n. Judge; one who can discriminate between (bein) things well; a maven (yiddish); an expert.
Expertise
(me-vee-NOOT) n. Expertise; the quality of being mevin about something.
Ezra
(ez-RA’) n. Ezra; book of the Ketuvim in the Tanakh. Ezra means “help” or “aid.”
