(literally “son of the commandment” - the ceremony for women is called bat mitzvah). Refers to the coming-of-age ceremony when an adolescent reaches religious maturity, and assumes the rights and responsibilities of an adult. Conducted on the first Sabbath after the boy’s thirteenth birthday. His family meets at the synagogue, and during the ceremony he is invited for the first time to read the Torah.

(literally “Blessed be the name”). Thanks to God. HaShem (“the name”) is the reverential substitution for the divine name Jhwh, which cannot be pronounced.

Leavened foods. Forbidden during Pesach (Passover - see entry on Pesach).

Pronounced “hu-pah”. Nuptial canopy under which the wedding ceremony takes place. Consists of a cloth supported by four poles, which may be held up by four attendants. Symbolizes the couple’s future marital home.

B’rit milah, (literally, “covenant of circumcision”), also called a bris, refers to a religious ritual through which male babies are formally welcomed into the Jewish people. Jewish males were circumcised at the age of eight days.

(literally “dedication”). The Festival of Lights, commemorating the reconsecration (Dedication) of the Temple of Jerusalem in 164 CE by Judas Maccabeus. Begins at sunset on the 24th day of the month of Kislev, and lasts eight days, during which the candles of the eight-branch candelabrum are lit one by one.

Referenced on pgs 85-88. The months of the Hebrew calendar are Tishri, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. It is based off a lunar calendar. The ‘first month’ of the Jewish calendar is the month of Nisan; however, the Jewish New Year is in Tishrei, the seventh month, and that is when the year number is increased.

A Rabbi who was quoted in a popular collection of post biblical literature.

Pages 82-84: Quotes attribute Judah Ben Temah (“at twenty”, “at thirty”, “at forty”) are actually from the Mishnah. The original quote:

He used to say:

At five years of age the study of Scripture;

At ten the study of Mishnah;

At thirteen subject to the commandments;

At fifteen the study of Talmud;

At eighteen the bridal canopy;

At twenty for pursuit [of livelihood];

At thirty the peak of strength;

At forty wisdom;

At fifty able to give counsel;

At sixty old age;

At seventy fullness of years;

At eighty the age of “strength”;

At ninety a bent body;

At one hundred, as good as dead and gone completely out of the world.

Although this mishnah begins “he used to say” and therefore seems to be Judah ben Tema’s words, according to the Tosafot Yom Tov (a rabbi and Talmudist) it is actually the words of Shmuel Hakatan (a Babylonian Jew considered a great early religious scholar).

Pronounced “Kah dish”. Aramaic, not Hebrew. A hymn praising God, recited during Jewish prayer services. The best known is the Mourner’s Kaddish, spoken during the bereavement period and to mark the anniversary of a death of a loved one. It never mentions death or dying but instead glorifies God.

Anglicization of the Yiddish word for “kiss,” pronounced like “kiss” except with an “sh” at the end instead of “ss.” In the original novel, Mayer Lehman becomes known as Kish-Kish because of his unique ability to sweet talk potential clients and earn their trust.

(literally “doorpost”). Refers to a ritual object, a parchment on which are written the Torah passages corresponding to the first two parts of the Shema (see entry on Shema). The mezuzah is placed on the doorpost, to the right as one enters, at a height of about two-thirds of the door, and in any event at hand height.

The code of oral tradition, the body of teaching passed down by Moses. Has become one of the two parts of the Talmud (see entry on Talmud).