GLOSSARY
AHAVAT - for the love of…
BAR/BAT MITZVAH - lit: son/daughter of Commandments; the coming of age for religious responsibility 13/12
BRIT MILAH aka: BRIS - lit: the circumcision covenant; ceremony performed on a Jewish baby boy on the 8th day of life so that he may enter into the Covenant of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. It is a father’s duty to see that this is done
BEDEKEN- lit: to examine. Before the ceremony, the Groom is escorted to the Bride sitting on her Queenly chair. He looks at her to make sure this is the correct bride (rather than a substitute or “switched” one). He then places the veil over her face. This dates back to when Jacob wanted to marry his beloved Rachel and wound up with her sister Leah instead. They were switched by their father.
CHESED - an act of loving kindness
CHASSANAH - Wedding Celebration
CHASSON - Groom
CHASSON’S TISH - lit: Groom’s table. A pre-ceremony event where the men gather together to encourage the groom, have a little nosh and the Rabbi inspects the Ketubbah. The Groom usually tries to give a d’var Torah, but men heckle him while he’s attempting to talk.
CHUPPA- Wedding Canopy
D’VAR TORAH - lit: Thoughts from Torah. A little speech of words of wisdom.
FRAYLICHA - Lively, joyful
GEMACH - Low cost rental or purchase service; frequently run out of someone’s home
HACHNASAT KALLAH - Helping a bride and groom start their life together when they do not have any financial means
HATZLACHA - Much Success
KALLAH - Bride
KETUBAH - The marriage contract. Usually in a decorative border that can be framed later.
KIBBUTZ - an Israeli collective community
KOL TUV - all things for the good
LAG B’OMER - lit: the 33rd day of (counting of the) omer (measure of wheat/barley)
L’CHAIM - “To Life!”
MAZAL TOV - lit: “good stars” originally connected with astrology. Now: “Congratulations!”
MITZVAH - lit: Command; Ordinance. Now commonly meant “to do a Good Deed”
PEASACH - the “passing over” of the Angel of Death in Egypt just prior to the “Exodus”. Refers to the sacrificial blood of a lamb used to mark the houses of the Jews in order to save them from death
SEFIROT HA OMER - lit: counting of the omer (measure of wheat/barley) done daily during the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot. No weddings are to take place during this time except on Lag B’omer (the 33rd day of the count)
SHABBAT - Sabbath; seventh day of the week; Saturday; A rest day commanded by GOD
SHAVUOT - lit: 7 weeks. AKA: Feast of Weeks; Pentecost; The Ingathering of the Early Harvest. The time ending the interval from Pesach for the counting of the omer.
SIMCHA - Any joyous occasion or celebration
TIZKU L’MITZVOT! - A greeting, “We should be blessed with good deeds”
TORAH - lit: INSTRUCTIONS; erroneously translated as “The Bible” or “The Law”
TOV - Good
TOV MAOD - VERY, VERY GOOD, EXCELLENT, MARVELOUS, MAGNIFICENT, OUTSTANDING…
