Jewish Terms and their Meanings
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Group |
Description |
Reference |
| Na'arah | Designation for a girl between the age of 12 years and 12 years and 6 months. See also "Gedolah" and "Bogeret". | |
| Nachesh | The use of charms and incantations. | |
| Nagid, Negidim | The head of the Jewish community in Islamic countries. | |
| Nahal Besor | The Brook of Besor | |
| Nahalah | The anniversary of a death; also known by the Yiddish term "Yahrzeit". | |
| Nashim | "Women"; tractate in the Mishnah. | |
| Nasi, Nesi'im | The leaders of the people of Israel in the wilderness. Jewish rulers during the period of the Second Temple used the title nasi. | |
| Nazir | Name of tractate in the Mishnah. | |
| Nazirite | "To separate oneself"; person who vows for a specific period to abstain from partaking of grapes or any of its products whether intoxicating or not, cutting his hair, and touching a corpse. | |
| Ne'ilah | A worship service deriving from the ritual of the Second Temple. | |
| Neder | Vows and vowing. | |
| Nefesh | A soul, the person. | |
| Nefilat Appayim | "Supplication"; name of a prayer which is a confession of sins and a petition for grace. | |
| Nega'im | "Plagues"; a tractate in the Mishnah. | |
| Negev | Dry, parched; name of the southern part of Israel. | |
| Nehorah | Light | |
| Nehushtan | The name of the copper serpent which King Hezekiah broke into pieces (2 Kings 18:4). | |
| Nephilim | A race of giants. | |
| Ner Neshamah | "The light of the soul"; a light kindled on the anniversary of the death of a relative. | |
| Ner Tamid | "Eternal lamp"; a light which burns perpetually in front of the ark in synagogues. | |
| Nerd | Spices | |
| Nes | Miracle | |
| Neshef | Night | |
| Nessiat kappayim | Priestly blessing. | |
| Netilat Yadayim | Literally "raising the hands"; rabbinic term for the obligatory washing of the hands. | |
| Nevi'im | The Prophets; second major division of the Old Testament Scriptures. | |
| Nevu'at ha-Yeled | "The Prophecy of the Child"; a medieval Hebrew short story. | |
| Nezikin | Damage; see also "Avot Nezikin". Also the name of a tractate of the Mishnah. | |
| Neziroth | The vow of a Nazirite. | |
| Niddah | A menstruous woman. | |
| Niddui | Expulsion of a member from a group; separation | |
| Nisan | Name of the 1st month of the Jewish year. | |
| Nishmat Kol Hai | "The soul of every living being"; the initial words and name of a prayer recited at Sabbath and festival morning services. | |
| Notarikon | Method of abbreviating Hebrew words or phrases by acronym. | |
| Nothar | "Left over"; meat not consumed within the permitted period. | |
| Nuh | Another name for "Noah". | |
| Nusah, Nussah | Musical term; also "Nosah". |