Jewish Terms and their Meanings
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Group |
Description |
Reference |
| Safek | A legal term expressing doubt or uncertainty. | |
| Sakhir | Hired worker, as opposed to a slave. | |
| Sambatyon | A legendary river across which part of the ten tribes were exiled by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser. | |
| Sandak, Sandek | The godfather who holds the male child upon his knees during the circumcision ceremony, assisting the "Mohel". See also "Mohel". | |
| Sanhedrin | The Great Academy; the supreme political, religious, and judicial body in Palestine during the Roman period. The word is derived from the Greek "sunhedrion" which means "sitting together". | |
| Sar ha-Panim | Name of an angel who is accorded a special position in esoteric doctrine from the tannaitic period on. Same as "Metatron". | |
| Saris, Sarisim | This word has two distinct meanings: firstly it means "eunuch"; secondly it means "high-ranking government officers or officials". Jeremiah 29:2 illustrates these high positions. Some, like Potiphar (Genesis 39:1), were clearly married (Genesis 39:7) and not physically "eunuchs". | |
| Savora, Savoraim | Babylonian scholars between the amoraim and the geonim. Very little is known of this period. | |
| Se'ah | A measure of volume; about 3 gallons or 12 liters. | |
| Se'udah | A festive meal. | |
| Se'udah Shelishit | "Third meal"; name for the third meal eaten on the Sabbath. The eating of three meals on the Sabbath is considered by the rabbis as a positive commandment. | |
| Se'udat Havra'ah | The first meal a family has after a funeral. | |
| Sedarim | The 154 weekly portions into which the Pentateuch was divided in Palestine for the reading of the Torah in a 3-yearly cycle. See also "Parashiyyot". | |
| Sedecla | "Unrighteous"; name for the witch of Endor, she is also called "Zephaniah" for "the hidden one". | |
| Seder | "Order," and "arrangement". | |
| Seder Eliyahu Rabbah | According to the Talmud the prophet Elijah came to the third century Babylonian "amora" R. Anan and taught him this Midrash. | |
| Seder Eliyahu Zuta | Same as Seder Eliyahu Rabbah. | |
| Seder Olam Rabbah | "The Greater Order of the World"; midrashic, chronological work. | |
| Seder Olam Zuta | "The Small Order of the World"; midrashic, chronological work. | |
| Seder Yoma | Tractate of the Mishnah. | |
| Sefarim Hizonim | "External books"; uncanonical books. | |
| Sefer Beriat ha-Olam, Bere'shit | The Book of Genesis | |
| Sefer ha-Azarah | Temple Scroll; a part of the Dead Sea scrolls | |
| Sefer ha-Bahir | "Book of Bahir"; earliest work of kabbalistic literature, i.e. of that literature which adopts the specific approach and the symbolic structure characteristic of kabbalistic teaching. | |
| Sefer ha-Kanah | Book of Kanah; a kabbalistic work. | |
| Sefer ha-Miknah | Bill of divorce. | |
| Sefer ha-Razim | Book of secrets; early work of Jewish mystical literature. | |
| Sefer ha-Temunah | The book of Temunah; a kabbalistic book. | |
| Sefer ha-Yashar | Book of Jasher | |
| Sefer ha-Zohar | "The Book of Splendor"; the central work in the literature of the Kabbalah. | |
| Sefer Keritut | A bill of divorce. | |
| Sefer Torah | Scroll of the Law. | |
| Sefer Yezirah | The book of creation; the earliest extant Hebrew text of systematic, speculative thought. | |
| Sefirah | The 49 days before Pentecost. | |
| Sefirat ha-Omer | Same as Sefirah. | |
| Sefirot | Divine emanations. | |
| Selihah, Selihot | Penitential prayers. | |
| Semahot | Rabbinic text on death and mourning; also called "Evel" | |
| Semikhah, Semicha | The laying on of hands, a requirement for being a member of the Sanhedrin | |
| Sephardi, Sephardim, Sefaradim | Descendants of Jews who lived in Spain or Portugal before the expulsion of 1492. The term "Sephardim" is often erroneously used for other Jews of non-Ashkenazi origin. | |
| Sha'arei Musar Haskel | The name of a frequently printed ethical poem of the 11th century. | |
| Sha'awah | Wax | |
| Shabbat Bereshit | "The Sabbath of Genesis"; the first Sabbath after Tabernacles on which the new annual cycle of the Torah reading in synagogue begins. | |
| Shabbat ha-Gadol | "The great Sabbath"; Sabbath preceding Passover. | |
| Shabbat Mevarekhim | Announcement of the new moon; the Sabbath before the New Moon, following the reading of the haftarah, the reader leads the congregation in announcing and blessing the coming month. | |
| Shabbateanism | The largest and most momentous messianic movement in Jewish history subsequent to the destruction of the Temple and the Bar Kokhba Revolt. | |
| Shabbos | The Sabbath | |
| Shabbos Goy | A non-Jew who is told indirectly what things need to be done on the Sabbath (e.g. turn on lights, TV, oven, etc.). | |
| Shadchun | A marriage matchmaker. | |
| Shaharit | Dawn prayer, morning prayer. | |
| Shahina | Stew; traditionally prepared on Friday and placed in the oven before the Sabbath begins, to cook overnight and be eaten at Saturday lunch. Same as "Shulent". | |
| Shalom | Peace, safety, etc. | |
| Shalom Akhshav | "Peace Now"; Israeli peace movement. | |
| Shalom Aleikhem | Peace be upon you. | |
| Shalosh Regalim | The three pilgrim festivals in the year. | |
| Shalosh Se'udot | Third meal; same as "Se'udah Shelishit" | |
| Shamerim | Another name for "Samaritans". | |
| Shammash | Salaried minor official in the community, the synagogue, rabbinical court, or a hevrah. | |
| Shanim mekutta'ot | Literally "fragments of years"; an approach used in the Seder Olam to ascribe 1 year as the last year of one king and also as the first year of the next king. The effect is one of contracting the historical record. | |
| Sharir ve-kayyam | "Firm and established"; concluding clause in formal legal documents | |
| Shatnez | Also "shaatnez". This word refers to the prohibition against wearing clothing that contains both wool and linen. | |
| Shavua Tov | Literally "a good week"; said at the end of a Sabbath. | |
| Shavuot | Pentecost | |
| She'elah | Loan for use and return; relates to "utensils" (kelim). | |
| She'elot u' Teshuvot | "Queries and Replies"; a rabbinic term denoting an exchange of letters in which one party consults another on a halakhic matter. | |
| Shehelet | One of the ingredients of incense, onycha. | |
| Shehitah | The Jewish method of slaughtering permitted animals or birds for food. See also "Shohet". | |
| Shehitat Hullin | "Profane"; tractate of the Mishnah. | |
| Shekez | Abomination | |
| Shekhinah | "Dwelling" or "resting"; refers most often in rabbinic literature to the numinous immanence of God in the world. ["Numinous" means "mysterious power suggesting the presence of God", and "immanence" refers to "existing in all parts of the universe".] | |
| Sheli'ah Zibbur | "Envoy or messenger of the community"; a person who in public synagogue worship officiates as reader and cantor. | |
| Sheluhei Erez Israel | "Emissaries of Erez Israel"; name for messengers from Erez Israel sent abroad as emissaries to raise funds. | |
| Shema | The twice daily reading of Deuteronomy 6:4. | |
| Shemini Azeret | The Last Great Day of Leviticus 23:26, the 8th day of assembly. | |
| Shemira | Safekeeping | |
| Shemittah | Sabbatical year and jubilee. | |
| Shemoneh Esreh | Literally "eighteen"; popular name for the Amidah prayer. See also "Amidah". | |
| Shemot | Book of Exodus | |
| Shemurah mazzah | Special mazzot, prepared from wheat which has been under observation from the time of reaping or grinding. | |
| Shenhab | Ivory | |
| Sheol | The grave, abode of the dead. | |
| Shetar | Formal legal document, for the biblical tern "sefer". | |
| Shevi'it | "Seventh Year"; tractate of the Mishnah. | |
| Shevu'ah | Oath | |
| Shi'bud, Shi'bud Nekhasim | A lien over all the debtor's property. Also called "Aharayut Nekhasim". | |
| Shiddukhin | Betrothal; the mutual promise between a man and a woman to contract a marriage at some future time; see also "Erusin". | |
| Shiflut | Humility | |
| Shikhhah | "Forgotten produce"; left on the land for the poor to glean. | |
| Shikkaron | Drunkenness | |
| Shikkuz | Abomination | |
| Shiksa | A derogatory term for a non-Jewish female. See also "Shkutz". | |
| Shinena | Keen witted, sharp witted, clever person. | |
| Shir ha-Kavod | "Song of Glory"; also called Anim Zemirot ("Let me chant sweet hymns"); synagogue hymn. | |
| Shir ha-Shirim | Song of Songs; Song of Solomon. | |
| Shirha ma'a lot | Song of Ascent; superscription of Psalms 120–134. | |
| Shittah, Shittim | Acacia trees | |
| Shivah | The seven days of mourning following a burial. | |
| Shkutz | A derogatory term for a non-Jewish male. See also "Shiksa". | |
| Shofar | Ram's horn, used as a trumpet. | |
| Shoher Tov | "Seeker of Good"; the name of an edition of Midrash Tehillim. | |
| Shohet, Shohatim | Ritualistic slaughterer of clean animals. See also "Shehitah". | |
| Sholem Zokhor | "Peace to the male child"; name of a traditional home ceremony held on the first Friday evening after the birth of a boy. | |
| Shomer | Kashrut inspector; see also "Kashrut". | |
| Shomerim | Guards, those who sit with a body until it is buried. | |
| Shor ha-bar | Wild bull | |
| Shovavim tat | An acrostic composed of the initial letters of the names of the first eight weekly Torah portions of the Book of Exodus, which are read in the winter months between Hanukkah and Purim. See also "Sidrot" and "Tikkun shovevim". | |
| Shteeble | A small synagogue. | |
| Shtetl | Yiddish diminutive for "city" or "town". | |
| Shu'al | Fox | |
| Shukkel | The swaying back and forth during prayer or study; commonly seen at the Wailing Wall. | |
| Shul | Another name for "Synagogue", Jewish house of worship. | |
| Shulent | Stew; traditionally prepared on Friday and placed in the oven before the Sabbath begins, to cook overnight and be eaten at Saturday lunch. Same as "Shahina". | |
| Shulhan Arukh | "The prepared table"; name of a code written by Joseph Caro. | |
| Shurut | Arabic for "covenant". | |
| Shvigger | Yiddish term for mother-in-law. | |
| Siddur | Prayer books. The writing down of the text of blessings and prayers was considered forbidden ("writers of blessings are like those who burn the Torah," Tosef. to Shab. 13:4; Shab. 115b; TJ, Shab. 16:1, 15c). After the completion of the Talmud, however, this prohibition was disregarded. Also used to mean a daily prayer book. | |
| Sidrot | Torah portions read on different days. | |
| Sifra | "A book"; halakhic Midrash to the Book of Leviticus; a collection of tannaitic beraitot. | |
| Sifrei | "Books"; a halakhic Midrash to the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. As early as amoraic times the word sifrei was employed as the designation for a collection of halakhic beraitot. | |
| Sifrei Zuta | A halakhic Midrash to the Book of Numbers; a collection of tannaitic beraitot. | |
| Simhah | Joy | |
| Simhat Torah | "Rejoicing of the Torah"; a festival day observed on the same day as "Shemini Azeret" in Israel, and one day later in the Diaspora. | |
| Siyyum | "Conclusion"; designation for celebrations held on certain occasions. | |
| Siyyum ha-Shas | The celebration held at the conclusion of the study of a Talmud tractate or of the whole Talmud. | |
| Siyyum Sefer Torah | A consecration ceremony held at the conclusion of the writing of a new Torah Scroll. | |
| Sod | "Mystery," i.e. the esoteric interpretation. | |
| Sofer, Soferim | Scribes; during the Second Temple period the word came to denote a specific class of scholars. | |
| Somrei Sabat | Christian sect in Transylvania. Founded in the 1580s in central Transylvania, the sect had distinct anti-Trinitarian trends. During its long history the sect passed from denial of the Trinity to rejection of the New Testament until it approached very close to Judaism. The inhabitants of the Transylvanian village Bezidul Nou, the majority of whom were adherents of the sect, converted to Judaism in 1868 - 69, and their descendants were completely absorbed into Judaism. | |
| Sotah | "Suspected wife" or "wayward woman"; a woman suspected of adultery that cannot be legally proved is to be brought by her husband to the priest for an ordeal of jealousy. | |
| Sukkah | A booth; dwelling place for Tabernacles. | |
| Sukkot, Succoth | The Feast of Tabernacles. | |
| Synagogue | Assembly; the meeting place for the congregation for religious services. |