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Kabbalah: (lit. “received tradition”) the body of Jewish mystical teachings, the central text of which is the Zohar
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Kabbalat Ol ("acceptance of the yoke"; unequivocal commitment to G-d): (lit. “acceptance of the yoke”); total submission and subordination to the will of G-d
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Kabbalat Panim: The pre-Chupah receptions hosted by the bride and groom.
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Kabbalat Shabbat: the Friday evening service that welcomes the incoming Shabbat
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Kaddish: (Aramaic, lit. “holy”); brief prayer recited by a mourner or by the chazan
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Kadesh: the first step in the Passover seder, in which Kiddush is recited
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Kadosh: (lit. “saintly one”); (a) title given (posthumously) to a person who has suffered martyrdom; (b) one who leads a saintly lifestyle
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Kaf: the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet, prounounced "k" (or as a guttural "ch" if without adagesh), with a numerical value of 20
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Kaf Hakela: (lit."The hollow of a sling") process of purgatory
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Kagan, R. Israel Meir HaCohen ("Chafetz Chaim"): 1838-1933; important rabbinical figure of the European Jewish community before World War II; author of Chafetz Chaim (a work on the evils of slander), after which he is called, and the Mishnah Brurah (a codification of Jewish law); lived in Radin, Poland.
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Kal Vachomer: (lit. "light and weighty"); a principle of scriptural interpretation whereby a conclusion is drawn from a minor premise or more lenient condition ("light") to a major or more strict one ("weighty") or vice versa, a fortiori argument. In common parlance, "all the more so."
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Kallah: bride
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Kalot HaNefesh (Dissolution of the Soul): (lit. “the expiration of the soul”) yearning for closeness to G-d to the extent that the soul actually expires
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Kamatz: one of the Hebrew vowel signs
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Kaparot: (lit. "atonements"); atonement ceremony performed before Yom Kippur, traditionally while holding a fowl, fish or money which is then given to charity
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Kapitel: (Yiddish, lit. "chapter"); used for Psalms and other Scriptures
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Karet: (lit. “excision”); the cutting of the soul, causing premature death on the earthly plane and a severing of the soul’s connection with G-d on the spiritual plane
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Karpas: (lit. "greens") the vegetable on the Passover seder plate that is dipped in saltwater and eaten at the beginning of the seder
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Kashrut: The laws of kosher.
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Kav: (lit. “line”) the vector of Divine light which emanated after the First Tzimtzum--the initial concealment of Divine light
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Kavanot: (lit. "intentions, concentration"); mystical themes for devout meditation during prayer and the observance of the mitzvot
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Kedushah: (lit. “holiness”); a passage in the public prayer service, with portions recited responsively by the chazan and the congregation
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Kehunah: (lit. "priesthood"); G-d's sanctification of Aaron and his descendants to serve Him in the Holy Temple as the emissaries of the people of Israel
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Keilim: (lit. “vessels”) the powers which enclothe Divine light and express it in a limited form; the relationship between the keilim and the orot (“lights”, the Divine energy) is compared to that between the body and the soul
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Kein Ayin Hara: "An evil eye should not be cast upon him."
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Kein Ayin Hara ("no evil eye"): (Yiddish) “No evil eye!" Customarily added after praising another; expressing the wish that the evil eye should not affect the individual discussed.
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Keitz: (lit. “end”) a particularly auspicious time for Moshiach to bring the exile to an end
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Keli: a vessel or utensil
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Keli (vessel): (lit. “vessel”) the powers which enclothe Divine light and express it in a limited form; the relationship between the keilim and the orot (“lights”, the Divine energy) is compared to that between the body and the soul
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Kelipah: (lit. “shell”) the outer covering which conceals the G-dly light within all creation; hence, the unholy side of the universe
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Kelipat Nogah: (lit. “the shining kelipah”) dimension of kelipah in which the light is intermingled with the shell; differs from the other kelipot in that its spiritual potential (the “brightness” within it) can be redeemed by man’s constructive intent while making use of the physicality in which it is vested
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Keruvim (Cherubs): angels resembling young children; relief images of two winged cherubim were part of the cover of the holy Ark in the temple
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Kesef Mishneh: the gloss to Maimonides' Mishneh Torah authored by R. Yosef Karo, compiler of the Shulchan Aruch
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Keter: (lit. “crown”) the sublime level of divine emanation which transcends the set of the ten Sefirot; in man’s spiritual personality it is the source of the corresponding “superconscious” faculties of pleasure and will
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Ketubah: Marriage contract
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Keturah: Woman Abraham married after Sarah's passing. The midrash identifies her as Hagar.
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Kezayit: (lit. "like an olive"); a halachic measure formally described as the size of an olive, and approximately one ounce or 25.6 grams
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Kiddush: (lit. “sanctification”); (a) blessing recited over a cup of wine expressing the sanctity of the Sabbath or of a festival; (b) refreshments served in the synagogue after the recital of Kiddush
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Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of G-d's Name): (a) The sanctification of G-d’s Name; (b) Martyrdom.
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Kiddush Levanah: (lit. “sanctification of the moon”) prayer service recited in the first half of each month blessing the new moon
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Kiddushin: (a) Betrothal. The first stage of the Torah-mandated wedding process. Kiddushin is accomplished beneath the chupah (wedding canopy) when the groom giving the bride the ring. Kiddushin actually renders the bride and groom full- fledged husband and wife except that the couple may not live together as husband and wife until the second stage, the nisu'in, is completed. (b) A tractate of the Talmud that discusses the laws of kiddushin.
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Kilayim: a forbidden mixture; e.g.: the forbidden interbreeding of plant or animal species
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King David: (a) (907-837 BCE) A Bethlehem native, youngest son of Jesse and Nitzevet. A shepherd boy, he rose to fame after slaying the Philistine hero Goliath. This earned him the hand of King Saul’s daughter Michal in marriage. Anointed by Samuel to succeed Saul after the latter failed to annihilate Amalek. This aroused Saul's jealousy, who then pursued him relentlessly. David became king after Saul’s death. During his monarchy, David successfully secured and expanded Israel’s borders, but was beset by a series of revolts and personal tribulations. Compiled the Book of Psalms. Succeeded by his son Solomon. (b) A common Jewish name.
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Kings, the Book of: The (two-part) book of Tanach relating the history of the Israelites and their kings, from David's passing until the Babylonian exile (837-423 BCE).
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Kinot: the poetic dirges recited on Tishah B'Av
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Kinyan: an act that formalizes a legal transaction
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Kipah (Head Covering), The: (lit. dome; Yiddish: yarmulkeh) Skullcap. The head covering worn by Jewish men symbolizing recognition of G-d above.
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Kislev 19: anniversary of the passing of R. Dovber, the Maggid of Mezritch, in 1772, and anniversary of the release from capital sentence and imprisonment of his disciple, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, in 1798; celebrated as a Chassidic holiday amongst Chabad Chassidim
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Kislev, Month of: Hebrew month corresponding to November - December
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Kitniyot (Legumes): Ashkenazi Jews refrain from eating kitniyot (legumes) on Passover. This prohibition includes rice, beans, peanuts and corn, as well as other items.
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Kitrug: an accusatory voice in the Heavenly Court
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Kittel: (Yiddish) white gown worn on Yom Kippur and certain other solemn occasions
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Kitzur Shulchan Aruch: part of the Code of Jewish Law as abbreviated by R. Shlomo Ganzfried for lay use
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Klal: (a) a general rule. (b) a collective unit.
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Klal & Prat (General & Detail): (lit. "general" and "detail") Several of the hermeneutic rules used to interpret the Scriptures (in order to construct halachah) examine the order of "general statements" and "specific statements," as well as the relationship between them.
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Kli Yakar: commentary to the Torah which highlights the homiletic or derush, written by Shlomo Ephraim of Luntshits (1550-1619), a student of the Maharshal
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Koach: a source of energy or force as it exists in a potential state
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Kochot HaNefesh: (lit. “powers of the soul”); Chassidut discusses ten “powers” or faculties with which the soul is vested: The three intellectual ones - chochmah (insight, wisdom), binah (development, understanding), and da’at (application, knowledge). The seven emotional attributes: chessed (kindness, giving), gevurah (severity, withholding), tiferet (beauty, mercy), netzach (victory, prevailing), hod (splendor, acknowledgment), yesod (foundation), and malchut (royalty)
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Kochot Makkifim: the transcendent faculties of the soul
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Kochot Pnimiyim: the internalized, conscious faculties of the soul
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Kodashim: animals or other objects consecrated to the service of G-d in the Holy Temple
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Kohelet: A book of Tanach containing Solomon's wise observations on life. In many communities it is read on the holiday of Sukkot.
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Kohen: priest, descendant of Aaron, responsible for the service in the Holy Temple
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Kohen Gadol: the “high priest,” or chief of the Kohanim; only he may enter the Holy of Holies
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Kol Nidrei: (lit. "all the vows"); solemn prayer opening the evening service of Yom Kippur
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Kollel: yeshivah for advanced adult students
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Korah: First cousin of Moses and Aaron. Led a revolt against Moses and Aaron, claiming that the priesthood should not belong exclusively to Aaron and his descendants. He and his followers were swallowed up by the ground.
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Korban Pesach: The sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb brought before Passover.
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Korban Tamid: the daily sacrifice, offered in the Temple in the morning and before nightfall
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Korech: (lit. "wrap" and "make a sandwich") the tenth step of the Passover seder--to eat matzah and maror combined in a sandwich.
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Kos Shel Brachah: (lit. "cup of blessing"); the cup of wine over which the Grace after Meals has been recited
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Kosher: (lit. "fit"); (a) complying with the dietary laws; (b) fit to be used for ritual purposes
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Kosher L'Pesach: Kosher for Passover use.
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Kreplach: (Yiddish) pastry delicacy with filling of ground meat or chicken traditionally served on certain festive occasions such as before Yom Kippur, on Hoshana Rabbah and Purim
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Ktivah VaChatimah Tovah: (lit. "may you be inscribed and sealed for the good"); Rosh HaShanah greeting
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Kuf: the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, prounounced "k," with a numerical value of 100
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Kvatter: (Yid) The man honored with taking the baby boy from the the kvatterin (usually his wife) and bringing him to the area where the circumcision will take place.
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Kvatterin: (Yid.) The woman honored with taking the baby boy from his mother and bringing him to the circumcision room, where she hands him to the kvatter (usually her husband).
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Kvell: (Yiddish) to take great pride and pleasure; a peculiarly Jewish joy most often associated with the accomplishments of one’s family members
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