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Maamar: lit. “word” or "essay." Often a reference to a formal discourse of Chassidic teachings delivered by a chassidic Rebbe.
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Maaneh Lashon: booklet containing the prayers and readings recited at the resting place of a tzaddik
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Maariv (evening prayer): The evening prayer services.
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Maaser Sheni: the tithe eaten in Jerusalem
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Maccabees, The: The Jewish army that revolted against the Syrian-Greek occupation in 139 BCE, whose miraculous victory culminated in the festival of Chanukah. Their name is an acronym of their battle cry, whose Hebrew words mean “who is likened unto You amongst all powers, O, G-d.”
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Machloket (Torah Debate): (lit. "debate" or "dispute"); in Torah, a dispute between two differing opinions on a legal interpretation
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Machzor: prayer book used on the High Holidays. (Some liturgical traditions also use specialized machzors for other holidays.)
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Magen Avraham: commentary on the Orach Chayim section of the Shulchan Aruch by R. Avraham Abele HaLevi, a prominent 17th-century Polish scholar; the author of this work
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Maggid: the fifth step of the Passover seder in which the story of the Exodus is told
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Maggid (Preacher): teacher or preacher, when capitalized, “the Maggid” usually refers specifically to R. Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch;
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Maggid of Dubna (R. Yaakov Wolf Krantz): Rabbi Yaakov Krantz, 1741-1804; famous European preacher, best known for his parables
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Mah Nishtanah: (lit. "What Is Different?"); the "Four Questions" asked by the children at the Passover seder
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Maharam Schiff: Moreinu HaRav Meir Schiff; 1608-1644, author of a classical commentary on the Talmud, famous for insightful explanation of the subject matter without resorting to pilpul
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Maharil: R. Yaakov HaLevi Moellin, 1360-1427, foremost German talmudist of the 14th century; the father of many Ashkenazi customs
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Maharsha: R. Shmuel Eliezer Eidels, 1555-1631, author of a commentary on the Talmud
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Maimonides: Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, known by the acronym the “Rambam”, 1135-1204; Cordoba (Spain), Fez (Morocco) and Fostat (old Cairo, Egypt); codifier, philosopher, communal leader, and court physician to Sultan Saladin of Egypt; author of a commentary on the Mishnah, the Book of Mitzvot, Mishneh Torah, the Guide to the Perplexed and many other works
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Makif: (lit. "encompassing"); an aspect or effluence which encompasses its subject in a transcending form
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Malachi: A contemporary of Zechariah and Haggai, the last of the prophets. Prophesied at the onset of the Second Temple Era.
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Malachi, the Book of: The book of Tanach containing Malachi's prophecies, admonishing the Jews to serve G-d.
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Malchiyot: one of the blessings of the Mussaf service on Rosh HaShanah, consisting of verses reflecting G-d’s sovereignty
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Malchut (kingship): sovereignty, the last of the ten Divine sefirot and their corresponding mortal middot; acts as a transitionary link to a lower world
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Malkot ("lashes"): ("lashes") The Jewish court would administer lashes to a person who intentionally violated a negative commandment. The amount of lashes was determined by a doctor's assessment of what the person could sustain, up to thirty-nine.
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Mamash: Literally; actually; tangibly; palpably
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Mamzer: A child born from an incestuous or adulterous relationship--specifically, a relationship between a man and a woman who halachically cannot be bonded in marriage.
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Manasseh (Son of Joseph): (a) Joseph’s eldest son. Born in Egypt before the onset of the fateful famine. His grandfather Jacob elevated him and his brother Ephraim to the status of progenitors of tribes within the nation of Israel. According to the Midrash, he served as his father's interpreter in the royal court. (b) A common Jewish name.
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Manna, The: the food from heaven provided to the Jews in the desert after the exodus from Egypt
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Maor: light source, luminary
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Maot Chitim: charity to help needy families for Passover
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Maror: the bitter herbs eaten at the Passover seder
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Martyrs, the Ten: Ten Mishnaic sages who were killed by the Romans in the second century CE as an atonement for the sale of Joseph. They are: Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel II, Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha, Rabbi Akiba, Rabbi Hananiah ben Teradion, Rabbi Hutzpit the Interpreter, Rabbi Eleazar ben Samua, Rabbi Hananiah ben Hakinai, Rabbi Yeshevav the Scribe, Rabbi Judah ben Damah, and Rabbi Judah ben Bava. On Yom Kippur and Tishah B'Av it is customary to read an elegy that discusses the martyrdom of these holy men. (Some sources replace some of the names above with Rabbi Hananiah the Deputy High Priest, Rabbi Judah ben Teima, Rabbi Judah the Baker, and Rabbi Tarfon.)
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Mashkeh: strong drink, liquor
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Mashpia (Spiritual Mentor): (lit. “source of influence”); a spiritual chassidic mentor
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Maskil: (lit.: “that which causes intellectual enlightenment”) a) The adjective King David uses to describe certain Psalms. b) A follower of the so-called Enlightenment movement. c) A chassid with a profound understanding of chassidic philosophy.
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Masmid: one who studies Torah constantly, with great diligence
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Matan Torah: Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.
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Matriarchs, The: Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel, from whom the Jewish nation descended; the wives of the Patriarchs.
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Mattathias ben Johanan: (d. 139 BCE) Father of the Maccabees, led the rebellion against the Syrian Greeks, culminating in the miraculous victory which is celebrated on the festival of Chanukah.
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Matzah: unleavened bread eaten on Passover
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Mayim Achronim: lit. "after-waters," used to wash the fingertips after a meal, in preparation for Grace after Meals.
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Mazal: a) A medium that conveys spiritual influence to worldly beings; in its Talmudic usage, the celestial constellations that serve this purpose. b) The root or main part of the soul, which is not experienced consciously.
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Mazal Tov: (lit. "a good mazal") Traditional congratulatory wish for happy lifecycle events such as births, weddings, circumcisions, and bar or bat mitzvahs.
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Mechilta: (Aramaic, lit. “the Compendium”); a text of exegesis on the Book of Exodus compiled in the era of the Mishnah, during the third century
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Mechirat Chametz: (lit. "sale of leavened"); the sale to a non-Jew of leavened goods or vessels which cannot remain in one’s property over Passover
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Mechitzah (separation between the sexes): the partition separating between the men’s and women’s sections in a synagogue.
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Mechutan: the father of one’s son-in-law or daughter-in-law
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Megilah: (lit. "scroll") Usually a reference to the Scroll of Esther that is read on Purim and chronicles the story of the holiday.
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Megillat Esther: The Biblical book of Esther.
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Mehader: one who performs mitzvot precisely and lovingly
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Mei Geshamim: rainwater (as used in a mikvah)
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Meir, Rabbi: (2nd century CE) Mishnaic sage, also known as Meir Baal Hanes (“Meir, the Master of the Miracle”), husband of Beruriah and son-in-law of Hananiah ben Teradion. Student of Rabbi Akiba, Rabbi Ishmael, as well as Elisha ben Abuyah. As a general rule, any Mishna that states a halachah anonymously is assumed to represent the view of Rabbi Meir. The Talmud testifies that his intellect was so keen, that his sagacious colleagues were unable to plumb the depths of his ideas.
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Mekushar: a chassid who has developed a meaningful spiritual bond with his Rebbe
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Melachim: the Book of Kings
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Melachim: 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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Melamed: (lit. "teacher"); children’s Torah teacher
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Melaveh Malkah: (lit. "accompany the queen"); festive meal held on Saturday night to escort the departing Sabbath Queen
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Mem: the thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, prounounced "m," with a numerical value of 40
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Memalleh Kol Almin: (lit. “filling all worlds”); G-d’s immanent light which enclothes itself in every particular created being
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Men of the Great Assembly: A panel of 120 prophets and sages--including Ezra, Nehemiah, Mordecai, Daniel, Simeon the Righteous and the prophets
Haggai, Zechariah, and
Malachi--which constituted the ultimate religious authority at the onset of the Second Temple Era (4th century BCE). Among their accomplishments was the composition of the text of our standard prayers and blessings.
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Menachem M. Schneerson: Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory (1902-1994); seventh leader of Chabad-Lubavitch, lived in Nikolayev and Dnieperptrosk (Ukraine), Leningrad, Berlin, Warsaw, Paris and New York; built upon and expanded his predecessors’ work to revolutionize Jewish life across the globe; known simply as “the Rebbe”
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Menorah: The seven-branched gold candelabra in the Temple.
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Mentch: (Yiddish; lit. "person"): a person of integrity and honor
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Merirut: (lit. “bitterness”); negative feelings which spur a person to positive activity
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Meshaleach: (lit. "sender"); one who designates and sends an emissary
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Mesirat Nefesh: (lit. "giving of the soul"); self sacrifice.
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Methuselah: (3074-2105 BCE) Son of Enoch and grandfather of Noah; a wise and righteous man. He died at age 969 (the longest recorded lifespan in the scriptures), seven days before the Flood.
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Metzora: a person afflicted with tzaraat
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Mezonot: blessing (“Who creates various kinds of foods”) recited over foods prepared from the five species of grain
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Mezuzah: (lit. doorpost); parchment scroll affixed to the doorposts of a Jewish home or business, containing portions of the Shema.
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Mi SheBeirach: (lit. “May He Who blessed...”); opening words of brief prayer on behalf of a specific person that often accompanies the Torah reading in the synagogue
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Micah the Prophet: (6th century BCE) Student of Elijah and a contemporary of Hosea, Isaiah and Amos.
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Micah, the Book of: The book of Tanach containing Micah's prophecies, foretelling the Israelites' exile as well as the future redemption. Micah reproves the people for worshipping foreign gods and extorting the poor, and urges them to worship G-d wholeheartedly.
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Michal (David's wife): (a) (9th century BCE) Daughter of King Saul, her hand in marriage was given to David after he killed Goliath. While David was fleeing Saul’s wrath, Michal was wedded to Paltiel ben Laish. After established his kingship, David brought her back to his home. (b) A common Jewish name.
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Middot: (a) Attributes of character; spiritual emotions (e.g., the love or awe of G-d); mental states. (b) The seven lower sefirot, the Divine emotive attributes. (c) Tractate of the Talmud that concerns itself with the structure of the Holy Temple.
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Midian: An ancient Middle Eastern nation descended from Abraham and Keturah 222. After Balaam failed in his attempt to curse the Israelites, he successfully advised the
Midianites to send their daughters to seduce the Israelite men, which caused a plague to strike the Israelites. At G-d’s command, the Israelites then waged war against the Midianites, killing almost all of them.
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Midrash: (a) the classical collection of the Sages’ homiletic teachings on the Torah, on the non-literal level of derush; (b) any one such teaching
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Midrash Rabbah: a compilation of Midrashic interpretations of the Pentateuch and certain other Biblical books, composed in the fourth century
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Midrash Shmuel: commentary on Ethics of the Fathers by Rabbi Shmuel Uceda; 1540-1600; Sefad
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Mikdash: Sanctuary; generally synonymous with Mishkan, though also with Beit HaMikdash
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Mikoshesh: Individual executed for desecrating the Shabbat while the Israelites were in the desert (Numbers 15). According to the Talmud, the motivation for his deed was to alert the Israelites to the severity of Shabbat desecration. Some identify this individual as Zelophehad.
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Mikveh, the: (lit. "collection or gathering [of water]"); ritual bathing pool in which a person immerses himself as part of the transition to ritual purity
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Milchik: (Yiddish) pertaining to milk and its by-products; a category of the kashrut laws.
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Minchah (afternoon prayer): (lit. “the offering”); afternoon prayer service
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Minhag (Jewish Custom): Jewish custom or tradition.
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Minhagim: Jewish customs or traditions.
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Minor Purim: Semi-festive day in the intercalated first month of Adar in a leap year, whose date corresponds to the date in which Purim is actually celebrated that year in the following month of Adar.
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Minyan, The: (lit. “number”); the quorum of ten necessary for communal prayer
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Miriam: (a) (1400-1274 BCE) A prophetess, daughter of Amram and Jochebed, older sister of Aaron and Moses. After the Splitting of the Sea she led the women in song and dance. In her merit the Israelites were miraculously provided with water in the desert. The Talmud identifies her with the midwife Puah, who practiced midwifery in Egypt together with Shifrah (Jochebed), and defied Pharaoh’s orders to kill Israelite babies. (b) A common Jewish name.
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Mishael: (c, 400 BCE) Exiled to Babylon together with Daniel, Hananiah, and Azariah, where they were trained to be chamberlains in the royal court. Despite the personal risk involved, they refused to eat the royal non-kosher cuisine. They were later appointed to government positions. They were thrown into a furnace after refusing to bow to an idol erected by Nebuchadnezzar. Miraculously, they emerged unscathed, as described in the Book of Daniel.
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Mishael ben Uzziel: (14th century BCE) First cousin of Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. Carried the bodies of Nadab and Abihu – together with his brother Elzaphan – out of the Holy of Holies.
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Mishkan, The (Tabernacle): a) the tabernacle or temporary Sanctuary in which the Divine Presence dwelled during the Jews’ journeys through the desert; b) the portion of the tabernacle and the Temple building before the Holy of Holies which contained the inner altar, the table for the showbread, and the menorah
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Mishlei: The book of Tanach containing Solomon's wise sayings and parables.
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Mishloach Manot (Sending Food Portions to a Friend on Purm): food gifts exchanged on Purim
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Mishnah: The first compilation of the oral law, authored by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi (approx. 200 C.E.); the germinal statements of law elucidated by the Gemara, together with which they constitute the Talmud; also, a single statement of law from this work.
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Mishpatim: Mishpatim: (a) (lit. "judgments") Rational commandments, one of the three categories of mitzvot. (b) One of the 53 Torah portions (in the Book of Exodus). (c) The 13th book of Maimonides' Code of Law.
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Misnaged: Opponent of Chassidism.
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Mitzrayim: the biblical name for Egypt
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Mitzvah Campaign, The Rebbe's: campaign, specifically, campaigns initiated by the Lubavitcher Rebbe for the observance of mitzvot
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Mitzvah; Mitzvot: (lit. “commandment”); one of the Torah’s 613 Divine commandments; a good deed or religious precept; according to Chassidut, the word mitzvah stems from the root tzavta, attachment, the mitzvah creating a bond between G-d who commands and man who performs.
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Mitzvot: (lit. “commandments”); one of the Torah’s 613 Divine commandments; a good deed or religious precept; according to Chassidut, the word mitzvah stems from the root tzavta, attachment, the mitzvah creating a bond between G-d who commands and man who performs.
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Moab: Nation situated on the soutrhern edge of the east bank of the Jordan River, descendant of Moab, the son of Lot. En route to the Promised Land, the Israelites were commanded not to conquer or battle Moab.
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Mochin: (lit. “brains”); the three intellectual sefirot, chochmah, binah and daat, also referred to as immot (‘mothers’) because they are the source of the middot, the emotional attributes
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Modeh Ani: "I acknowledge..." prayer of thanksgiving recited immediately upon awakening in the morning
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Modim: (lit. “we thankfully acknowledge”); one of the blessings of the Amidah during which we are required to bow
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Mohel: The trained expert who performs ritual circumcisions.
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Mordecai: (4th century BCE) Leader of the Jews during the time of King Ahasuerus, first cousin of Esther. Refused to bow to Haman, thus incurring his wrath. Encouraged Esther to beseech the king to annul Haman's decree calling for the extermination of the Jews, as recorded in the Scroll of Esther, which is read every year on Purim. (b) A common Jewish name.
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Moreh Shiur: table indicating the exact passages to be studied in various daily study courses
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Moreinu: (lit. “our master”); title prefacing the proper name of a particularly important rabbi or scholar
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Moses: (a) (1393-1273 BCE) Greatest prophet to ever live. Son of Amram and Jochebed, younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. Born in Egypt and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter. Fled to Midian, where he married Zipporah. Deployed by G-d to Egypt to liberate the Israelites. Visited ten plagues upon Egypt, led the Israelites out, and transmitted to them the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Led the Israelites for forty years while they traveled in the desert, all the while performing astonishing miracles and wonders. Died in the Plains of Moab, and succeeded by his disciple Joshua. (b) A common Jewish name.
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Moshiach: (lit. “the anointed one”) the Messiah. One of the 13 principles of the Jewish faith is that G-d will send the Messiah to return the Jews to the land of Israel, rebuild the Holy Temple and usher in the utopian Messianic Era.
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Moshiach's Meal: festive meal instituted by the Baal Shem Tov and held on the last day of Passover in anticipation of the Redemption
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Motzoei Shabbat: the night following Shabbat day
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Mount Moriah: the Temple Mount
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Muktzeh: (Aramaic, lit. “set aside”); an object that may not be moved or handled on Shabbat or the festivals
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Musaf: "Additional" prayer service recited on Shabbat and festivals, commemorating the additional offerings brought in the Temple on these days
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Mussar: (a) words of censure or admonishment; (b) Jewish philosophic works dealing with personal conduct and character, and methods for self-improvement in these areas
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