ב"ה
Glossary
| Kabbalah: (lit. “received tradition”) the body of Jewish mystical teachings, the central text of which is the Zohar [1235 related articles] |
| 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 [73 related articles] |
| Kabbalat Panim: The pre-Chupah receptions hosted by the bride and groom. [3 related articles] |
| Kabbalat Shabbat: the Friday evening service that welcomes the incoming Shabbat [11 related articles] |
| Kaddish: (Aramaic, lit. “holy”); brief prayer recited by a mourner or by the chazan [68 related articles] |
| Kadesh: the first step in the Passover seder, in which Kiddush is recited [2 related articles] Seder, the » Kadesh |
| Kadesh: Kadesh is a biblical city, which is mentioned numerous times in the Torah in the Jews sojourn in the desert. |
| Kadosh: (lit. “saintly one”); (a) title given (posthumously) to a person who has suffered martyrdom; (b) one who leads a saintly lifestyle |
| Kaf: the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet, prounounced "k" (or as a guttural "ch" if without adagesh), with a numerical value of 20 [6 related articles] Holy Tongue, the; Hebrew » Language » Kaf |
| Kaf Hakela: (lit."The hollow of a sling") process of purgatory |
| 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. [11 related articles] People » Kagan, R. Israel Meir HaCohen ("Chafetz Chaim") |
| 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." Halachic Concepts & Issues » Kal Vachomer |
| Kallah: bride [5 related articles] |
| 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 [5 related articles] Chassidism » Kalot HaNefesh (Dissolution of the Soul) |
| Kamatz: one of the Hebrew vowel signs [2 related articles] Holy Tongue, the; Hebrew » Language » Kamatz |
| Kaparot: (lit. "atonements"); atonement ceremony performed before Yom Kippur, traditionally while holding a fowl, fish or money which is then given to charity [6 related articles] Erev Yom Kippur » Kaparot |
| Kapitel: (Yiddish, lit. "chapter"); used for Psalms and other Scriptures |
| 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 [1 related article] Halachic Concepts & Issues » Karet |
| Karpas: (lit. "greens") the vegetable on the Passover seder plate that is dipped in saltwater and eaten at the beginning of the seder [8 related articles] Seder, the » Karpas |
| Kashrut: The laws of kosher. [305 related articles] |
| Kav: (lit. “line”) the vector of Divine light which emanated after the First Tzimtzum--the initial concealment of Divine light [1 related article] Tzimtzum » Kav |
| Kavanot: (lit. "intentions, concentration"); mystical themes for devout meditation during prayer and the observance of the mitzvot |
| Kedushah: Holiness [66 related articles] G-d and Man » Kedushah |
| Kedushah (prayer): (lit. “holiness”); a passage in the public prayer service, with portions recited responsively by the chazan and the congregation [1 related article] |
| 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 |
| Keilim: (a) (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 (b) the name of a tractate of the Mishnah [1 related article] |
| Kein Ayin Hara: "An evil eye should not be cast upon him." [8 related articles] |
| 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. [1 related article] |
| Keitz: (lit. “end”) a particularly auspicious time for Moshiach to bring the exile to an end |
| Keli: a vessel or utensil [3 related articles] Halachic Concepts & Issues » Keli |
| 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 Kabbalah » Keli (vessel) |
| Kelipah: (lit. “shell”) the outer covering which conceals the G-dly light within all creation; hence, the unholy side of the universe [128 related articles] Kabbalah » Kelipah |
| 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 [32 related articles] |
| Keruvim (Cherubs): angels resembling young children; relief images of two winged cherubim were part of the cover of the holy Ark in the temple [17 related articles] Components of the Holy Temple » Keruvim (Cherubs) |
| Kesef Mishneh: the gloss to Maimonides' Mishneh Torah authored by R. Yosef Karo, compiler of the Shulchan Aruch |
| 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 [25 related articles] |
| Ketubah: Marriage contract [21 related articles] |
| Ketubot: The second Talmudic tractate in the Order of Nashim, the section of the Talmud dealing with the laws of Jewish family life. The tractate is named for the marriage contract that states the husband's various obligations to his wife, especially financial compensation due to the wife in the event of the marriage's dissolution through divorce or widowhood. In general, the tractate deals with the various duties that a husband and wife have toward one another from the day of their betrothal [9 related articles] |
| Keturah: Woman Abraham married after Sarah's passing. The midrash identifies her as Hagar. [13 related articles] Biblical Personalities » Keturah |
| Ketuvim: Ketuvim (lit. Writings) is the third and final section of the Bible (Tanach)—the Written Torah. [254 related articles] |
| Kezayit: (lit. "like an olive"); a halachic measure formally described as the size of an olive, and approximately one ounce or 25.6 grams Halachic Concepts & Issues » Kezayit |
| 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 [53 related articles] Shabbat Meals » Kiddush |
| Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of G-d's Name): (a) The sanctification of G-d’s Name; (b) Martyrdom. [24 related articles] Halachic Concepts & Issues » Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of G-d's Name) |
| Kiddush Levanah: (lit. “sanctification of the moon”) prayer service recited in the first half of each month blessing the new moon [16 related articles] |
| 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. [18 related articles] Jewish Wedding, The » Kiddushin |
| Kiddushin: Tractate of the Talmud that discusses the laws of betrothal and marriage [10 related articles] |
| Kilayim: a forbidden mixture; e.g.: the forbidden interbreeding of plant or animal species [36 related articles] Halachic Concepts & Issues » Kilayim |
| King Abijah of Judea: Son of King Rehoboam. Reigned from 780-778 BCE. Followed his father’s sinful ways. Constantly fought with Jeroboam, eventually subduing him. [2 related articles] |
| King Ahab of Israel: Son of King Omri. Reigned from 740-720 BCE. Influenced by his nefarious Zidonite wife Jezebel, Ahab encouraged idol worship in his domain and persecuted the true prophets of G-d. Disregarding Joshua’s ban, he rebuilt the city of Jericho, for which he was admonished by Elijah the prophet and punished with a three-year drought. King Ben-Hadad of Aram twice attacked Israel, with an army much stronger than the Israelites’, yet Ahab miraculously defeated Ben-Hadad and forced him to return the Israelite territory which his father had conquered. When Ben-Hadad refused to give back the city of Ramoth-Gilead, Ahab joined forces with King Jehoshaphat of Judah to force the Aramites’ compliance. Ahab was killed in battle and succeeded by his son, Ahaziah. For his many sins and his cooperation with his wife’s depraved schemes, his entire household was ultimately destroyed, as Elijah prophesied. [11 related articles] |
| King Ahaz of Judea: Son of King Jotham. Reigned from 578-562 BCE. Worshipped many idols. During Ahaz's reign, the Edomites and Phoenicians attacked Judea and annexed some of their land, but Ahaz's main nemeses were Kings Rezin of Aram and Pekah of Israel, who invaded Judea and carried off many captives. Ahaz successfully implored King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria to save Judea, sending him treasures from the Temple and his palace. Ahaz then adopted Assyrian pagan practices and replaced the copper altar in the Temple with a replica of an altar he had seen in Assyria. [3 related articles] |
| King Ahaziah of Israel: Son of King Ahab and Jezebel, he followed his parents’ evil ways. Reigned from 720-718 BCE. During his reign, Moab rebelled against Israel. Ahaziah injured himself by falling through an attic lattice and inquired of the Ekronite deity Baal-Zebub whether he would recover. For not consulting the Hebrew prophets, he died of his injuries, as was predicted by Elijah the prophet. He was succeeded by his brother Joram. [1 related article] |
| King Ahaziah of Judea: Son of King Joram. Reigned from 706-705 BCE. He was strongly influenced by his mother, Queen Athaliah the daughter of Jezebel, and encouraged idolatry amongst the populace. While Ahaziah was visiting his uncle, King Joram (son of Ahab) of Israel, Jehu revolted against Joram and killed Ahaziah together with the rest of Joram's family. [4 related articles] |
| King Amaziah of Judea: Son of King Joash. Reigned from 661-631 BCE. Amaziah hired 100,000 soldiers from the Kingdom of Israel to help him conquer Edom. Heeding a prophet’s warning against such an alliance with the idolatrous Israelites, Amaziah sent the soldiers back, forfeiting the money he paid in advance. Amaziah was victorious over Edom, but he brought back Edomite gods to Jerusalem and worshiped them. Not content with that victory, Amaziah challenged King Joash (of Israel) to war. The Israelites defeated the Judeans, plundering the Holy Temple and taking many hostages. Amaziah was assassinated. [2 related articles] |
| King Amon of Judea: Son of King Manasseh, he followed the idolatrous ways of his father’s early years. He reigned from 478-476 BCE. He was assassinated by his servants after two years of reign. The assassins were executed and Amon’s son Josiah was crowned as king. [2 related articles] |
| King Asa of Judea: Son of King Abijah. Reigned from 778-737 BCE. He eradicated idolatry from Judea. Waged a successful campaign against the Ethiopians, ushering in an era of prosperity. When the neighboring king of Israel, Baasha, prepared to attack him, Asa bribed the Aramite king, Ben-Hadad, to come to his rescue. In his old age, Asa suffered from diseases in his feet. [4 related articles] |
| King Baasha of Israel: After murdering King Nadab and King Jeroboam's household, he declared himself king. Reigned from 775-752 BCE. Nevertheless, he followed Jeroboam’s sinful ways, and constantly fought constantly with the Judeans. [2 related articles] |
| 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. [94 related articles] Biblical Personalities » King David |
| King Elah of Israel: Son of King Baasha. Reigned from 752-751 BCE. After reigning for two years, he was killed, together with Baasha’s entire household, by the rebellious captain Zimri. [1 related article] |
| King Hezekiah of Judea: Son of King Ahaz. Reigned from 562-533 BCE. An extraordinarily righteous and pious king, he eradicated all forms of idolatry, restored the Holy Temple as the spiritual center of Judea, and reinstated many of the laws of the Torah that had not been practiced in the past. The Talmud writes that Hezekiah was worthy of being the Messiah. Hezekiah strengthened Judea's political independence, re-conquered many territories, and refused to pay tribute to Assyria. The Assyrians, who had vanquished all the surrounding nations and exiled many of the Israelites, laid siege on Jerusalem, mocking the Judeans' hope that G-d would save them. Hezekiah prayed to G-d. The prophet Isaiah assured him that G-d would not abandon them. During the night, many hundreds of thousands of Assyrian soldiers miraculously died, and the remnant of the army fled back to Assyria. [17 related articles] |
| King Hoshea of Israel: Assassinated King Pekah and usurped his throne. Reigned from 574-566 BCE, as a vassal of King Shalmaneser of Assyria to whom he paid a yearly tribute. In the eighth year of his reign, Hoshea aligned himself with King So of Egypt and refused to pay the yearly tribute to Assyria. The Assyrians imprisoned Hoshea and conquered all of Israel, exiling its inhabitants. The whereabouts of these exiles – known as the “Lost Ten Tribes” – remains unknown. [1 related article] |
| King Jehoahaz of Judea: Son of King Josiah. Ruled Judea for all of three months, in 445 BCE, until Pharaoh Necho brought him to Egypt in fetters, where he died. The Pharaoh imposed taxes upon Judea and appointed Jehoahaz’s brother, Eliakim, as king and renamed him Joiakim. [1 related article] |
| King Jehoiachin of Judea: (Also known as Jechoniah.) Son of King Joiakim. Reigned in 434 BCE. At the age of eight, Jehoiachin inherited his father’s crumbling kingdom, and after three months and ten days of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judea, plundered the Temple, and brought all the Judean notables, including the king, to Babylon as captives. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah as tributary king and renamed him Zedekiah. [6 related articles] |
| King Jehoshaphat of Judea: Son of King Asa. Reigned from 737-714 BCE. He was a righteous, G-d-fearing king; he sent scholars throughout Judea to teach the people Torah. During much of his prosperous reign, the neighboring kingdoms brought him tributes. Disregarding the prophecy of Miciah ben Imla, Jehoshaphat joined the Israelite king Ahab to fight against the Aramites, and was defeated. He later joined Ahab's successor, Jehoram, to battle the Moabites. As the prophet Elisha predicted, the Judean-Israelite armies succeeded in vanquishing the Moabites. Shortly afterwards, a confederation of neighboring nations threatened to attack Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat declared a national day of prayer. The would-be invaders turned on each other, and the Judeans were saved. [5 related articles] |
| King Jehu of Israel: A general of King Joram. While Joram was recuperating from battle wounds, Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint then-general Jehu as king of Israel. Jehu revolted against and killed Joram, and proclaimed himself king. He reigned from 705-678 BCE. He cunningly ordered all worshipers of Baal to take part in a festival, during which he killed them all. Jehu eradicated Baal worship from his domain, but left the golden calves which Jeroboam had erected intact. He was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz. [3 related articles] |
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King Jeroboam ben Nevat of Israel: An officer of King Solomon, Jeroboam fled to Egypt after Ahijah the Shilonite prophesied that he would inherit most of Solomon's kingdom. Jeroboam returned to Israel after Solomon’s death and led a movement that demanded that Solomon’s heir, Rehoboam, rule more compassionately. When Rehoboam rejected their demands, the ten northern tribes revolted, seceded, and proclaimed Jeroboam as king of the newly established Kingdom of Israel. (The tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained faithful to Rehoboam.) Jeroboam reigned from 797-776 BCE. To keep his subjects from making the yearly pilgrimages to Jerusalem, which was under the control of the Davidic dynasty, Jeroboam erected idolatrous golden calves in Beth-El and in Dan and instituted yearly festivals for them. Ahijah prophesied that Jeroboam’s household would be annihilated due to Jeroboam’s introducing idolatry to Israel. Jeroboam is considered one of the greatest sinners in Jewish history. [12 related articles] |
| King Jeroboam II of Israel: Son of King Jehoash. Reigned from 646-608 BCE. A strong king, he expanded Israel's borders as Jonah had prophesied. Jeroboam banished the prophet Amos from his kingdom for prophesying concerning Israel's exile. [3 related articles] |
| King Joash of Israel: Son of King Jehoahaz. Reigned from 663-646 BCE. He triumphed over the Aramites and regained the territories they had taken during his father’s reign. When King Amaziah of Judah challenged him to war, Jehoash defeated the Judeans, plundering the Holy Temple and capturing many hostages. Jehoash was succeeded by his son Jeroboam II. [3 related articles] |
| King Joash of Judea: Son of King Ahaziah. Reigned from 700-661 BCE. He alone survived the massacre of his entire family that followed the death of his father, perpetrated by his grandmother Athaliah, who killed all descendants of King David to secure the crown for herself. One-year-old Joash was hidden in the Holy Temple and protected by his uncle Jehoiada the high priest. Six years later, Jehoiada orchestrated a coup against Athaliah and crowned Joash as king. Under Jehoiada's guidance, Joash raised funds to repair the Temple and eradicated idolatry from Judea. After Jehoiada's death, the nation reverted to idolatry. Hazael, the King of Aram, threatened to attack Judah, and Joash sent him the treasures from the Temple to ward off an attack. Joash was assassinated by his own soldiers. [7 related articles] |
| King Joiakim of Judea: Son of King Josiah, brother and successor of King Jehoahaz. Reigned from 445-434 BCE. Joiakim disregarded the prophets’ exhortations to repent and their warnings of imminent exile. Instead, he imprisoned Jeremiah and burned a scroll of his prophecies. At first he was subservient to Babylon, the emerging superpower, but he eventually rebelled and was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar—together with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Joiakim died en route to Babylon and was succeeded by his son Jehoichin. [5 related articles] |
| King Joram of Israel: Son of King Ahab and Jezebel, brother and successor of King Ahaziah. Reigned from 718-705 BCE. He joined forces with King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the vassal king of Edom to fight King Mesha of Moab and was miraculously successful. During his reign, the Israelites suffered a seven-year drought, during which the Aramites constantly attacked Israel. While Joram was recovering from injuries he sustained in battle against Aram, his general Jehu revolted, killing the king together with rest of Ahab’s descendants, as Elijah and Elisha had prophesied. [3 related articles] |
| King Joram of Judea: Eldest son of King Jehoshaphat; he killed his brothers to secure his sovereignty. Reigned from 714-706 BCE. Influenced by his wicked wife Athaliah the daughter of Jezebel, he introduced idolatry into Judea. The Edomites revolted against Judea, and Joram failed to subdue them. As Elijah the prophet predicted, the Philistines and Arabians also revolted, plundering Joram’s palace and capturing member of the royal household. Joram died from an incurable stomach disease. [3 related articles] |
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King Josiah of Judea: Son of King Amon, ascended the throne at age eight, upon his father’s assassination. Reigned from 476-445 BCE. An exceedingly beloved and righteous individual, he purged idolatry from Judea more thoroughly than any of his predecessors. During the renovation of the Holy Temple, which Josiah had ordered, Hilkiah the high priest found a Torah scroll written by Moses, which spurred a national return to Mosaic values and practices.
Josiah attempted to stop Pharaoh Necho of Egypt from attacking Assyria and was killed in battle. All his subjects mourned his death. Jeremiah eulogized him as “the breath of our nostrils; G-d’s anointed.” Josiah was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz. [6 related articles] |
| King Jotham of Judea: Son of King Uzziah. Reigned from 594-578 BCE. During the first few years of his reign, he concentrated his efforts on strengthening the political and military position of his land, which had suffered so much during the period when the throne of Judea stood vacant, when his father Uzziah was in quarantine. Much of his attention was directed towards the renovation and beautification of the Holy Temple. He was a pious and righteous monarch who observed and studied the laws of the Torah. [2 related articles] |
| King Manasseh of Judea: Son of the righteous King Hezekiah. Reigned from 533-478 BCE. Practiced many forms of witchcraft and idolatry and erected idols and pagan altars in the Holy Temple. The prophets, including Isaiah, admonished him and warned that G-d would exile the Judeans for such conduct. The Assyrians captured Manasseh and brought him to Babylon, where he returned to G-d. He was brought back to Jerusalem, where he reigned an additional thirty-three years. Manasseh was succeeded by his son Amon. [4 related articles] |
| King Menachem of Israel: Menahem assassinated King Shallum and brutally established his own rule over Israel. He reigned from 607-597 BCE. Menahem was succeeded by his son Pekahiah. [1 related article] |
| King Nadab of Israel: Son of King Jeroboam. Reigned from 776-775 BCE. His reign was short-lived; after two years he was killed, together with Jeroboam’s entire household, by General Baasha. |
| King Omri of Israel: Overthrew the weak King Zimri and proclaimed himself king. Reigned from 751-740 BCE. Popular support was split between Omri and Tibni ben Ginath, but Omri’s supporters prevailed, and Omri succeeded in establishing the first lasting Israelite dynasty. Omri moved the capital of the Kingdom of Israel from Tirzah to Samaria, where it remained until the end of the Israelite monarchy. Although Omri stabilized and strengthened Israel politically, he left Israel in the sad spiritual state in which his predecessors had left it. [2 related articles] |
| King Pekah of Israel: Assassinated King Pekahiah and usurped his throne. Reigned from 595-574 BCE. Joined King Rezin of Aram in fighting the Judeans. King Ahaz of Judah in turn enlisted the aid of King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria. Tiglath-Pileser conquered the northern region of Israel and took the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh captive. King Pekah was assassinated and succeeded by Hoshea ben Elah. [2 related articles] |
| King Pekahiah of Israel: Son of King Menahem. Reigned from 597-595 BCE. Assassinated by his general, Pekah ben Remaliah. [1 related article] |
| King Rehoboam of Judea: Son of King Solomon. Reigned from 797-780 BCE, and did not follow the righteous path of his father and grandfather. Disregarding the advice of his father's counselors, Rehoboam ruled with a heavy hand and levied high taxes, prompting ten of the tribes to rebel, secede from his kingdom, and establish the “Kingdom of Israel” with Jeroboam as its king. The southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin (and Levi) remained faithful to Rehoboam. During Rehoboam's rule, in 792 BCE, Shishak the king of Egypt attacked Judah, seizing many of Solomon's treasures. [8 related articles] |
| King Shallum of Israel: In 607 BCE, Shallum assassinated King Zechariah of Israel and reigned for one month—until he was assassinated by Menahem ben Gadi. [1 related article] |
| King Uzziah of Judea: Son of King Amaziah. Reigned form 631-594 BCE. Uzziah built fortifications and organized a strong army, equipped with the most sophisticated weapons of the day. He conquered land from the Philistines and the Arabians and forced the Ammonites to pay tribute. Uzziah also developed Judea’s natural resources, digging wells, breeding cattle, and growing vineyards. Uzziah tried to offer incense in the Temple, a service reserved exclusively for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. He was immediately stricken by leprosy and lived in quarantine for the rest of his life. [4 related articles] |
| King Zechariah of Israel: Son of King Jeroboam II. Reigned for six months (in 608-607 BCE). His weak and sinful rule lasted scarcely six months when he was openly murdered and succeeded by Shallum. [1 related article] |
| King Zedekiah of Judea: Uncle and successor of King Jehoiachin. Reigned from 434-423 BCE. Disregarding the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah, he broke his oath of loyalty to Babylon and allied himself with Babylon’s enemy, Egypt. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon crushed the rebellion, plundering and destroying the Temple and all of Jerusalem and bringing the Jews to Babylon as captives. Zedekiah himself was blinded and taken to Babylon in chains. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah ben Ahikam to serve as governor for the remaining Jews. [9 related articles] |
| King Zimri of Israel: In the year 751 BCE, he led the successful coup against King Elah and declared himself king. But the Israelite soldiers crowned the captain Omri as king. Seeing that Omri had conquered the capital city, Zimri set his own palace on fire, killing himself. Zimri’s reign lasted seven days. [1 related article] |
| 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). [12 related articles] |
| Kinot: the poetic dirges recited on Tishah B'Av [3 related articles] |
| Kinyan: an act that formalizes a legal transaction [12 related articles] Halachic Concepts & Issues » Kinyan |
| Kipah (Head Covering), The: (lit. dome; Yiddish: yarmulkeh) Skullcap. The head covering worn by Jewish men symbolizing recognition of G-d above. [31 related articles] Halachic Concepts & Issues » Kipah (Head Covering), The |
| Kislev 14: The 14th day of Kislev is the anniversary of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin's wedding in Warsaw, Poland in the year 1928. [11 related articles] Calendar, The Jewish » Kislev 14 |
| 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 Schneur Zalman of Liadi, in 1798; celebrated as a Chassidic holiday amongst Chassidim. [117 related articles] Calendar, The Jewish » Kislev 19 |
| Kislev, Month of: Hebrew month corresponding to November - December [32 related articles] Calendar, The Jewish » Kislev, Month of |
| Kitniyot (Legumes): Ashkenazi Jews refrain from eating kitniyot (legumes) on Passover. This prohibition includes rice, beans, peanuts and corn, as well as other items. [21 related articles] Leaven, Prohibition of » Kitniyot (Legumes) |
| Kitrug: an accusatory voice in the Heavenly Court |
| Kittel: (Yiddish) white gown worn on Yom Kippur and certain other solemn occasions [3 related articles] |
| Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Condensed Code of Jewish Law): An abbreviated code of Jewish law. Compiled by R. Shlomo Ganzfried (Hungary, 1804-1886) as a layperson's version of the original Shulchan Aruch. [7 related articles] |
| Klal: (a) a general rule. (b) a collective unit. Halachic Concepts & Issues » Klal |
| 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. Halachic Concepts & Issues » Klal & Prat (General & Detail) |
| 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 [1 related article] |
| Koach: a source of energy or force as it exists in a potential state |
| 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) |
| Kochot Makkifim: the transcendent faculties of the soul |
| Kochot Pnimiyim: the internalized, conscious faculties of the soul |
| Kodashim: animals or other objects consecrated to the service of G-d in the Holy Temple |
| Kohelet: A book of Tanach containing Solomon's wise observations on life. In many communities it is read on the holiday of Sukkot. [6 related articles] |
| Kohen: priest, descendant of Aaron, responsible for the service in the Holy Temple [161 related articles] |
| Kohen Gadol: the “high priest,” or chief of the Kohanim; only he may enter the Holy of Holies [43 related articles] Levites, The » Twelve Tribes of Israel, The » Kohen Gadol |
| Kol Isha: [5 related articles] Halachic Concepts & Issues » Kol Isha |
| Kol Nidrei: (lit. "all the vows"); solemn prayer opening the evening service of Yom Kippur [19 related articles] |
| Kollel: yeshivah for advanced adult students [5 related articles] |
| Kook, R. Abraham Isaac: Abraham Isaac Kook (1865–1935) assumed his position as the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of (pre-state) Israel upon the formation of the British Mandate for Palestine in 1920. A renowned thinker and mystic, Rabbi Kook authored many books and letters that are the subjects of popular study today, and is a founding father of the "Religious Zionist" movement. [3 related articles] People » Kook, R. Abraham Isaac |
| Korach: 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. [23 related articles] Biblical Personalities » Korach |
| Korban Pesach: The sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb brought before Passover. [48 related articles] Erev Pesach » Korban Pesach |
| Korban Tamid: the daily sacrifice, offered in the Temple in the morning and before nightfall [20 related articles] Temple Service, The » Korban Tamid |
| Korech: (lit. "wrap" and "make a sandwich") the tenth step of the Passover seder--to eat matzah and maror combined in a sandwich. [10 related articles] Seder, the » Korech |
| Kos Shel Brachah: (lit. "cup of blessing"); the cup of wine over which the Grace after Meals has been recited [16 related articles] |
| Kosher: (lit. "fit"); (a) complying with the dietary laws; (b) fit to be used for ritual purposes [305 related articles] |
| Kosher L'Pesach: Kosher for Passover use. |
| Kotlarsky, R. Moshe: Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky is the director of the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries and Vice-Chairman of Merkos L’lnyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Rabbi Kotlarsky travels the globe establishing Jewish centers for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, becoming known as “Judaism’s Globe Trotter”. In many countries he is the public face of Chabad, visiting heads of state and opening new Chabad centers worldwide. [6 related articles] |
| 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 [4 related articles] Food; Eating » Kreplach |
| Ktivah VaChatimah Tovah: (lit. "may you be inscribed and sealed for the good"); Rosh HaShanah greeting |
| Kuf: the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, prounounced "k," with a numerical value of 100 [10 related articles] Holy Tongue, the; Hebrew » Language » Kuf |
| 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. [3 related articles] Brit Milah; Circumcision » Kvatter |
| 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). [1 related article] Brit Milah; Circumcision » Kvatterin |
| Kvell: (Yiddish) to take great pride and pleasure; a peculiarly Jewish joy most often associated with the accomplishments of one’s family members |