Flowers Medieval French term for menses, used both as noun and verb.
Ganymede Mythic prince of Troy seduced by Zeus, and a medieval word for male homosexual.
Gemara Questions and discussion about the Mishnah, later part of Talmud compiled between 200-500 CE.
Get Jewish bill of divorce
Halachah Jewish Law
Havdalah Saturday evening ceremony that marks the end of the Sabbath.
Heddle Any of the vertical cords in the frame of a loom used to guide the warp threads.
Herem Excommunication
Heshvan Eighth month in Jewish calendar, the month after Days of Awe.
Kavanah Serious intention before praying or performing a mitzvah.
Ketubah Jewish marriage contract given by the groom to the bride, specifying his obligations during the marriage and in the event of divorce or his death.
Kislev Ninth month of the Jewish calendar; the month in winter when Hanukkah occurs.
Kriah Tearing one’s clothes as a symbol of mourning.
Kuntres Notes and commentary explaining the Talmudic text.
Lillit Demon responsible for killing newborn babies and women in childbirth; Adam’s first wife.
Matins The first canonical hour: midnight.
Matzah Unleavened bread eaten during Passover.
Mazikim Demons or evil spirits.
Midrash Genre of rabbinic commentary that expands and explains the biblical text, generally used to refer to nonlegal material.
Mikvah Ritual bath used for purification, particularly by women when no longer niddah.
Minim Heretics, derisive Jewish word for Christians.
Mishnah Second-century collection of Jewish Laws, arranged by topic; earliest part of Talmud.
Mitzvah (plural: mitzvot) Divine commandment
Mohel (feminine: mohelet) One who performs a ritual circumcision.
Niddah A menstruating woman.
Nissan First month of the Jewish calendar; Passover starts on the Fifteenth of Nissan.
Nisuin Ceremony that completes the marriage, followed by cohabitation.
None Sixth of the eight canonical hours, approximately 3:00 p.m.
Notzrim Polite Jewish word for Christians; literally those who worship the one from Nazareth.
Pâques Easter, also the French word for Passover.
Parnas Leader, or mayor, of Jewish community.
Prime Dawn, third of the eight canonical hours, approximately 6 a.m.
Responsa Questions sent to a rabbi asking for a legal decision and his reply.
Rosh yeshiva Headmaster of a Talmud academy.
Ruchot (singular: ruach) Ghosts, spirits of recent dead.
Seder Ceremony observed in a Jewish home on the first two nights of Passover.
Selichot Prayers for forgiveness, also the special religious service that takes place at midnight on the Saturday night preceding Rosh Hashanah.
Sepharad Spain
Sheloshim First thirty days of mourning following the death of a relative.
Shema Central creed of Judaism, verses from Deuteronomy said twice a day and ideally upon one’s death: “Hear O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One.”
Shiva First seven days of mourning following the death of a relative.
Shuttle Bobbin of thread that goes back and forth through the loom’s warp, weaving in the weft.
Souper Supper, evening meal.
Sukkah Booth in which Jews dwell during the harvest festival of Sukkot.
Tahara Preparation of a corpse for burial.
Talmid chacham Great Jewish scholar
Tefillin Phylacteries, small leather cases containing passages from scripture worn by Jewish men while reciting morning prayers.
Tekufah Solstice or equinox, one of the sun’s four turning points in the Jewish year.
Tierce Fourth of the eight canonical hours, 9:00 a.m.
Villein French serf, a slave belonging to whoever owned the land he lived on.
Warp Threads running lengthwise in a fabric, crossed by the weft.
Weft Threads running from side to side in a fabric, crossed by the warp.
Yeshiva (plural: yeshivot) Talmud academy
Yetzer hara Evil inclination, usually refers to the sexual urge.
Rashi's Daughters, Book III: Rachel Page 48