The word nimusim is of Greek origins and entered Hebrew in talmudic times.
The word meforaz is biblical and refers to unwalled cities.
Rabbi Julian Sinclair dips into the dictionary
Always be prepared for the Bulmus Attack
Rechev is the standard word for car and comes from the biblical verb lirkov, which means to ride.
A tikkun is a correction. In kabbalistic circles it refers to a spiritual correction for some fault.
A male convert is called a ger; a female convert is called a giyoret.
Literally, “What suddenly”, mah pitom can be translated as “No way” or “Don’t be daft.”
An Arabic word that has made its way into Hebrew, fadicha describes much more than a faux pas. It is a slip-up that verges on the pathetic.
The literal meaning of the Aramaic word yuhara is luminous gem.
Bechor means firstborn, referring both to children and livestock in the Bible.
“It is a tradition to buy wheat and distribute it to the poor for Pesach.” So writes Rabbi Moshe Isserlis (the Rema), a 16th century rabbinic leader of Ashkenazi Jewry.
Kitniyot are pulses or beans in Hebrew.
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