Chatzi hamalchut comes from Megillat Esther. Ahasuerus tells Esther three times that he would do anything for her "even to half the kingdom, it shall be granted you".
A nudnik is someone who is constantly asking you for something or otherwise taking up your time.
The shkediyah is the almond tree, and its fruit is called a shaked.
An ezrach is someone native-born, with roots to the land.
Gaon is the modern Hebrew for genius.
Zimun is the mishnaic Hebrew for invitation. In modern Hebrew, we say hazmanah.
The term oferet yetzukah means a solid mould of lead and conjures up images of families playing dreidl, with Chanucah candles shining on the window sill.
Nezikin means damages, from the verb l’hazik, to hurt or damage.
Techelet is the sky-blue dye colour that was familiar in ancient Israel, best known from the Shema’s command to “put upon the fringe of each corner a thread of blue”.
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