FAQ: Glossary of Commonly Used Terms
Glossary of Terms
The True Names
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YHWH – pronounced Yahweh (Yah-way), a transliteration the four Hebrew letters comprising the proper Name of God (see Exodus 3:15). In most English Translations of the Bible, where you see The LORD, it is title used in place of the God’s Hebrew Name, YHWH. Most Bible prefaces state this.
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El = The Hebrew word translated into English as God. The word is a title for YHWH meaning “Mighty One”. It can also mean a pagan deity or a prominent person.
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Elohim = The plural word for El, and also a Hebrew Title for YHWH similar to El.
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Yahshua = the Hebrew name for the Savior, corresponding to the Hebrew letters for Y’shua. This name means Salvation of Yahweh, and is the name that he was called. Many write it Yeshua or Y’shua.
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Messiah = from the Hebrew word Moshiach (Mah-shee-akh) meaning “Anointed One”. Christ is the English word from the Greek Word Khristos that carries the same meaning, Anointed One.
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Yahshua HaMoshiach = Yahshua the Messiah, Yahshua the Anointed One
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Ruach HaKodesh = (Roo-akh Ha-koh-desh) the Hebrew Word for “Holy Spirit”.
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Adonai = (Adoh-nigh) the Hebrew Word for Lord.
Greetings and Sabbath
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Shalom = Hebrew word for “Peace”. It is commonly used greeting that corresponds with hello or goodbye. See Strong Hebrew Word 7965 for a more full explanation of the meaning of the word.
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Shabbat = Hebrew word for Sabbath, meaning rest.
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Shabbat Shalom = Sabbath Peace, a greeting used on the Sabbath.
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Erev Shabbat = The beginning, or evening part, of the Sabbath Day. I.e., Friday after sunset.
The Bible
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Torah = The first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Torah is commonly referred to as “the Law of Moses” or “the Law” and the Pentateuch. The actual word “Torah” means instruction or law.
o Hebrew Names for the Books of the Torah may be used in some audio teachings on the site:
§ Genesis = Bereshit (Ber-re-sheet)
§ Exodus = Shemot (Sheh-mote)
§ Leviticus = Vayikra (Vah-yee-krah)
§ Numbers = Bamidbar (Bah-meed-bar)
§ Deuteronomy = Devarim (Day-var-eem)
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TANAKH = A Hebrew acronym for what is traditionally called “The Old Testament”. The Hebrew TANAKH is organized differently from the King James Version, and is the acronym for:
o Torah = the first five books of the bible (See above definition for Torah)
o Nevi’im = the Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel (1 & 2), Kings (1 & 2), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)
o Ketuvim = the Writings: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Songs of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles (1 & 2)
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B’rit Hadasshah = (Behreet Hah-dah-shah) = The Hebrew Word for what is traditionally called the New Testament. This Word means “Renewed Covenant”.
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Apostolic Writings = Another name for the New Testament
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The Gospels = the four accounts of Yahshua’s life. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
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Torah Portion = Weekly readings from the Torah, Prophets, and New Testament. The Torah and Prophets readings come from the weekly readings that are read in the synagogues, Parshas.
Feast Days
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Feast Days = There are seven feast days that YHWH commanded His people to keep: the weekly Sabbath, Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks), the Day of Atonement, the Day of Trumpets, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day.
o We sometimes use the Hebrew Names for these days. They are as follows:
§ Sabbath = Shabbat (Shah-baht)
§ Passover = Pesach (Pay-sock)
§ The Feast of Weeks = Pentecost (from the Greek Word for fiftieth), Shavuot (Hebrew Word for the Feast, pronounced Shah-voo-ote)
§ The Day of Atonement = Yom Kippur (Yome Kee-poor)
§ The Day of Trumpets = Yom Teruah (Yome Teroo-ah)
§ The Feast of Tabernacles = Sukkot (Soo-kote). Sometimes spelled Succot.
§ The Last Great Day = Shemini Atzeret (Sheminee Ahtz-er-et)
o Some definitions surrounding the Feast Days
§ “Unleavened Bread” = the Hebrew Word is “Matzah”. Unleavened bread contains no leavening agents, i.e., yeast or baking powder. We do not eat leavened bread during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as leavening during this feast is symbolic of sin (I Corinthians 5:6-8). It is a reminder of the haste in which the children of Yisrael left Egypt and (Exodus 12:39, 13:3).
Hebrew Names of popular people and places
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Paul/Saul = Sha’ul (Shah-ool), Paul and Saul are the same name in Hebrew.
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John the Baptist = Yochanan the Immerser (Yoh-kah-non)
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Israel = Yisrael
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Moses = Mosheh (Mo-shah)
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Elijah = Eliyahu or Eliyah (El-ee-yah-hoo)
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Abib (Aviv or Nissan) = the name for the first month of the Hebrew Calendar. This is the month of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
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Tishri = the seventh month of the Hebrew Calendar. This is the month that contains the fall feast days.
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Jerusalem = Yerushalayim (Yer-roo-shah-ligh-eem)
Commonly Used Phrases
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Traditional Christianity = The mainstream, protestant and Catholic Sunday church.
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Once Saved Always Saved = The erroneous doctrine that once you are saved, there is NOTHING you can do to lose your salvation.