Glossary of Hebrew, Yiddish, and 'Yeshivish' terms in Keri HaRishon

Aseres Y'mei Tshuvah - High holy days, the ten days from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur, a seasonal time of intense spiritual introspection.

ashamnu, bogadnu, gazalnu - We have been guilty, we have betrayed, we have stolen; the first three words of the traditional penitential prayer

baal-tshuva - a newly religious Jew/ returnee to the Orthodox Jewish faith.

bochurim - unmarried men; usually refers to Yeshiva students

chotas na'arim - sins of youth

Frierdiker Rebbe - the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn.

frum yid - religious Jew

gemara - The second portion of the Talmud comprising elaborations and discussions of Jewish law; the quintessential Yeshiva curriculum

kapital Tehillim - a chapter of the Psalms

keri - seminal emission; usually refers to nocturnal emission

keri harishon - first nocturnal emission

kelipah (pl. kelipas, kelipot) - unclean spiritual forces (literally 'shells, husks')

krias sh'ma al hamita - prayers said before retiring to sleep (Hebrew)

ma'amar (pl. ma'amarim) - Chassidic discourse

middos - personal character traits

mikva - Jewish ritual bath

Mitzvah - Jewish commandment, good deed.

neggel vasser - the ritual washing of hands before getting out of bed, common in Chassidic circles

niddah - menstruation, and the laws of family purity

qvart - a two handled washing cup, for pouring water on each hand alternately when washing neggel vassar

schissel - the shallow pail used to receive the morning's washing water

shichvas zerah l'vatalah - spilling seed in vain

shiur - class (literally, 'a measured amount')

siddur - Jewish prayer book

Tanya - Likutei Amorim Tanya, the central text of Chabad Chassidus.

Tishrei - first month of the Jewish year, containing the busy Jewish observance of the High Holy Days and the Succos holiday.

tshuvah - repentance (literally, returning)

tumaah - impurity

vidui - confession

zal - Jewish study hall (literally, 'room')