behemoth [bih-hee-muhth, bee-uh-]

noun:
1 a mighty animal described in Job 40:15-24 as an example of the power of God
2 any creature or thing of monstrous size or power

Examples:

He praised the Strand for "standing up against a behemoth like Amazon. I mean, the fact that they still exist is impressive." (Micah Hauser, Is the Strand a ( Read more... )

cabalistic[kab-uh-lis-tik], also cabbalistic, kabbalistic

adjective:
1 belonging, according, or relating to the Jewish cabala
2 having an occult, mystical, or esoteric meaning; magic, mysterious

Examples:

Noting that "people who are not criminals or terrorists are more exigent in their recreational reading matter", he made a series of ( Read more... )

...as I didn't manage to post on Friday, I wanted to post today while it's still Shushan Purim ( Read more... )

shibboleth [shib-uh-lith, ‐leth]
noun1 a A custom, principle, or belief distinguishing a particular class or group of people, especially a long-standing one regarded as outmoded or no longer important' a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning ( Read more... )

Sorry for missing last week's post, but I was so wrapped up in the last day of preparations for Passover that I completely forgot. So in honor of the holiday:

afikomen (ah-fee-KOH-muhn) - n., a piece broken off from a matzo during a Passover Seder and put aside to be eaten at the end of the meal ( Read more... )

jer·e·mi·ad [ˌjer-ə-ˈmī-əd]:
origin: [biblical] Hebrew; ירמיה= "Jeremiah"

e•po•nym [ˈe-pə-ˌnim]:
origin: [1770-80] Greek; epōnymos,= epi-= "upon" + onyma= "name"

nouns
A jeremiad is a prolonged, seriously-worded, angry, and impassioned list (or account) of woes; a cautionary verse or prophecy of doom; the sort of thing that can get you labeled ( Read more... )

In modern slang, a nimrod is an inept person, socially or otherwise -- foolish, rude, unable or unwilling to do anything right. The term has its origins in Nimrod, from the Hebrew Nimrōdh, a biblical king, ruler of Shinar. Renowned for his power and hunting ability, his name became sort of a generic term for a skilled hunter, a tyrant or a powerful ( Read more... )

hal·le·lu·jah [ˌhælɪˈluːjə]:
origin: (1525-35) Hebrew; הַלְּלוּיָהּ = “Hallel” + “Jah” or Praise Jehovah/God

interjection“Hallel” means to praise, shine forth, or be worthy of commendation. “Jah” is a shortened form of “Jehovah“, transliterated from the Hebrew word יהוה or YHWH -- a word that is not actually meant to have a proper pronunciation ( Read more... )

na·chash [naw-khawsh']:
origin: (Talmud) Hebrew= נחש; Old French= serpent, Latin= serpentem, accusative form of serpēns.


( Read more... )

pu·rim [ˈpʊərɪm]:
origin: (1535) Hebrew; pūrīm= "lots"; the casting of dice by Haman to schedule the massacre date {Esth 9:24-26}

nounLong ago and far away there was a man named Mordecai, who was cousin and foster parent to the fair & just Queen Ester. Mordecai was Jewish, as is the queen (secretly), but Hamman the Prime Minister of the King ( Read more... )