Glossary of Religious Words and Terms
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- Tallith (Tallit)
- This is the prayer shawl worn by Jewish men for morning weekday prayers and during synagogue services. It has fringes (the tzitzit) and tassels. These are a reminder of God's 613 commandments (mitzvoth) contained in the Torah. There are usually blue or dark blue bands across the tallith.
- Talmud
- 'Talmud' is the 'instruction.' It consists of the Mishnah (text of the oral teaching of Judaism) and the Gemara (commentary), containing ancient rabbinic discussion and reflection upon the laws of Judaism. It is considered an authoritative guide to spiritual life. There are two forms: the Jerusalem Talmud - only in incomplete form - and the Babylonian Talmud - three times larger than the other and the principal version.
- TeNaKh
- The Jewish Bible consisting of the Torah (the Law), the Nevi'im (the Prophets) and the Ketuvim (the Writings).
- Tephilin
- Also known as tefillin or phylacteries, they are worn by Jewish men at morning weekday prayers. They are small, black leather boxes. One is worn on the forehead, "between the eyes", and the other on the upper part of the left arm. The boxes contain passages from the Torah.
- Theism
- The belief that there is a God or gods.
- Theology
- The study of God or religion.
- Torah
- The most sacred part of Scripture for Jews. The Torah is the 'Law' or the 'Teaching'. It consists of the first five books of the (Jewish) Bible, the Five Books of Moses.
- Tradition
- The customs, beliefs and practices, accumulated through the history of their development, which form the views and ways of a society or of a religion.
- Trinity
- The belief that God eternally exists in three co-equal persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although triune in nature, God is one as to His essential being.
These pages will be added to in the future. If there is a religious term or word you do not understand, why not e-mail us? It can then be added to the glossary.