The Kabbalist (36 page)

[i]
Bar Mitzvah
- thirteen years of age, when a young Jew is
considered an adult

[ii]
Talmud
-
a canonical collection of ancient writings on Jewish law

[iii]
Jewish rabbis
are often referred to by their initials.

[iv]
Saracen
- Muslim

[v]
Directory
-
France’s governing
council of five elected directors

[vi]
When
I sharpen my flashing sword
… Deuteronomy 32:41

[vii]
One Paris foot
= ~32.5 cm

[viii]
Hassidism
- A branch of Orthodox
Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through Jewish mysticism

[ix]
Haredi
- God fearing

[x]
Torah
–
Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament

[xi]
Galley
- a ship propelled mostly by rowers

[xii]
Tefillin
or
phylacteries - a set of
two small leather boxes containing inscribed parchment and equipped with
leather straps. It is worn by observant Jews during Morning Prayer.

[xiii]
“
Not unto us O Lord
, not unto us but unto thy name give glory.” - Psalm
115

[xiv]
A Cohen
is a member of the priestly caste and must avoid impure objects.

[xv]
Pikuach
Neffesh
-
Lifesaving; Judaism allows waiving very strict commandments, if saving a life
is at stake.

[xvi]
In the battle of Abukir
, off the Egyptian coast in 1798, the British
destroyed the French navy.

[xvii]
IDF
– Israel Defense Forces

[xviii]
Mitzvah
- a good deed done from religious duty

[xix]
Ecclesiastes 3:1

[xx]
Sephardi Jews
are descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before
their expulsion in 1492.

[xxi]
101
is
t
he emergency number of the Israeli
equivalent of the Red Cross.