HEBREW TRANSLITERATION	ENGLISH	MEANING
Vattodienu		The paragraph beginning with the word vattodienu is inserted in the Amidah on a major festival that occurs on a Saturday night. It is referred to as a form of Havdalah, describing the distinction in the degree of holiness between Sabbaths and festivals. Vattodienu is quoted in the Talmud (Berachot 33b) as a precious pearl (marganita) and is attributed to Rav and Samuel, the founders of intensive talmudic learning in Babylonia and heads of the academies at Sura and Nehardea, respectively
Vav (pl. Vavim) -	V; Hook	Sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Considered the number of man because man was created on the sixth day. Unless dotted in the middle ( an oo/u sound) or above (...an o sound), its pronunciation is equivalent to the English consonant "V".
Vav HaChibur		The Hebrew letter when used as the conjunction "and". Ve (and) may become va or vee or even oo/u depending on the phonological structure of the syllable which follows it
Vav HaHipuch		The Hebrew letter vav when used in Biblical Narrative Hebrew to transform the tense to a verb from future to past
VaYikra	And He Called	Third book of the Torah (Book of Leviticus). It defines clean and unclean animals for purposes of food, and contains ten chapters (17-26) commonly designated as the Holiness Code, stressing high moral standard and embracing laws of humanity and charity. The people of Yisrael are taught this book to keep themselves in a state of purity as a sign of their steadfast adherence to G-d
Vayechullu		The passage in Bereishit 2:1-3, declaring that when G-d had completed the creation of the universe He hallowed the seventh day, is recited three times as an essential part of the Shabbat-eve service: during the Amidah prayer, after the Amidah prayer, and introducing the Kiddush. According to a talmudic statement (Shabbat 119b), he who recites this passage on Friday evenings is deemed as if he were G-d's associate in the creation of the world. The last three words of this passage, bara Elokim la'asot, signify that the work of creation continues so long as the conflict between good and evil remains undecided. Ethically, the world is still unfinished and it is the privilege of man to help finish it
Ve'Ahavta	And You Shall Love	Prayer from Devarim 6:5-9, that obligates Yisrael to love Hashem and to teach the worship of Hashem to future generations; part of the Shema', the confession of Scriptural faith
Vehu Rachum		The seven somber elegies constituting the long Vehu Rachum, recited during the morning service on Mondays and Thursdays, where composed, according to legend, soon after the destruction of the Second Temple. Vehu Rachum is recited on Mondays and Thursdays, when the Torah is read during the public service, because on these days the people would come from the suburban villages to attend the markets and other occasions in the cities. Even those who were unable to hear the Torah read on the Shabbat could hear it read when they came to town during the week. It has been said that whoever can read this long prayer without emotion has lost all feeling for what is great and noble. The soul of an entire people utters these elegies and supplications, giving voice to its woe of a thousand years. Here is nothing of make-believe, but everything comes form the reality of suffering and life. Being part of the Tachanun supplications, Vehu Rachum is omitted on all festive occasions, such as Rosh Chodesh, Lag b'Omer, Brit Milah, and five days preceding Shavuot
V'lammalshinim		The Shemoneh Esrei prayer, originally consisting of 18 benedictions, was increased to 19 benedictions when, somewhat before the year 100, an additional petition was inserted against traitors and apostates who instigated persecutions. Known as birkat ha-minim (benediction against the sectaries), it is an imprecation against the harmful tactics of the sectarian propagandists, and reads: "May the slanderers have no hope; may all wickedness perish instantly; may all your enemies be soon cut down..." The word malshinim (slanderers) is a comparatively late substitution for minim (apostates). The wording of the entire passage has undergone various modification through fear of the official censors. Rabban Gamaliel II, who was the first to bear the title Nasi (prince), officially recognized by the Roman government, was instrumental in adding the prayer against the sectaries, whose activities proved injurious to the Jewish people
V'shamru		Hymn enjoining us to keep the Shabbat, recited or sung during evening Shabbat service just prior to the Amidah
V'Yitten Lecha	G-d Grant You	A lengthy collection of scattered Biblical verses that contain the assurance of deliverance, propserity and peace, that forms part of the Maariv liturgy for Saturday night. It serves as an encouragement in the face of the new week of toil which follows the Shabbat rest
Vikuchim	Disputations	Disputations between Jews and non-Jews were frequent in ancient and medieval times
Vidduy (al. Viduy)	Confession	Jewish confession directed to Hashem and not to an intermediary and is of no avail unless it expresses feelings of honest regret and sincere repentance..." he who confesses and forsakes them [his sins] will be granted mercy" (Mishlei 28:13; Taanit 16a). Nor can Yom Kippur win atonement for the man who says to himself: "I shall sin and Yom Kippur will procure atonement for me" (Yoma 8:9).
Vilna		Town in Lithuania. Its best known scholar is Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, known as the Gaon of Vilna