Hebrew Glossary

A B D E F G H I K Ch L M N O P R S Sh T Tz U V Y Z

HEBREW TRANSLITERATION ENGLISH MEANING

UAHC Union of American Hebrew Congregations Umbrella organization of Reform congregations in the United States

Uktzin Stalks Twelfth and last tractate of the Mishnah order of Tohorot, dealing with ritual purity brought to a harvested plant when it roots, stalks, or pods come into contact with an unclean person or thing

Ulpan (Ulpan Le'Ivrit) Studio Classes for intensive study of Hebrew especially designed for new immigrants to Yisrael

Umot HaOlam Nations of the World

Unetaneh Tokef The prayer-poem U'netanneh Tokef, figuring prominently in the Musaf service of the High Holidays, is traditionally attributed to Rabbi Amnon of mayenee, a legendary martyr at the time of the Crusades (12th century). Since, however, this prayer was among the finds in teh Cairo Genizah, it must have been composed at an earlier date. According to some, it was published by Rabbi Kalonymus ben Meshullam, head of the Jewish community of Mainz and one of the most eminent liturgical poets of 11th century Germany.

The poem depicts Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as the days of heavenly judgment, when it is decreed "how many shall pass away and how many shall be brought into existence; who shall live and who shall die; who shall come to a timely end, and who to an untimely end; who shall perish by fire and who by water; who by sword and who by beast; who by hunger and who by thirst; who by earthquake and who by plague; who by strangling and who by stoning; who shall be at ease and who shall wander about; who shall be at peace and who shall be molested; who shall have comfort and who shall be tormented; who shall become poor and who shall become rich; who shall be lowered and who shall be raised. But repentance, prayer and charity cancel the stern decree."

The U'netanneh Tokef meditation mentions also G-d's consideration of human weakness and his benevolence

United Synagogue Umbrella organization of Conservative congregations in the United States

Urim and Tummim Light and Perfection The two mysterious objects contained in the breastplate of the Kohen Gadol and is mentioned 8 times in the Hebrew Tanach together or separately. Choshen HaMishpat (The Breastplate of Judgment) bore the names of Yisrael's tribes on twelve precious stones. The gleaming of the gems in the breastplate, according to some interpreters, miraculously confirmed the answer which occurred to the Kohen Gadol while he was offering prayer for divine guidance

Usha Settlement near Haifa, it was the seat of the Sanhedrin

Ushpizin Upon entering the Sukkah, which serves as a center of hospitality during the festival of Sukkot, a short prayer is recited in connection with the custom of symbolically inviting seven Biblical guests, the patriarchs of the Jewish people as invisible guests (ushpizin). These are: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe, Aharon, and David. This rests on a Kabbalistic statement that the Shechinah (Divine Presence) shelters the Sukkah beneath its wings, and Avraham, in the company of six righteous men, enters to participate in the hospitality of the Jew who properly observes the precept of Sukkah. In the presence of such immortal guests, one should rejoice together with an equal number of needy people sharing his meals in the Sukkah Zohar, Emor)

UTJ Union for Traditional Judaism Umbrella organization of Traditional congregations in the United States

Uvda DeChol Also called uvdin d'chol. Anything that may give the Shabbat a workday character (such as the use of the telephone) and therefore prohibited, although not involving direct labor or prohibited work

Uva L'Tziyon A Redeemer Shall Come to Tziyon The opening phrase of the closing prayer of the daily morning service. This prayer, consisting of biblical quotations accompanied by the paraphrase of the Targum, has been designed to enable every Jew to have a daily share in the study of the Torah (Rashi, Sotah 49a).

In addition to the biblical mosaic of verses, several of which are rendered in Aramaic, Uva l'Tziyon contains the following petition: "Blessed be our G-d Who has created us for his glory and separated us from those who go astray...May he open our hearts to His Torah; may He set in our heart love and reverence to do His will and to serve him with a perfect heart..." This prayer for enlightenment conrresponds to Yeshayahu 59:21, quoted at the beginning of Uva l'Tziyon

HEBREW TRANSLITERATION	ENGLISH	MEANING

UAHC	Union of American Hebrew Congregations	Umbrella organization of Reform congregations in the United States
Uktzin	Stalks	Twelfth and last tractate of the Mishnah order of Tohorot, dealing with ritual purity brought to a harvested plant when it roots, stalks, or pods come into contact with an unclean person or thing
Ulpan (Ulpan Le'Ivrit)	Studio	Classes for intensive study of Hebrew especially designed for new immigrants to Yisrael
Umot HaOlam	Nations of the World
Unetaneh Tokef		The prayer-poem U'netanneh Tokef, figuring prominently in the Musaf service of the High Holidays, is traditionally attributed to Rabbi Amnon of mayenee, a legendary martyr at the time of the Crusades (12th century). Since, however, this prayer was among the finds in teh Cairo Genizah, it must have been composed at an earlier date. According to some, it was published by Rabbi Kalonymus ben Meshullam, head of the Jewish community of Mainz and one of the most eminent liturgical poets of 11th century Germany. The poem depicts Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as the days of heavenly judgment, when it is decreed "how many shall pass away and how many shall be brought into existence; who shall live and who shall die; who shall come to a timely end, and who to an untimely end; who shall perish by fire and who by water; who by sword and who by beast; who by hunger and who by thirst; who by earthquake and who by plague; who by strangling and who by stoning; who shall be at ease and who shall wander about; who shall be at peace and who shall be molested; who shall have comfort and who shall be tormented; who shall become poor and who shall become rich; who shall be lowered and who shall be raised. But repentance, prayer and charity cancel the stern decree." The U'netanneh Tokef meditation mentions also G-d's consideration of human weakness and his benevolence
United Synagogue		Umbrella organization of Conservative congregations in the United States
Urim and Tummim	Light and Perfection	The two mysterious objects contained in the breastplate of the Kohen Gadol and is mentioned 8 times in the Hebrew Tanach together or separately. Choshen HaMishpat (The Breastplate of Judgment) bore the names of Yisrael's tribes on twelve precious stones. The gleaming of the gems in the breastplate, according to some interpreters, miraculously confirmed the answer which occurred to the Kohen Gadol while he was offering prayer for divine guidance
Usha		Settlement near Haifa, it was the seat of the Sanhedrin
Ushpizin		Upon entering the Sukkah, which serves as a center of hospitality during the festival of Sukkot, a short prayer is recited in connection with the custom of symbolically inviting seven Biblical guests, the patriarchs of the Jewish people as invisible guests (ushpizin). These are: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe, Aharon, and David. This rests on a Kabbalistic statement that the Shechinah (Divine Presence) shelters the Sukkah beneath its wings, and Avraham, in the company of six righteous men, enters to participate in the hospitality of the Jew who properly observes the precept of Sukkah. In the presence of such immortal guests, one should rejoice together with an equal number of needy people sharing his meals in the Sukkah Zohar, Emor)
UTJ	Union for Traditional Judaism	Umbrella organization of Traditional congregations in the United States
Uvda DeChol		Also called uvdin d'chol. Anything that may give the Shabbat a workday character (such as the use of the telephone) and therefore prohibited, although not involving direct labor or prohibited work
Uva L'Tziyon	A Redeemer Shall Come to Tziyon	The opening phrase of the closing prayer of the daily morning service. This prayer, consisting of biblical quotations accompanied by the paraphrase of the Targum, has been designed to enable every Jew to have a daily share in the study of the Torah (Rashi, Sotah 49a). In addition to the biblical mosaic of verses, several of which are rendered in Aramaic, Uva l'Tziyon contains the following petition: "Blessed be our G-d Who has created us for his glory and separated us from those who go astray...May he open our hearts to His Torah; may He set in our heart love and reverence to do His will and to serve him with a perfect heart..." This prayer for enlightenment conrresponds to Yeshayahu 59:21, quoted at the beginning of Uva l'Tziyon