The Bible Glossary

The Bible Glossary

Self-containment

to keep things to oneself

Tender

showing gentleness and affection

Neglected

to lack care for someone or something

Boasted

to brag

Hastily

quickly

Stasis

state of inactivity

Submit

to give into

Nazarite (Nazir)

As described in Numbers 6:1–21, a Nazarite is a man or a women who is on a higher level and is austere with him or herself. The Nazarite has the following restrictions:

1. He or she must completely stay away from grapes (this includes drinking wine, grape juice, wine vinegar, etc.)

2. He or she may not cut his or her hairs during their Nazirut (the time that they are a Nazir)

3. He or she may always remain ritually pure during their Nazirut (they cannot approach a dead body; even that of their loved ones).

Samson was a famous Nazarite.

Mikveh

A place of fresh water (rain water) were a man or a women completely emerses themselves to become ritually pure.

Ritual Impurity

People can be ritually impure for many reasons, and it's not necessarily a bad or shameful thing. During the times of the Bible, a ritually impure person was unable to give sacrifices. As a matter of fact, giving sacrifices would have made someone ritually impure. In addition, there are still restrictions in Judaism that apply today concerning ritual impurity, for example, a women during Niddah, cannot engage in sexual activity with or cannot touch her husband nail she becomes ritually pure. To become ritually clean, one must immerse him or herself in the Mikveh. People may become ritually impure by menstruating (Niddah), childbirth (the women is impure for twice as long if she gives birth to a man), sexual relations (this involves seminal emition), nocturnal emission, coming in contact with a dead body, and contracting tzara'at. Each one of these actions have their own specific laws pertaining to ritual impurity.

Taharat Hamishpacha

Taharat Hamishpacha refers to the laws of family purity. This includes the laws of Niddah.

Niddah

A woman begins to be in Niddah as soon as she starts menstruating. She then adds seven clean days (non-menstrual days) to the end of her period. For that amount of time, her and her husband may not touch, pass things directly to one another, engage in sexual activity, and sleep in the same bed. After the women's Niddah period is over, she emerges herself in the Mikveh and her and her husband can resume sexual activity.

Tzara'at

Tzara'at was a punishment by God, given to those who speak badly about their fellows, during the time of the Bible. There were different manifestations of Tzara'at. Tzara'at starts by manifesting on the body (skin, scalp, and hair); and can progress on to ones clothing, and even on ones house and other property. The High Priest was the only one who could diagnose Tzara'at. The repercussions for Tzara'at are very severe. Tzara'at makes someone ritually impure.

Milah Mancha- a Repeating Word

When a certain word (or root word) appears in a certain section of the Bible more than usual.

Ma'amar Musgar

A phrase or phrases in the Bible that don't relate to its surrounding story.

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