Torah Study

amidah: literally, the "standing" prayer. The nineteen prayers that constitute the main body of Jewish liturgy; also known as tefilah and the shemoneh esrei.

chevrutah: Jewish tradition calls one's study partner a chevrutah; a study partner; a study buddy.  

chumash (from chameish, "five"): The Pentateuch (Five Books of Moses), or a book containing the Pentateuch.

derashah: a brief exposition of the Torah portion for the week. Sometimes referred to as the devar Torah, "a word of Torah."

haftarah: literally, "completion." The reading of the section from the Prophets for a particular Shabbat.

parasha: the Torah portion of the week. Also sometimes referred to as the sedra.

Talmud: literally, "learning." Commentaries and discussions of the Mishnah, compiled circa 450 C.E. - 500 C.E. One Talmud was compiled in Palestine (the Palestinian or Jerusalem Talmud, known as the Yerushalmi); the more authoritative one was compiled in Babylonia (the Babylonian Talmud, known as the Bavli).

Tanach: acronym for Torah, Neviim (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the later Writings) that comprise the Hebrew Bible.

Torah: literally, "teaching" or "direction." Narrowly, the first part of the Hebrew Bible that is read from the scroll; broadly, all Jewish sacred literature and by implication, all of Judaism.