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Hebrew Homeschool - Jewish Virtues and Values

Jewish Virtues and Values

Hebrew Homeschool Resource Pages

Introduction

Studying basic Jewish values (middot) is a wonderful way to reinforce your Hebrew learning. Memorizing Hebrew keywords will increase your Jewish literacy level and also provide you with opportunity to teach valuable moral and spiritual lessons to your child.  For each of the following, click on the link to open a "copywork" page for children to practice writing the Hebrew keyword or phrase.

Hebrew Keywords

  • Faith (Emunah) -  The Hebrew word emunah (ΧΦ±ΧžΧ•ΦΌΧ ΦΈΧ”), often translated as "faith" in many English translations, occurs for the first time in the Torah in connection with Abraham (Gen. 15:6). The root word (אָמַן) means to support, uphold, establish. Our English word "Amen" comes from this root. 
  • Hope (Tikvah) - The Hebrew word tikvah (ΧͺΦΌΦ΄Χ§Φ°Χ•ΦΈΧ”) can be translated as "hope" or as "cord" (Josh. 2:18,21). In the Scriptures, the word first appears in reference to the cord of "scarlet thread" that Rahab used to signal her faith (the phrase tikvat ha-shani (ΧͺΦΌΦ΄Χ§Φ°Χ•Φ·Χͺ הַשָּׁנִי) could literally be rendered "the hope of the scarlet"). The root word (Χ§ΦΈΧ•ΦΈΧ”) means to look for, wait, hope (Gen. 49:18). The Israeli National Anthem is Hatikvah, "The Hope," and was written by Naftali Herz Imber in the early 1880s. Hatikva is about the undying hope of the Jewish people to one day return to their ancient homeland.
  • Love (Ahavah) - The first occurrence of the word love (i.e., ahavah: אַהֲבָה) in the Scriptures (Gen 22:2) refers to a father's love for his "only" son who was offered as a sacrifice on Moriah (the very place of the crucifixion of Jesus), a clear reference to the gospel message (John 3:16).

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Work in Progress...  The following middot will be added as time permits:

Faith (Emunah)

Hope (Tikvah)

Love (Ahavah)

Joy (Simchah)

Humility (Anavah)

Truthfulness (Emet)

Friendship (Yedidut)

Fellowship (Chaverut)

Mercy (Rachamim)

Patience (Savlanut)

Hospitality (Hachnasat)

Generosity (Nedivut)

Honoring Others

Courage (Ometz Lev)

Contentment

Peace in the home

Attentiveness

Care of your body

Correcting Others

Fearing God

Honoring Parents

Studying Scripture

Self Control

Honoring Teachers

Jewish Literacy - Values

Derech Eretz

Dibbur Emet

Gemilut Chasidim

Hachnasat Orechim

Pikuach Nefesh

Bal Taschit

Ha'achalat Re'evim

Kibbud Horim

Redifat Shalom

Shalom Bayit

Ahavat Habriot

Bikkur Cholim

Hiddur Pnei Zakein

Sever Panim Yafot

Hashavat Avedah

Shemirat Haguf

Shemirat Halashon

Tikkun Olam

Lo Tachmod

Talmud Torah

Tzedakah

Kehillah

Likhvod Shabbat

Ahavat Yisrael

Chesed

Mishpachah

Chokhmah

Cheirut

Tza'ar Ba'alei Chayim

Halbashat Arumim

Ahavah Shel Achvah

Ometz Lev

Rachamim

Haginut

Savlanut

Anavah

Yedidut

Tzeniut

Perishut

Selichah

Bittachon

Emunah

Nedivut Lev

B'tzelem Elohim

L'kaf Zechut

Tzionut

Kibbud Av v'Em

Refuah

Zerizut

Dirshu Mishpat

 

Jewish Concepts, Middot, Mitzvot, and Values
Ach'zariyut – Cruelty
Ahavah – Love
ahavat ger β€” kindness to strangers
ahavat chinam – unconditional love
Ahuv – Being beloved
Am bachir – Chosen people
anavah β€” humility
arichat sefatayim – orderly (thoughtful) speech
Atzlut – Laziness
averah goreret averah β€” each sin helps bring another
Avodah – spiritual service; work
Aymah – Fear
Azut – Arrogance
bal tashchit β€” do not destroy or be wasteful
bikkur Cholim β€” visiting the sick
binat ha-lev – an understanding heart
Bushah – Shame
Chanifut – Flattery
Charatah – Regret
Cherut – freedom, inner freedom, free will
chesed β€” showing kindness
Da'agah – Worry
dan lechaf zechut β€” giving the benefit of the doubt
devekut – yearning for / communion with God
dibuk chaverim – cleaving to friends
Eino Machazik Tova L'Atzmo – Taking no personal credit
Eino Samayach BeHora'ah – Not delighting in rendering decisions
emet β€” truthfulness
emunah β€” faith, trust (in ourselves, others, in life, in God)
Emunat Chachamim – Trust in the sages
erech apayim – slow to anger
Ga'avah – Pride
gemilut chasadim β€” acts of lovingkindness
hachnasat orchim β€” welcoming the stranger
hitbonenut β€” introspection, personal reflection
Hoda'ah -- thanksgiving
Ka'as – Anger
Kabbalat HaYisurin – Acceptance of suffering
kavod β€” respect for people, for human dignity
kedusha – making sacred or special
Keenah – Envy
kibud zekenim β€” honoring the elderly
lashon hara β€” gossip
Lev Tov – A generous heart
limud -- study
lo anochiyut β€” selflessness
lo levayesh β€” not embarrassing
Lo Maygis Libo B'Talmudo – Not boasting onf one's learing
Lomed al Manat La'asot – Studying in order to perform Mitzvot
Lomed al Manat Lelamed – Studying in order to teach
Lomed lishma – studying for its own sake
Ma'amido al HaEmet – Setting others on the path of truth
Ma'amido al HaShalom – Setting others on the path of peace
Machkim et Rabo – Sharpening the wisdom of one's teacher
Machrio L'Chaf Zechut – Influencing one's fellow to virtue
Makir et Mekoma – Knowing one's place
mechabed zeh et zeh β€” honoring others
Mechavayan et Sh'muato – Being precise in transmitting what one has learned
melacha – work, industriousness
middot β€” "measures", human qualities
Mishnah – Study of Scripture and Mishnah
Mitrachayk Min HaKavod – Shunning honor
mitzvah goreret mitzvah β€” each good deed helps bring another one
mitzvot ben adam lechavero β€” good deeds/mitzvot toward others
Miyashev BeTalmudo – Concentrating on one's studies
Miyut Derech Eretz – A minimum of wordly pursuits
Miyut Sechok – A minimum of frivolity
Miyut Sechorah – Moderation in business
Miyut Shaynah – A minimum of sleep
miyut sicha – minimizing small talk
Miyut Ta'anug – A minimum of wordly pleasure
nedivut β€” generosity
Nedivut – Generosity/magnanimity
ne-eman β€” loyalty
Nosay  V'OlIm Chavayro – Sharing the burden with one's fellow
Ohev et HaBriyot – Loving all creatures
Ohev et HaMakom – Loving God
Ohev et HaMaysharim – Loving rectitude
Ohev et HaTorchachot – Loving rebuke
Ohev et HaTz'dakot – Loving charitable deeds
ohev zeh et zeh β€” loving others
Omer Davar BeShem Omro – Quoting one's source
ometz lev β€” courage
oseh shalom β€” making peace
Pilpul HaTalmidim – Acute discussion with pupils
rachamim β€” mercy
Ratzon – Willingness
rodef shalom β€” pursuing peace
rofeh cholim – healing the sick
ruach β€” spirit
same-ach b'chelko β€” contentment with your lot
savlanut – patience
sefer chayim – Book of life; one's fate;  path of life
sever panim yafot β€” a pleasant demeanor
Seyag LiD'varav – Guarding one's speech
shalom β€” peace
shalom bayit β€” peace in the home
shalva β€” tranquility
Sheker – Falseness
shem tov β€” a good name, a good reputation
Shetikah – Silence
Shichechah – Forgetfulness
Shimush Chachamim -- Ministering to the sages
Shmiat HaOzen – Attentiveness
shmi-at ha-ozen β€” attentiveness; being a good listener
shmirat ha-guf – caring for our bodies
Shoayl U'Mayshiv – Asking and answering questions
Shomaya U'Mosif – Absorbing knowledge and adding to it
shomrei adama β€” caring for the earth
Sichlut HaLev – A perceptive heart
Simchah – Joy
simchat chayim β€” joy in life
Sinah – Hatred
Sinat chinam – baseless hatred
someach noflim – supporting the downfallen
Talmud – Study
Talmud torah
tefila β€” prayer
temimut β€” integrity, uprightness, wholesomeness
teshuva β€” repentance
tikkun bayit β€” repairing our family life
tikkun middot β€” repairing our moral life; upgrading our human qualities
tikkun olam β€” repair of the world, bringing wholeness healing to the world
Tikvah -- hope
tochechah – helpful rebuke
Torah – Learing
tsniyut β€” modesty
Tzayekanut – Miserliness
tzedaka β€” righteousness, "charity"
yediat ha-El β€” knowledge of God
Yirah – Awe
yirah – awe and reverence
Yirat Shamayim – Fear of heaven
Yishuv BeMikra – Calmness in study
Zechirah – Rememberance
zerizut β€” enthusiasm and diligence
Tzelem Elohinm – all are created in image of God
Tzedek -- justice


 

 

 

 

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