tachlis / תכלית

Pronunciation: TAHKH-lis
Definition: Practical point; bottom line.
Example: “What’s the tachlis?”
Origin: Hebrew/Yiddish

tafel / טפל

Pronunciation: TAH-fel
Definition: Secondary thing.
Example: “Don’t confuse ikar and tafel.”
Origin: Hebrew/Yiddish
Also spelled: tofel

taharah / טהרה

Pronunciation: tah-hah-RAH
Definition: Purity.
Example: “Taharah restores openness.”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: tahara

taka / טאַקע

Pronunciation: TAH-kah
Definition: Actually; indeed.
Example: “Taka, that’s the point.”
Origin: Yiddish
Also spelled: takka

talmid / תלמיד

Pronunciation: TAL-mid
Definition: Student.
Example: “A talmid once asked…”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: talmidim

tefillah / תפילה

Pronunciation: teh-FEE-lah
Definition: Prayer.
Example: “Through tefillah…”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: tefila

teretz / תירוץ

Pronunciation: TEH-retz
Definition: Answer; resolution.
Example: “The teretz is…”
Origin: Hebrew/Yeshivish
Also spelled: teirutz

teshuvah / תשובה

Pronunciation: teh-SHOO-vah
Definition: Return; repentance.
Example: “Teshuvah means coming home.”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: teshuva

tikkun / תיקון

Pronunciation: tee-KOON
Definition: Repair; rectification.
Example: “This is part of the tikkun.”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: tikun

torah / תורה

Pronunciation: TOH-rah
Definition: Torah; divine teaching.
Example: “This Torah is alive.”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: Toyrah

tosfos / תוספות

Pronunciation: TOHS-fohs
Definition: Talmudic commentators.
Example: “Tosfos asks…”
Origin: Hebrew/Yiddish
Also spelled: Tosafot, Tosafos

tshuva / תשובה

Pronunciation: tshoo-VAH
Definition: Responsum; answer.
Example: “He wrote a tshuva.”
Origin: Hebrew/Yiddish
Also spelled: teshuva

tumah / טומאה

Pronunciation: too-MAH
Definition: Impurity; blockage.
Example: “Tumah covers clarity.”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: tuma

tzad / צד

Pronunciation: TSAHD
Definition: Side; possibility.
Example: “One tzad is…”
Origin: Hebrew

tzadik / צדיק

Pronunciation: TSAH-dik
Definition: Righteous person.
Example: “The tzadik sees deeper.”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: tzaddik

tzavah / צוואה

Pronunciation: tzah-VAH
Definition: Will; instruction.
Example: “His tzavah was…”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: tzava’ah

tzibbur / ציבור

Pronunciation: TSIB-bur
Definition: Community; congregation.
Example: “The tzibbur says…”
Origin: Hebrew
Also spelled: tzibur

tzvei dinim / צוויי דינים

Pronunciation: TSVAY DEE-nim
Definition: Two separate laws or categories.
Example: “Maybe there are tzvei dinim.”
Origin: Aramaic/Yeshivish
Also spelled: two dinim

tzvei shitos / צוויי שיטות

Pronunciation: TSVAY SHEE-tohs
Definition: Two opinions.
Example: “It’s tzvei shitos.”
Origin: Yiddish/Hebrew
Also spelled: two shitos