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Sephardim, Sephardic

lit. Jews of medieval Spanish descent. Used to describe Jews and Jewish culture from the Mediterranean region and Arabic countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, etc. as distinguished from Ashkenazim.

Sforno

Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno lived most of his life in Bologna (in contemporary Italy), where he died in about 1550. Sforno's commentary to the Torah is published in most standard traditional Torah-and-commentary books (called in Hebrew Mikra'ot Gedolot). It is also available in English in a separate volume with just Torah-text, Sforno, and explanatory notes. While much of his commentary consists of brief comments explaining the 'plain' meaning of the text, he often also gives us wonderful gems of his renaissance humanism.

Shabbat

The Hebrew word for the seventh day; rendered as 'Sabbath' in English. The root means to rest, or desist. Shabbat is the first thing in Creation that is made holy.

Shechinah

Literally, "dwelling" (the act, not the building) or "presence." In early rabbinic literature, "Shechinah" refers to God's presence: that 'aspect' of God, or of our experience of God, that seems near and accessible to us. In the later mystical tradition, the Shechinah was considered the tenth and last of the divine emanations called "sefirot" that form a divine bridge between the absolutely transcendent and unknowable Godhead and the created world. The Shechinah is, in the mystical tradition, a female aspect of God.

Shehekheyanu (multiple other spellings are possible)

A blessing recited at various joyous occasions. One possible translation: "Praise to You, the Source of all Blessing, Eternal One, our God, majesty of the universe, that has given us life, and sustained us, and brought us to this time!"

shtiebl (spellings vary)

little community synagogue

Shtreimel

A big fur hat worn by hassidim.

Shulkhan Arukh

A code of halakhah that is so central that people sometimes use its title almost synonymously with "strict Jewish law." (Even though it isn't so strict or monolithic as many later codes.) It was published by Rabbi Joseph Caro in 1564. The Shulkhan Arukh is usually published with the comments of Rabbi Moses Isserles (an Ashkenazi contemporary of the Sepharadi Caro) interspersed in the text, so it could almost be said to have two authors. The Shulkhan Arukh has 4 main sections, called Orakh Khayim, Yoreh De'ah, Even Ha'ezer, and Khoshen Mishpat. A citation to the Shulkhan Arukh looks like: <"Shulkhan Arukh"><title of main section><Section number>.<law number>. The Shulkhan Arukh is often confused with the later abridged, (and stricter) Kitzur Shulkhan Arukh (Hungary, 1800s).

Sifre

The title of a book of halakhically oriented midrash on the book of Deuteronomy.

Simchat Torah

A holiday in which the annual cycle of Torah-reading is both completed and begun anew.

Sukkah

A temporary dwelling that the Torah instructs Jews to dwell in for the seven days of the holiday called "Sukkot" (which is just the plural of sukkah) or, in English, "Tabernacles." The main characteristics of a traditional sukkah is that it have at least three walls, that the roof be made of all organic material (as opposed to metal, although it's a good idea not to have pesticides up there, either) that both provides significant shade and leaves stars visible at night.