B’rit Hadashah - Hebrew for “Renewed Covenant” a phrase used by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31). Sacred Scriptures written by The [Jewish] Apostles which consist of The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts), The Epistles (letters) and The Apocalypse of Yochannan (John). Christendom calls these writings the `New Testament’.
Canon Law - the law of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. A canon is a rule adopted by a council.
Gemara - commentary on the Mishna.
Gematria - Jewish work on numerology.
Golden Plates the name most frequently used to refer to the “gold plates” that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received from the angel Moroni and used as the ancient source for the English translation of The Book of Mormon.
Haftorah - a portion from the Nevi’im (Prophets) that’s read on the Sabbath or other festivals.
Haggadah - 1. the part of the Talmud without the same authoritative law of the Halacha; 2. the narrative read at the Passover Seder, which describes the Jews rescue from Egyptian bondage.
Mishnah - the codified core of the Oral Law.
Quran (Koran) - the holy book of Islam. Muslims believe that the Quran is the literal word of God in Arabic and the culmination of God’s revelation to mankind, revealed to Muhammad, the final prophet of humanity, over a period of twenty-three years through the angel Jibril.
Sefer Torah - The scroll of the five books of Moses that’s kept in the Ark at the front of a synagogue or temple.
Shulchan Aruch - the codified standard reference of the Jewish Law.
Siddur - daily and Shabbat prayer book.
Tanach, TaNaCH - the Sacred Scriptures of the Hebrews grouped into three main sections: the Torah (the Written Law); the Nevi’im (the Prophets); the Kethubim (the Writings). Christendom calls these writings the `Old Testament’, which includes the `books’ of Genesis to Malachi.
Torah - Written Law; the five books of Moshe (Moses).
Talmud - sixty-six volumes of commentary on the Torah; composed of the Mishna (Oral Law) and Gemara (commentary on the Mishna). Legally binding parts of the Talmud are called the Halacha, other portions the Haggadah.
Zohar - the most important book of the Cabbalistic movement.