Dictionary A Abib / Aviv The first month on the Hebrew calendar, called Nisan (from the Babylonian calendar), the seventh civil month, today. It is the first month of the year, according to the Torah, and is the month of the first fruits and of Passover. Abib/Nisan occurs in March–April on the Gregorian calendar. See 2 Moses 23:13; 3 Moses 33:13, 39:13, 40:1, 50:1; 4 Moses 1:1, 8:9, 9:1-4; 5 Moses 14:1-4; Exodus 12:1-2. Abomination Hebrew feminine noun identifying a selfish desire; sin, detestable act, or object of loathing: anything that takes us away from teshuvah, the love of God. Adam Hebrew אדם, "human,” or “mankind.” This can denote the man Adam, the couple Adam and Eve, a man, mankind generally, a person, or people. As the human race, this is Adam Kadmon (premortal beings) that becomes, through Christ, Adam Elyon (resurrected and perfected beings). As Adam, he is Michael the archangel (Doctrines of the Saints Appendix 1:11, 2:7, 7 Joseph 5:11, Book of Remembrance 7:15). He may be the Holy Ghost, the Apostle Brigham Young taught, “It is true that the earth was organized by three distinct characters, namely, Eloheim, Yahovah, and Michael, these three forming a quorum, as in all heavenly bodies, and in organizing element, perfectly represented in the Deity, as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (Journal of Discourses 1:51). While this echoes the Book of Remembrance, it may merely be symbolic. As the human race, we are Adam Kadmon (premortal beings), and become, through Christ, Adam Elyon (resurrected and perfected beings). The Hebrew translated as “Adam” is connected with other Hebrew words, helping to clarify the meaning. Two of the words connected with Adam are אָדֹם (adom) meaning “red” and אַדְמָה) adamah) “ground,” or “earth.” This tells us that Adam or mankind is somehow associated with both the color redness and the earth, as to say that we, Adam, belong to the earth. In the Hebrew there is a difference between the creation of Adam and the creation of Eve. While Adam is created (Hebrew, yatzar, Genesis 2:7, meaning “fashioned”) similar to a potter fashioning vessels from clay. Eve is created (Hebrew, banah, Genesis 2:22, meaning “built”) as a divine creation. This term is used throughout the first chapters of Genesis. The Hebrew verb banah is from the word binah, “intelligence.” This suggests that from the beginning woman was endowed with a superior sense of wisdom, tying Eve to the Shekinah. See also 1 Moses 2:12; Genesis 2:19; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; Doctrines of the Saints Appendix 1:11, 2:7; 7 Joseph 5:11; Book of Remembrance 7:15; Journal of Discourses 1:51; Eve, Male and Female, Ruach HaKodesh. Adar The twelfth month on the Hebrew calendar, the sixth civil month today. In leap years, it becomes the thirteenth month, Adar-bet or Adar II. It is known as a month of celebration and happiness. Adar occurs in February–March on the Gregorian calendar. See 2 Moses 26:4, 32:13. Adar-aleph The twelfth month on the Hebrew calendar is Adar-aleph or Adar I, which is the sixth civil month today. In leap years, Adar-bet or Adar II becomes the thirteenth month, keeping the holy days of this month. The leap year is determined by the harvest. See 2 Moses 32:13. Adar-bet In leap years, Adar-bet or Adar II becomes the thirteenth month, keeping the holy days of this month. The leap year is determined by the harvest. See 2 Moses 26:4, 32:13. Adonai Hebrew, “Lord.” In the Jewish Bible this term is used rather than YHVH when reading the Hebrew text. Its root is “shalam,” meaning “to be complete” or “sound.” Adonai should not to be confused with “adon,” “mare,” or gebir, which also mean “Lord,” but in the sense of domineering, and in a master, or “rabreban,” which means “lord,” or “noble.” At times, people in the scriptures call the angel of the Lord Adonai. This is likely to show respect without worshipping the angel. After the fall of Judea to Babylon, the people stopped using the name, YHVH, for God. Adonai was one of the replacement terms used in place of the name in the scriptures. Adultery Hebrew masculine noun, נאף” ,naaph,” can refer to a man having sex or a sexual relationship with a married woman; also used to describe the worship of idols as God views our relationship/covenant with Him as a marriage covenant. Adversary See Satan. Ahyeh Asher Ahyeh Hebrew אהיה שרׁא אהיה. “The Creator,” or “I AM that I AM,” “I AM (the One) that Makes/Creates.” or “I am the Existing One.” The modern pronunciation is ’ehye ’ăšer ’ehye. This appears to be a name for YHVH, Jesus Christ. See 1 Moses 1:1, 3 Moses 3:20, Exodus 3:14, John 8:58, Doctrines of the Saints 15d:4, Book of Remembrance 23:62. Air Can denote the wind or air in the classical sense, the Holy Spirit as the wind or breath of God. The element of air is represented as the Sefirot Da’at, or knowledge—Heavenly Father, or the Divine Masculine. See 5 Moses 2:7, 12:16; Book of Remembrance 33:9. Aleph/1 Aleph (or alef, or alif) is the first letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. It signifies the number one, or 1,000 when referring to years. Aleph shows us the Oneness and Unity of God, either as the trinity, one God acting as many, or as the Godhead, many Gods acting as one. The unity of God cannot be divided. This perfect unity, being one as Christ pleaded for his disciples to be one, represents perfection beyond human comprehension (John 17:11). It also represents the fact that God, as the Creator, is the source of everything. Some draw Aleph is two Yods; one above and one below, with a diagonal line, Vav, between them. This represents the sealing power: as above so below, as below so above, as Christ ask in his introductory prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). This teaches us that the higher world and the lower world are connected. Aleph is the essential symbol of beginnings: the Alpha. Jewish Kabbalah ties aleph to the element of air, and thus El Abba and Da’at. It signifies the path between Keter and Chokhma in the Tree of Life. Aleph also represents the Fool in the tarot’s major arcana. It is said by the Midrash that Aleph is humble, because though it is the first letter, it was not the letter to start the Torah. Aleph Tav The first and last letters of the Hebrew Alphabet; the Beginning and the End. Some see it as a symbol or signature of Jesus Christ found in the Hebrew Bible (the Torah or Old Testament). In Hebrew, Aleph Tav serves as the preposition like the Hebrew עם) eem), meaning “with.” It is also a feminine pronoun. Based on the Biblical text, both may be correct, depending on its use in the writings. Allah Arabic, “God;” name for God used by Arabic people of different religions since pre-Islamic times. It is commonly known as the term for God by both Arab and non-Arab Muslims and Arab Christians. In 1 Moses 30:20 the term “God” is translated to “Allah” is the hieroglyphs Heka-ka in Egyptian, which can be translated as Heka: “magic” and ka: “vital force,” denoting the power or being(s) that existed before the creation and division of the heavens and the earth. The hieroglyph for Heka-ka appears as a man in temple garb holding a staff with two snakes, much like Moses in the Torah (see Numbers 21:8) with two arms above his head forming a square. In the flames (God's translation to Hebrew) over this hieroglyph is “Elohim” which is Hebrew for “Gods” which can denote the Godhead or Trinity as a whole, God the Father & Mother, or the Masculine and Feminine aspects of God. However, when translating David was moved by the Holy Spirit to translate Heka/Elohim to Allah here to denote that the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the same Elohim of Abraham and Ishmael, called “Allah” in their tongue. Amarutu See Mahan Amen/So mote it be, Amen Hebrew (אמן) “verily,” “truth,” “truly.” “So Mote it be” is from the Old English “so mot hyt be” (so it must be), a way of saying “Amen” still used by Masons and other groups today. “So mote it be, Amen” is the same as saying “Amen, and amen.” Amethyst The stone of Gad, in Kabbalah this stone is believed to bring patience and peace to oneself. It is a stone of healing and said to connect mankind to the divine. See 2 Moses 26:8; 3 Moses 38:12; 4 Moses 41:10; Exodus 28:19, 39:12; Revelation 21:20. Angel of YHVH a messenger of YHVH that appears repeatedly throughout the first four Books of Moses, the Tanakh or Old Testament, and the New Testament on behalf of YHVH. Some believe this may also be the Angel of the Presence mentioned in Isaiah 63:9, though this is more likely Raphael, as the Presence is a reference to the Divine Feminine, of which Raphael is the representative. Although it is believed by some that this angel is the premortal Jesus Christ, YHVH Himself, this angel tells Moses not to make supplication with him, and places himself below the Divine Council in 4 Moses 37:4. Some Rabbinical traditions hold that Zadkiel is the angel of YHVH, it may be they Zadkiel reports to the Angel of YHVH. See Zadikiel. Anoint Hebrew, “mishchah,” “to consecrate a portion.” The ritual act of sprinkling, dousing, or “washing” a person or object with any perfumed oil. This can be done to introduce a divine influence or presence, or as a part of an initiation ritual. It may also be used as a form of medicine for healing (sometimes known as unction), or to rid a person or items of dangerous spirits or demons. Jesus, the Christ, is “The Anointed One.” Ariel Hebrew, “lion of God” also known as Uriel “God is my light” or Malachim; an archangel, divine messenger of the Holy Spirit. Ariel represents the Sefirot Tif’eret and is likely Joseph Smith Jr., prophet of the restoration. See 2 Moses 2:34-38; 4 Moses 30:11, 32:57, 39:6; Zenos 10. Ark There are two types of arks mentioned in the scriptures. One is the Hebrew “aron,” meaning “coffin” or “chest” used for the ark of the covenant. The other well known ark is Noah’s ark; Hebrew, “tebah,” meaning “box” or “chest.” See Ark of the Covenant, Noah's Ark. Ark of the Covenant, Ark of God, or Ark of the Testimony: Hebrew “aron,” meaning “coffin” or “chest.” A sacred relic of the Israelite peoples. It has been described as a wooden chest covered by pure gold with an elaborate lid called the Mercy seat. It is believed to have housed the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod, and a pot of manna. This Ark was created according to the pattern given to Moses by God when the Israelites were encamped at the foot of Mount of Elohim, called Mount Sinai in the Torah/Old Testament. See 3 Moses 37:1-9, 39:4, 13-16, 35-36; 5 Moses 6:1-6; Exodus 25:10-22, 26:33; 30:6, 40:20-21; Numbers 7:89; Deuteronomy 31:25- 26; Jeremiah 3:15-17; Hebrews 9:3-5, Revelation 11:19. Astrology From the Hebrew, "nakh’ash;" "to practice divination, or observe signs." This can refer to the idea that the stars take away human free will. According to the Zohar, " Everything is dependent upon astral influences, even the Torah" (Idra Rabba). Israelite astrology teaches that the stars can speak to mankind, but that they cannot rule Israel, as YHVH has given the Israelites free agency. It is forbidden for one to let the stars dictate one's life, yet there are times with God will speak to us though them by prophecy and revelation. We must see the clear divide between gaining the stars' "influence" on people (permitted) and the worshipping of the stars or any heavenly bodies (prohibited). In Jewish/Israel astrology there are 12 constellations, like Greek astrology. These break down to: Nisan (ṭaleh) Aries, Iyar (shor) Taurus, Sivan (te’umim) Gemini, Tammuz (sarṭan) Cancer Av (arieh) Leo, Elul (betulah) Virgo, Tishri (moznayim) Libra, Cheshvan ('akrab) Scorpio, Kislev (keshet) Sagittarius, Tevet (gedi) Capricorn, Shevat (deli) Aquarius, and Adar (dagim) Pisces. See 4 Moses 19:14, 20:23, 35:2, 38:4; Genesis 1:14; Ezekiel; 1:1; Matthew 2:9-10, Revelation 12:1-6. Athame A sacrificial knife dedicated to God. The Smith family is known to have at least one athame, the Mars Dagger. This was a silver dagger with the symbol of Mars that belonged to Hyrum Smith (See Early Mormonism and the Magical World View, Quinn, Figure 43). Before Christ, the athame was used to sacrifice animals. It represents judgment, fire, and the Holy Spirit. With the exception of Levites, modern athames should be made with a covenant not to be used to shed blood and are desecrated if blood touches them. In temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for example, a finger is used in place of an athame for cutting the prayer circle to add someone entering after the circle has been closed. See 1 Moses 31:19, Book of Remembrance 33:42. Atonement Hebrew, “kippur” from “kaphar;” “to cover over,” or “to pacify.” Atonement is a spiritual concept taught in scriptural and Kabbalistic texts. The process of atoning allows for a transgression to be forgiven or pardoned. People can achieve atonement through teshuvah, repentance, which is followed by a confession to God and sometimes to the person harmed and restitution. The atonement of Jesus Christ both acts as our restitution and encourages us to take action to right wrongs when harm has been committed. It should be understood that Jesus, being the Savior of the world, has allowed for universal forgiveness through His death. Doctrines of the Saints 42 teaches that the atonement is unlimited in extent, offering universal reconciliation, meaning that all but perdition will eventually come to salvation through the atonement of Jesus Christ. See Leviticus 23:28 Alma 19:97 RAV, 42:15 OPV; Romans 5:11 Sin, Teshuvah. Av The fifth month on the Hebrew calendar, the eleventh civil month today. It is sometimes referred to as Menachem Av, “Comfort of Fathers.” Av occurs in July–August on the Gregorian calendar. Avinu Hebrew, “Our Father,” a name for God, mainly the Divine Masculine. Similar to Abba. Awmen/Ahman, Son Awmen/Son Ahman According to Doctrines of the Saints 45b, Awmen is the true name for God the Father and means “the being which made all things in all its parts” (vs 2). The Son Awmen “is the greatest of all the parts of Awmen which is the Godhead the First Born” (vs 4). This word, Awmen, has been spelled a number of ways, including Ahman. See 1 Moses 45:12; Doctrines of the Saints 45b. Ayin/70 is the sixteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. It signifies the number sixteen. Ayin means “eye” or “to see” in Hebrew. This letter represents the light itself; not physical light, but the spiritual light that came from YHVH, the light of the creation. The top of the letter represents our two eyes, how we see. In Kabbalah, there are three different forms of light: • Ain Soph at the top of the Tree of Life, the “uncreated light,” or the light from before the creation • Ain Soph Aur, the Ray of Creation, Jesus Christ, the light of the world • Ain Soph as the Ray of Creation, the light shining in the darkness to heal the creation, the light of the unconsciousness, subconsciousness, in the depths of the mind Ayin asks us to see beyond the physical, opening our eyes to truth, taking us from darkness to the light. Through this letter, we can break through the walls of our finite limitations to see God's truths.