Halakhic Principles

Darchei Shalom (lit. "Ways of Peace") refers to good relations among neighbors.

Gematria is the practice of assigning numerical values to Hebrew letters. Throughout rabbinic and Jewish literature, Gematria is used as a tool for interpreting biblical texts and deriving meaning from words and phrases.

When the term tikkun olam — translated as “repair,” “betterment,” or “improvement” of the world — first appears throughout the fourth chapter of tractate Gittin in the Mishnah, it refers to rabbinic edicts likely meant to foster social order, like Hillel’s prozbul and the decree that two witnesses must sign a divorce document. In the ancient Aleinu prayer, the term is used in the context of a future messianic era in which idolatry would be obliterated, and all would recognize God’s omnipotence. In kabbalistic literature, tikkun olam means performing religious acts in order to gather fragments of God’s light and return them to their source. In modern times, many use "tikkun olam" to refer to pursuing social justice.

Covenants are binding commitments made between two parties. The most famous covenants in Tanakh are those that God made with Abraham, these include the "covenant between the parts" and that of circumcision. People too can make covenants, as was the case when Abraham made one with Abimelekh.

"Safek" is a term originating from Rabbinic literature and is not found in the Bible itself. In legal contexts, when uncertainty arises, approaches vary depending on whether the commandment in question originates from the Torah or from Rabbinic sources.