Definitions

Dear Rabbi, This is a secular question. In my Polish-Jewish neighborhood, the old timers used to say "Yoni-Cohani" when excited. Can you tell me what this means? Thank you.   Sincerely, Gary J. Pasieka CDXLIV

Dear Rabbi, In Exodus 3:6: "Moshe hid his face for he was in awe." Is "hid his face" a Hebrew idiom and what does it signify? Joachim Bromet  

What do the names Shem, Ham, and Japheth mean?

Hi, a recent prayer in the US Congress got me wondering what the word “Amen” really means, and to find out its origin. Can you help me? Thanks, Rabbi.

I want to be a tzaddik. But I'm too lagging behind spiritually. I believe it will be helpful to listen to Jewish advice about this matter because there are many Jewish tzaddikim. What shall I do to become a tzaddik?

Jewish nation has many tzaddikim. 25% of nobel prize winners are jewish. But I guess over the half of world tzaddikim are jewish. Why are there so many jewish tzaddikim? Is there any jewish know-how to produce tzaddikim?

While our family has a very short experience of believing in one God, the Jewish nation has the history of 4000 years of monotheism from Abraham. Because of that, I feel I am lagging behind spiritually. I want to catch up the spiritual level of the Jewish people as soon as possible. Is there any faster way to be righteous and holy? Is there any shortcut for spiritual growth?

What does “Teshuva” mean in a nutshell?