kedushah

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Hebrew קדושה (k'dushá, “holiness”)

Noun

kedushah (countable and uncountable, plural kedushahs)

1. (Judaism) Any of several prayers involving the recitation of the biblical verses Isaiah 6:3 and Ezekiel 3:12.
2. (Judaism) Holiness, sanctity.
   • 2017, Velvel Pasternak, Behind the Music, Stories, Anecdotes, Articles and Reflections, page 208:

     When we sing this melody [Napoleon's March], are we singing a non-Jewish melody? Of course not! We have accepted it and even given it a degree of k'dusha (holiness) by attaching it to a liturgical text.

   • 2021 06, Eli L. Garfinkel, The JPS Jewish Heritage Torah Commentary, U of Nebraska Press, →ISBN, page 210:

     According to the Torah, all people are required to be morally good, but Jews are additionally required to protect the border that kedushah creates around us.

Alternative forms

• kedushshah