herem

See also: herêm

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Transliteration of Hebrew חֵרֶם (ḥērem). Doublet of haram.

Noun

herem (countable and uncountable, plural herems)

  1. (Judaism) A prohibition enacted by rabbinic authority.
    • 1998, David Rossoff, “The Battle Cry”, in Where Heaven Touches Earth:
      Six months after the Brisker Rav's arrival in 1878, he reinstated the cherem against any changes in the educational system.
    • 2024, David Golinkin, “Is Mixed Dancing Really Forbidden At Weddings?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 235:
      Rabbi David Hacohen of Corfu supported a [h]erem against dancing by men with married women.
  2. (Judaism) The exclusion of a person from the Jewish community.
    • 2006 March 23, Chris McGreal, “Settlers don't know when the knock on the door will come and they have to leave”, in The Guardian[1]:
      Mr Raz said he was fired from his job at the settlement council six months ago because of his involvement in the campaign and a rabbi placed him in "herem", an ancient religious practice requiring that a wayward person be ostracised.

Further reading

Anagrams