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What is the Hebrew alphabet?

by Rabbi Mendy Hecht

  

Library » Miscellaneous » Hebrew / Languages » Hebrew | Subscribe | What is RSS?

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A. The Hebrew alphabet is the written representation of the Hebrew language. It consists of 22 letters written from right to left.

B. There are four Hebrew scripts used today: the standard print alphabet, the manual alphabet, Rashi Script, and Ashurite Script (used in writing Torah scrolls, Tefillin, Mezuzahs and megilahs).

C. OK, the letters, finally! Here they are:

Aleph (pronounced as is)

Bet (rhymes with “pet”)

Gimmel (GI-mell; “g” as in “give”)

Dalet (DAH-let, rhymes with “solid”)

Hay (pronounced as is)

Vav (rhymes with “love”)

Zayin (rhymes with “cryin’”)

Khet (guttural, Scottish/German kh)

Tet (pronounced as is)

Yud (rhymes with “could”)

Kaf (rhymes with “muff”)

Lammed (LAH-mid)

Mem (rhymes with “them”)

Nun (“u” as in “foot”)

Samach (pronounced SAH-makh)

Ayin (rhymes with “tryin’”)

Pay (pronounced as is)

Tzadik (rhymes with “[ro]botic”)

Koof (rhymes with “poof”)

Raish (pronounced raysh)

Shin (pronounced as is)

Tav (rhymes with “love”)


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Torah
Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.
Tefillin
Black leather boxes containing small scrolls with passages of the Bible written on them. Every day, aside for Sabbath and Jewish holidays, the adult Jewish male is required to wrap the Tefillin--by means of black leather straps--around the weaker arm and atop the forehead.
Rashi
Acronym for Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105). Legendary French scholar who authored the fundemental and widely accepted "Rashi commentary" on the entire Bible and Talmud.
Mezuzahs
Plural form of Mezuzah. Rolled up scrolls containing certain verses from the Torah which are affixed to the right-hand doorposts of doorways in Jewish homes.
Tzadik
(fem. Tzidkanit; pl. Tzadikim). A saint, or righteous person.