The Hebrew Alphabet
The Holy Verses of the Eternal Book are presently represented using the characters of the “Square Script” (also called “Ashuri/Ašuri”, “Assyrian”, since it was developed from the Aramean after the babylonian exile), shown below, distinct from the ancient Hebrew Script, also called “Phoenician”, since the Phoenicians are considered to be its inventors.
In some of the representations of the Holy Verses, the 22nd letter, the Taw, appears in its original form as + , as in the ancient Script.
The Hebrew letters are all consonants, which can take on the vocalization of any vowel, depending on context.
In the table below are indicated the names of the characters, their sound, transliteration, and different systems of numerical value.
In the column “Sound”, what is in brackets represents additional sounds of letters, which are no more in use today.
Shape | Name | Sound | Transliteration | Numerical Value (Full) | Numerical Value (Short) | Ordinal Value (Position) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
א | Alef | mute, expressed as a very brief interval between the sounds preceding and following it | ’ (not always used) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
ב | Bet / βet | B / V | B / β | 2 | 2 | 2 |
ג | Gimel | G [J] | G | 3 | 3 | 3 |
ד | Dalet | D [ Th,as in “this”] | D | 4 | 4 | 4 |
ה | Hey | H | H (not always used) | 5 | 5 | 5 |
ו | Waw | W, V, also used as vowels O or U | W, V, O, U | 6 | 6 | 6 |
ז | Zayin | Z | Z | 7 | 7 | 7 |
ח | Ĥet | between the sound H and the spanish “J” or the German “Ch”. In practice often pronounced like the letter Ķaf | Ĥ | 8 | 8 | 8 |
ט | Tet | emphatic T | T | 9 | 9 | 9 |
י | Yod | Y, also used as vowel I | Y,I | 10 | 1 | 10 |
כ ך | Kaf / Ķaf Kaf / Ķaf when at the end of a word | K / Kh (kh: similar to Spanish“J” or German “Ch) | K / Ķ | 20 | 2 | 11 |
ל | Lamed | L | L | 30 | 3 | 12 |
מ ם | Mem Mem when at the end of a word | M | M | 40 | 4 | 13 |
נ ן | Nun Nun when at the end of a word | N | N | 50 | 5 | 14 |
ס | Sameķ | S | S | 60 | 6 | 15 |
ע | ‘Ayin | guttural sound, which needs not be pronounced | ‘ | 70 | 7 | 16 |
פ ף | Pe / Fe Pe / Fe when at the end of a word | P / F | P / F | 80 | 8 | 17 |
צ ץ | Şade Şade when at the end of a word | emphatic “S” | Ş | 90 | 9 | 18 |
ק | Quf | K | Q | 100 | 1 | 19 |
ר | Reš | R | R | 200 | 2 | 20 |
ש | Šin / Sin | Sh / S | Š / S | 300 | 3 | 21 |
ת | Taw | T [TH, as in “Thunder”] | T | 400 | 4 | 22 |