List of Hebrew abbreviations

Sorting order The entries are sorted according to the Hebrew alphabet. Prefixes indicating prepositions, conjunctions and articles (such as ) have generally been removed, with the following exceptions: • Where the acronym is incomprehensible or meaningless without the prefix. • Where the prefix is so integral to the acronym that variants without it rarely, if ever, occur. In addition, suffixes modifying abbreviations have been removed using the same guidelines. When searching for an abbreviation ending in a plural, adjectival, or possessive suffix like the suffix should be removed if not an integral part of the abbreviation, as described in regard to prefixes above. Depending on the typography, note that the gershayim () may either: • Move to the penultimate position, even if the mark falls in the modifying suffix and not the abbreviation proper; or • Remain in its place within said proper and not shift with the added suffix. Sometimes, depending on style, the suffix is marked with a geresh (׳), so that for example the plural of would be . Partially-abbreviated phrases Where only part of a term is abbreviated (for example, abbreviates as ), the entry is sorted on the abbreviated portion (), and the unabbreviated portion appears in square brackets () to produce . Abbreviations with numerical elements Some abbreviations included here are actually gematria (Hebrew numeronyms), but the number is so closely associated with some noun that it is grammatically used as a noun and is synonymous with it, for example Ban. Other abbreviations contain a variable gematria component alongside other words, such as the chapter references פי״א (perek yud-alef, chapter 11) and פ״ט (perek tet, chapter 9). Rather than list separate entries for every possible gematria, or use only one example number, the gematria component is replaced with [x] to produce (for example) [x]פ״. Abbreviations from other Jewish languages Some Aramaic and Yiddish abbreviations may not be included here; more may be found in the List of Aramaic acronyms and the List of Yiddish abbreviations, respectively. Many of the abbreviations here may be similar or identical to those in the other lists of acronyms. In fact, a work written in Hebrew may have Aramaic acronyms interspersed throughout (ex. Tanya), much as an Aramaic work may borrow from Hebrew (ex. Talmud, midrash, Zohar). Although much less common than Aramaic abbreviations, some Hebrew material contains Yiddish abbreviations too (for example, Hasidic responsa, commentaries, and other material). Abbreviation-like non-abbreviations Not all lexemes containing a geresh (׳) or gershayim (״) are abbreviations, and such non-abbreviations do not appear in this list. Therefore, if after much effort an abbreviation still cannot be deciphered, it is sometimes helpful to try an alternate mode of interpretation. For instance, aside from abbreviations, the geresh and gershayim marks may also be used: • To indicate a number using Hebrew letters. This is likely when the letters are in reverse alef-beit order, or when the abbreviation consists of a single letter followed by a geresh. For example, the year תשע״ד or [5]774 AM, or the ד׳ רוּחוֹת four directions. • To indicate a double meaning, where both the gematria of the word or phrase should be taken, as well as the plain meaning. For example, to give chai חַ״י (meaning "life" as pronounced, and "eighteen" as a gematria) dollars to tzedakah means to give eighteen dollars to tzedakah, thereby giving another person life, and drawing the blessings of life in return upon the donor. • In Modern Hebrew, to modify the sounds of certain letters, as in the names George ג׳וֹרג׳ and Charlie צָ׳רלִי. • When transliterating foreign words into Hebrew. For example, Rashi often uses Hebrew letters to write French translations of Biblical Hebrew, marking it with a gershayim like an abbreviation (ex. אפייצימנ״טו appaisement, cf. "And thou wast pleased with me," Gen. 33:10). He usually appends בְּלַעַ״ז ("in the local language") afterwards. • In anagrams, i.e., rearranging letters in a word or phrase. This is especially common in Kabbalah. For example, the first sefira, חָכמַה (inspiration), can be rearranged to read כֹּ״חַ מָ״ה ("the potential of the indefinite"). The rearranged words are marked with gershayim. • When listing the letters themselves. For example, ְמְנַצְפַּ״ך menatzpach lists all the Hebrew letters having special final forms at the ends of words. • When spelling out a letter. In this way, אַלֶ״ף spells out alef א, and יוּ״ד spells out yud י. When using this method, gematria may also be significant, as above. ==List==