Aleph (letter)
From Freepedia
- This is about the Hebrew letter. For mathematical and other uses of Aleph see Aleph.
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Aleph (or alef) is the first letter of many Semitic alphabets, including Phoenician, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Aleph is what is called a 'silent letter'. It is a plosive laryngal consonant and has no sound except that of the vowel under it. The Phoenician letter gave rise to the Greek Alpha, and hence the Latin A and the Cyrillic equivalent.
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Origin
Aleph is thought to be derived from the Phoenician for “ox", and the shape of the letter originally represented an ox’s head. In modern Hebrew, "aluf" means a domesticated animal, such as a bull or a sheep.
Ancient Pronunciation
Aleph, like all Phoenician letters, was a consonant, represented in transliteration by the ’ at the beginning of the word ’āleph, but the Latin, Greek and Cyrillic equivalents have all come to represent vowel sounds. In Hebrew and probably in Phoenician, it is pronounced as a glottal stop — IPA [ʔ]. Since Greek did not contain this sound, when the Greek alphabet was developed, this symbol was adapted to represent a vowel sound, alpha (Αα).
Modern Hebrew Pronunciation
In Modern Israeli Hebrew, the letter is either a glottal stop, or has no pronunciation besides that of the vowel under it.
Variations on written form/pronunciation:
The pronunciation of Aleph varies from group to group, with some pronouncing it more as a glottal stop, and others more silently. Aleph, along with Ayin, Resh, He, and Heth, cannot receive a dagesh.
Significance of Aleph
In gematria, aleph represents the number 1.
Aleph is the subject of a folktale which praises its humility in not demanding to start the Bible. (In Hebrew the Bible is begun with the second letter of the alphabet, Bet.) In this folktale, Aleph is rewarded by being allowed to start the Ten Commandments. (In Hebrew, the first word is 'Anokhi, which starts with an aleph.)
Because aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, it is frequently used for naming other entities. For example the Lubavitch Rebbe founded the Aleph Institute and there is an alliance for Jewish Renewal also called aleph.
In the Sefer Yetzirah, The letter Aleph is King over Breath, Formed Air in the universe, Temperate in the Year, and the Chest in the soul.
Aleph is also the first letter of the Hebrew word emet, which means truth. In Jewish mythology it was the letter aleph that was carved into the head of the golem which ultimately gave it life.
Aleph also begins the three words that make up God's mystical name in Exodus, I Am That I Am, (in Hebrew, 'Ehye 'Asher 'Ehye), and aleph is an important part of mystical amulets and formulas.
