List of Hebrew abbreviations

This is a list of Hebrew abbreviations.

This list is far from complete; you can help by expanding it.

Using this list

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 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.E.g. "And charity will save from death" (Proverbs 10:2); "So is charity for life" (Proverbs 11:19); see also Tanya, Igeret HaTeshuvah, Epistle 21. 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

[x] ״ט[x] ,טפחים [x] ([x] tefachim) - (Halachah) [x] handbreadths ״פ[x] ,פעמים [x] ([x] p'amim) - [x] times. Often appears as a prayerbook instruction

א

א·א אברהם אבינו, א״א (Avraham Avinu) - our forefather Abraham אדוני אבי/אדונינו אבינו, א״א (adoni avi/adoneinu avinu) - 1) My master, my father. 2) Our master, our father אִי אֶפְשָׁר, א״א (ee efshar/ey efshar) - it is impossible; it would be impossible אין אומרים, א״א (ein om'rim) - 1) Not recited. Often as a prayerbook instruction. 2) We do not say [that] ... איש אלקי, א״א (ish eloki) - the Godly man אשת איש, א״א (eishet ish) - a married woman; lit. the wife of a man אי אמרת בשלמא, אא״ב (i/ei amart beshelama) - (Aramaic, Talmud) if you say [that the logic is] complete. Introduces an idea that will be contradicted אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן, אא״כ (ela im kein) - unless אוֹר אֵין סוֹף, אא״ס (Or Ein Sof) - (Kabbalah) The Light of the Infinite One; the emanated life force of the Infinite One. See also אוא״ס. Compare א״ס אברהם אבינו עליו השלום ,אאע״ה (Avraham Avinu, Alav Hashalom) - our forefather Abraham, peace on him. See also א״א

א·ב אב בית דין, אב״ד (av beit din) - leader of the court; lit. father of the house of judgment. See also ב״ד אב בית דין קודש, אבד״ק (av beit din kodesh) - leader of the holy court; lit. father of the holy house of judgment. See also ב״ד אצילות בריאה יצירה עשיה, אבי״ע (Abiya, Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiah) - (Aramaic, Kabbalah) the Four Worlds. See also בי״ע

א·ג אגרת הקדש, אגה״ק (Iggeret HaQodesh) - 1) (Hasidism) Holy Letter; a volume of the 'Tanya'. 2) A treatise by the Nahmanides on marriage אגרת התשובה, אגה״ת (Iggeret HaT'shuvah) - (Hasidism) "Letter of Repentance"; a volume of the Tanya אג״ק, (iggarot qodesh) - 'Letters of the Holy'. Usually authored by the citer's rebbe, unless specified otherwise

א·ד אָדוֹן, אד׳ (Adon) - (Modern Hebrew) Mr. (prepended to the name) אדני, אד׳ (Adni) - (Kabbalah) the Name of God spelled א-ד-נ-י and pronounced Ado-nai in the course of prayer, meaning My Lord איכא דאמרי,א״ד (Ika De'amri) - (Talmud) There are some that say. Used to present an alternative explanation. אדמו״ר האמצעי, אדהאמ״צ (Admor Ha'Emtza'i) - (Chabad) lit. our Middle Master, Teacher and Rebbe; Dovber Schneuri, a.k.a. the Mitteler Rebbe, the second leader of the Chabad court. See also אדמו״ר אדמו״ר הזקן, אדה״ז (Admor HaZakein) - (Chabad) lit. our Elder Master, Teacher and Rebbe; Shneur Zalman of Liadi, first leader of Chabad Hasidism. See also אדמו״ר אדם הראשון, אדה״ר (Adam HaRishon) - Adam the first אדוננו מורנו ורבינו הזקן, אדמוה״ז (Admohaz, Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabeinu HaZakein) - (Chabad) our Elder Master, Teacher and Rebbe; Shneur Zalman of Liadi אדוננו מורנו ורבינו, אדמו״ר (Admor, Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabeinu) - (Hasidism) our Master, Teacher and Rebbe. For rebbes, used alone or prepended to the name אדרא זוטא, אדר״ז (Idra Zuta) - (Aramaic, Kabbalah) Idra Zuta; a part of the Zohar

א·ה אי הכי, א״ה (i-hachi) - (Aramaic, Talmud) if so אהבה ויראה, אהוי״ר (ahava veyir'ah) - (Kabbalah) love and fear ארץ הקודש, אה״ק (Eretz HaKodesh) - the Holy Land; i.e. Israel אהבה רבה, אה״ר (ahavah rabah) - (Kabbalah) great love; a level of love for God

א·ו אוֹמֵר, או׳ (omer) - say; it says אומרים, או׳ (om'rim) - we/they say אבא ואמא, או״א (aba v'ima) - 1) Father and mother. 2) (Kabbalah) [the partsufim of] Aba and Imma אלוקינו ואלוקי אבותינו, או״א (Elokeinu V'elokei avoteinu) - (Liturgy) our God and God of our forefathers אחד ואחד, או״א (Echad V'echad) - Each and every אוֹר אֵין סוֹף, אוא״ס (Or Ein Sof) - (Kabbalah) The Light of the Infinite One; the emanated life-force of the Infinite One. See also אא״ס. Compare א״ס אוֹגוּסְט, אוג׳ (Ogust) - (Modern Hebrew) August איסור והתר, או״ה (isur v'heter) - (Halachah) [the religious laws of what is] forbidden and permitted אוהל מועד, אוה״מ (Ohel Mo'eid) - (Chumash) the Tent of Meeting אומות העולם, אוה״ע (umot ha'olam) - the nations of the world אור התורה, אוה״ת (Ohr HaTorah) - The Light of the Torah. A commentary on the Tanach (?) אוֹר חוֹזֵר, או״ח (or chozer) - (Kabbalah) reflected light. Contrast או״י אורח חיים, או״ח (Orach Chaim) - the first section of the Tur; lit. the Way of Life אוֹר יָשָׁר, או״י (or yashar) - (Kabbalah) direct light. Contrast או״ח אורות וכלים, או״כ (orot vekeilim) - (Kabbalah) lights and vessels אומות המאוחדות, או״ם (Um, Umot HaMe'uchdot) - (Modern Hebrew) the United Nations אור מקיף, או״מ (or makif) - (Kabbalah) encompassing light. Contrast או״פ אור פנימי, או״פ (or p'nimi) - (Kabbalah) inner light. Contrast או״מ אוצרות חיים, אוצ״ח (Otz'rot Chaim) - Treasuries of Life; part of the first book of Eitz Chaim by Chaim Vital. See ע״ח אותות, אותו׳ (otot) - signs; testimonies אוֹתִיּוֹת, אותיו׳ (otiot) - letters [of the Alef bet]

א·ז את זה/זאת, א״ז (et ze/zot) - this

א·ח אֵשֶׁת חַיִל, א״ח (eishet chayil) - woman of valor (Proverbs 31:10) אחינו בני ישראל, אחב״י (acheinu b'nei Yisrael) - our brethren, the children of Israel אחר זה, אח״ז (achar zeh) - after this אַחַר כָּךְ, אח״כ (achar kach) - after this; afterwards; lit. after such; later

א·י ארץ ישראל, א״י (Eretz Yisrael) - the Land of Israel איתא, אי׳ (ita) - (Aramaic) 1) There is. 2) It is איש ירא אלקים, אי״א (ish y'rei Elokim) - God-fearing man אין זה, אי״ז (ein zeh) - 1) This does not. 2) This is not אמן יהא שמה רבא, איש״ר (amein, y'hei sh'meih raba [m'varach l'alam ul'al'mei al'maya]) - (Aramaic, Liturgy) the core words of the Kaddish; lit. amen, may His Great Name [be blessed forever and to all eternity]

א·כ אִם כֵּן, א״כ (im kein) - if so אמן כן יהי רצון, אכי״ר (amein kein y'hi ratzon) - (Liturgy) amen, so may it be [His] Will אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה, אכנה״ג (anshei k'neset hag'dola) - the Men of the Great Assembly

א·ל אָמַר/אמרה/אָמְרוּ לוֹ/לָהּ/להם/לָכֶם, א״ל (amru/amar lo/lah/lahem) - he/she/they said to him/her/them/you אָמַר לֵיהּ, א״ל (amar leih) - (Aramaic, Talmud) he said to him אֵלִיָּהוּ, אלי׳ (Eliyahu) - Elijah [the prophet] אם לא כן, אל״כ (im lo kein) - if not; if this were not so אלקות, אלק׳ (Elokut) - (Kabbalah) Godliness אֱלֹקִים ,אלקי׳ (Elokim) - God. Indicates severity, judgement and (in Kabbalah) tzimtzum

א·מ אור מקיף, א״מ (or makif) - (Kabbalah) encompassing light. Contrast א״פ אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם, אמ״ה (Elokeinu melech ha'olam) - (Liturgy) our God, King of the Universe אוי מה היה לנו, אמה״ל (oy meh hayah lanu) - (9th of Av liturgy) Woe! What has happened to us! אמרין, אמרי׳ (amrin) - (Aramaic) [we/you/they] say

א·נ אנשי שלומינו, אנ״ש (anash, anshe shelomeinu) 'people of our peace' - (Hasidism) people of our court

א·ס אֵין סוֹף, א״ס (Ein Sof) - (Kabbalah) [The One Who Has] No End; the Infinite One

א·ע אין ערוך, א״ע (ein aroch) - nothing compares אֶת עַצְמוֹ/עצמם, א״ע (et atzmo/atzmam) - 1) Itself. 2) Himself. 3) Themselves אף על גב, אע"ג (af al gav) - even though; lit. even on back of אַף עַל פִּי, אע״פ (af al pi) - even though; lit. even by mouth of אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, אעפ״כ (af al pi chein) - even so; lit. even by mouth of this

א·פ אור פנימי, א״פ (or p'nimi) - (Kabbalah) inner light. Contrast א״מ