Tsadi — the 18th Hebrew letter

צ ץ

Gematria value 90 · sounds: TS as in 'nets'; sofit ץ ends words · has a final (sofit) form

Symbolism

Righteousness (tzedek), the righteous one (tzaddik); the hunter's hook turned to holy pursuit; ninety — Sarah's age at Isaac's promise

What the letter is built from

Traditionally a bent nun carrying a yod on its shoulder — the faithful one bearing the divine spark

gem: 60

Its first root in Scripture

The first tsadi root is tselem — 'Let Us make man in Our image'

b: Gen · c: 1 · v: 26 · word: צַלְמֵנוּ · root: צלם · meaning: image

Messianic thread

The Tzaddik is a title of Messiah — 'the Righteous One' (Acts 7:52). The bent tsadi bearing a yod is the humble servant carrying the Name; its first root, 'image,' points to the One who is the image of the invisible God.

In the mystical tradition

The tzaddik is the foundation of the world (Prov 10:25); the two forms teach the righteous bent in exile and upright in redemption.

Wisdom of the letter

Tzedakah — righteousness as generosity: in Hebrew, charity is not kindness but justice.

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