Nun

Nun represents humility, faithfulness, and the soul ("neshamah" begins with Nun). The word "nun" itself means "fish" in Aramaic, and fish are creatures that live hidden beneath the surface of the water, unseen yet alive -- a metaphor for the righteous who do their work quietly, without fanfare. Joshua, Moses's faithful servant and successor, is called "bin Nun" -- son of Nun -- the son of humble, faithful devotion. The Talmud (Shabbat 104a) notes that Nun follows Mem, and teaches that the "ne'eman" (faithful one, beginning with Nun) is one who has first absorbed the waters of Torah (Mem). True faithfulness is not blind obedience but the deep loyalty that emerges from understanding. The shape of the regular Nun (נ) is bent, like a person bowing, while the final Nun (ן) extends straight downward below the baseline, like a person who has straightened up -- teaching that humility eventually leads to standing tall. In the famous alphabetical Psalm 145 (Ashrei), the verse for Nun is mysteriously missing. The Talmud (Berakhot 4c) explains that this is because Nun begins the word "nefilah" (falling), and David did not wish to invoke Israel's downfall. Yet the following verse, beginning with Samekh (support), states: "God supports all who fall." Even in its absence, Nun teaches that God catches those who stumble.

Nun is pronounced as an "N" sound, as in "now" or "name." It is straightforward for English speakers and has no variant pronunciation. Nun has two forms: the regular form (נ) used at the beginning or middle of a word, and the final form (ן, "Nun sofit") used at the end. The regular Nun is a short, bent shape that sits on the baseline. The final Nun extends straight down below the baseline, resembling an elongated vertical stroke. Be careful not to confuse final Nun (ן) with Vav (ו) -- the final Nun descends below the baseline while Vav does not.