Tsadi

Tsadi is the letter of the tzaddik -- the righteous person. The word "tzaddik" itself begins with Tsadi, and the entire letter is understood as embodying the qualities of righteousness, justice, and humility that define the ideal Jewish life. According to the Talmud, the world endures in the merit of thirty-six hidden righteous people (the "lamed-vav tzaddikim"), who are unknown even to themselves. Tsadi represents this hidden righteousness that sustains all existence. The shape of Tsadi is traditionally described as a bent Nun with a Yod on its back -- the humble person (Nun) who carries the divine spark (Yod) upon their shoulders. The tzaddik is one who bears the weight of divine responsibility with humility, who channels heavenly light into the world through righteous action. The final Tsadi (ץ), which stands straight, represents the tzaddik who will stand upright in the World to Come, fully revealed in their righteousness. The gematria of 90 and Tsadi's position as the 18th letter connect it to chai (life, gematria 18) and to the concept that righteousness is the foundation of life. The prophet Habakkuk condensed all 613 commandments into one principle: "The righteous shall live by their faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). Tsadi embodies this distillation -- that the essence of Torah is righteous living, and the essence of righteous living is faithful trust in God.

Tsadi produces a "Ts" sound, like the "ts" in "cats" or "bits." This is a combination sound (an affricate) that may feel unfamiliar at the beginning of words for English speakers, since English rarely starts words with "ts." Practice saying "tsar" (narrow) or "tzedakah" (charity) to get comfortable with the initial Ts sound. Tsadi has a final form: ץ ("Tsadi sofit"), used at the end of a word. The regular Tsadi (צ) sits on the baseline and has a distinctive shape with a rightward curve and a small extension on the upper left. The final Tsadi (ץ) extends below the baseline. Note the small head or protrusion on the left side of both forms, which helps distinguish Tsadi from other letters.