Zayin

Zayin, the seventh letter, carries the meaning of "weapon" or "sword" (as in "klei zayin," armaments). Yet the deeper tradition reinterprets this martial meaning: the true weapon of the Jewish people is not the sword but the spirit. The Midrash teaches that Zayin is shaped like a Vav with a crown -- a crowned pillar -- representing the person who sanctifies the seventh day, Shabbat. The one who keeps Shabbat is "armed" with spiritual power greater than any physical weapon. The number seven holds immense significance in Judaism: seven days of creation, seven years in the shmita cycle, seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot, the seven wedding blessings, the seven branches of the menorah. Zayin embodies this sacred seven-ness, the principle that time itself has a sanctified structure. The Sabbath, the crown of creation, is the seventh day -- and Zayin, the seventh letter, wears that crown. Kabbalistically, Zayin is associated with the sefirah of Netzach (Eternity/Victory), which represents endurance and the drive to overcome obstacles. The "weapon" of Zayin is perseverance in pursuit of holiness. The Zohar teaches that Zayin channels the light of Binah (Understanding) into the lower worlds, making it a letter of spiritual sustenance that nourishes the soul through challenging times.

Zayin is pronounced as a "Z" sound, identical to the English "z" in "zebra" or "zoo." It is a voiced consonant, meaning the vocal cords vibrate when producing it. When writing Zayin, it looks like a Vav with a wider, more prominent head -- a horizontal stroke or crown on top of a vertical line. The top extends slightly in both directions beyond the vertical stroke, distinguishing it from Vav. In some fonts, the distinction is subtle, so pay attention to the relative width of the top. Zayin does not have a final form.