Qoph

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Qoph (also spelled Qof, Kof, or Koph) is the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It has a numerical value of 100 in the system of gematria. The letter is pronounced as a voiceless uvular plosive, similar to the "k" sound in English but articulated further back in the vocal tract.

Etymology

The name "Qoph" is thought to derive from a word meaning "monkey" or "ape" in Semitic languages. This is reflected in the ancient pictographic representation of the letter, which resembles a head and neck of a monkey.

Phonetics

In modern Hebrew, Qoph is pronounced as a voiceless uvular plosive [q]. This sound is not found in standard Modern Hebrew and is often replaced by the voiceless velar plosive [k]. However, in some dialects and in liturgical Hebrew, the original uvular pronunciation is preserved.

Numerical Value

In the system of gematria, Qoph has a numerical value of 100. This makes it a significant letter in various Kabbalistic and mystical traditions, where numbers are often used to derive deeper meanings from texts.

Usage in Hebrew

Qoph is used in various contexts within the Hebrew language. It appears in many common words and names, such as:

• קוף (Qof) - Monkey
• קהל (Qahal) - Congregation
• קודש (Qodesh) - Holy

Related Letters

Qoph is related to several other letters in the Semitic alphabets, including:

• Qoph (Phoenician)
• Qoph (Aramaic)
• Qoph (Syriac)

Unicode

In Unicode, the Hebrew letter Qoph is represented as U+05E7.

See Also

• Hebrew alphabet
• Gematria
• Kabbalah
• Semitic languages