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The Letters

Alef אלף

Alef (א) is the 1st letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It stands 95,685 times in the twenty-four books — 79.9 of every 1,000 letters, the 5th most written of the twenty-two — out of 1,197,042 letters in all.

Occurrences
95,685
Per 1,000 letters
79.94
Rank of 22
5
Share of the Tanakh
7.99%

Across the books of the Tanakh

Per 1,000 letters of each book, so a long book and a short one compare honestly. Tap a bar — or drag along the chart — and that book stands in the panel, with its door. The filled dot marks the highest column, the hollow ring the lowest.

The Twelve is one of the twenty-four books, and every total on this site still counts it as one. On this axis its twelve prophets stand as their own columns, because Hosea is eight times the length of Obadiah and one column for both hides what each of them does.

0255075100Genesis — 97.8 per 1,000 letters (7,634 in 78,069 letters, 1.22× the Tanakh rate)Exodus — 82.8 per 1,000 letters (5,260 in 63,531 letters, 1.04× the Tanakh rate)Leviticus — 90.5 per 1,000 letters (4,055 in 44,795 letters, 1.13× the Tanakh rate)Numbers — 82.2 per 1,000 letters (5,224 in 63,545 letters, 1.03× the Tanakh rate)Deuteronomy — 89.0 per 1,000 letters (4,887 in 54,910 letters, 1.11× the Tanakh rate)Joshua — 74.4 per 1,000 letters (2,960 in 39,807 letters, 0.93× the Tanakh rate)Judges — 87.0 per 1,000 letters (3,389 in 38,944 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Samuel — 92.7 per 1,000 letters (8,671 in 93,532 letters, 1.16× the Tanakh rate)Kings — 87.2 per 1,000 letters (8,583 in 98,460 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Isaiah — 70.4 per 1,000 letters (4,707 in 66,888 letters, 0.88× the Tanakh rate)Jeremiah — 81.9 per 1,000 letters (6,956 in 84,912 letters, 1.02× the Tanakh rate)Ezekiel — 81.2 per 1,000 letters (6,046 in 74,499 letters, 1.01× the Tanakh rate)Hosea — 78.8 per 1,000 letters (740 in 9,385 letters, 0.99× the Tanakh rate)Joel — 59.7 per 1,000 letters (231 in 3,872 letters, 0.75× the Tanakh rate)Amos — 85.9 per 1,000 letters (690 in 8,033 letters, 1.07× the Tanakh rate)Obadiah — 66.1 per 1,000 letters (74 in 1,119 letters, 0.83× the Tanakh rate)Jonah — 78.5 per 1,000 letters (212 in 2,700 letters, 0.98× the Tanakh rate)Micah — 67.5 per 1,000 letters (376 in 5,570 letters, 0.84× the Tanakh rate)Nahum — 50.6 per 1,000 letters (114 in 2,252 letters, 0.63× the Tanakh rate)Habakkuk — 58.9 per 1,000 letters (153 in 2,598 letters, 0.74× the Tanakh rate)Zephaniah — 65.8 per 1,000 letters (197 in 2,996 letters, 0.82× the Tanakh rate)Haggai — 88.2 per 1,000 letters (206 in 2,336 letters, 1.10× the Tanakh rate)Zechariah — 87.4 per 1,000 letters (1,087 in 12,432 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Malachi — 93.9 per 1,000 letters (324 in 3,450 letters, 1.18× the Tanakh rate)Psalms — 60.5 per 1,000 letters (4,768 in 78,833 letters, 0.76× the Tanakh rate)Proverbs — 57.3 per 1,000 letters (1,518 in 26,507 letters, 0.72× the Tanakh rate)Job — 76.2 per 1,000 letters (2,427 in 31,862 letters, 0.95× the Tanakh rate)Song of Songs — 54.6 per 1,000 letters (281 in 5,151 letters, 0.68× the Tanakh rate)Ruth — 86.9 per 1,000 letters (430 in 4,947 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Lamentations — 60.5 per 1,000 letters (362 in 5,980 letters, 0.76× the Tanakh rate)Ecclesiastes — 74.4 per 1,000 letters (816 in 10,969 letters, 0.93× the Tanakh rate)Esther — 67.0 per 1,000 letters (812 in 12,112 letters, 0.84× the Tanakh rate)Daniel — 86.4 per 1,000 letters (2,098 in 24,291 letters, 1.08× the Tanakh rate)Ezra–Nehemiah — 67.9 per 1,000 letters (2,599 in 38,277 letters, 0.85× the Tanakh rate)Chronicles — 68.3 per 1,000 letters (6,798 in 99,478 letters, 0.85× the Tanakh rate)highestlowestGeneDeutKingsHoseaJonahZephPsalRuthChro

Its two ends

Highest
Genesis 97.8
Lowest
Nahum 50.6

Every column's numbers are in the table below.

All the numbers 35 books
Alef in each of the 35 books, in canonical order.
PlaceOccurrencesOf lettersPer 1,000× usualRank
Genesis בראשית7,63478,06997.781.22×1
Exodus שמות5,26063,53182.791.04×13
Leviticus ויקרא4,05544,79590.521.13×4
Numbers במדבר5,22463,54582.211.03×14
Deuteronomy דברים4,88754,91089.001.11×5
Joshua יהושע2,96039,80774.360.93×21
Judges שופטים3,38938,94487.021.09×9
Samuel שמואל8,67193,53292.711.16×3
Kings מלכים8,58398,46087.171.09×8
Isaiah ישעיהו4,70766,88870.370.88×22
Jeremiah ירמיהו6,95684,91281.921.02×15
Ezekiel יחזקאל6,04674,49981.161.01×16
Hosea הושע7409,38578.850.99×17
Joel יואל2313,87259.660.75×31
Amos עמוס6908,03385.901.07×12
Obadiah עובדיה741,11966.130.83×27
Jonah יונה2122,70078.520.98×18
Micah מיכה3765,57067.500.84×25
Nahum נחום1142,25250.620.63×35
Habakkuk חבקוק1532,59858.890.74×32
Zephaniah צפניה1972,99665.750.82×28
Haggai חגי2062,33688.191.10×6
Zechariah זכריה1,08712,43287.441.09×7
Malachi מלאכי3243,45093.911.18×2
Psalms תהלים4,76878,83360.480.76×30
Proverbs משלי1,51826,50757.270.72×33
Job איוב2,42731,86276.170.95×19
Song of Songs שיר השירים2815,15154.550.68×34
Ruth רות4304,94786.921.09×10
Lamentations איכה3625,98060.530.76×29
Ecclesiastes קהלת81610,96974.390.93×20
Esther אסתר81212,11267.040.84×26
Daniel דניאל2,09824,29186.371.08×11
Ezra–Nehemiah עזרא־נחמיה2,59938,27767.900.85×24
Chronicles דברי הימים6,79899,47868.340.85×23

Across the fifty-four portions

The Torah alone, portion by portion, on the same measure. Fifty-four names will not fit along one axis, so most of them are not printed — but every column names itself the moment you touch it.

050100150Bereshit — 90.3 per 1,000 letters (653 in 7,234 letters, 1.13× the Tanakh rate)Noach — 81.5 per 1,000 letters (563 in 6,907 letters, 1.02× the Tanakh rate)Lech Lecha — 100.3 per 1,000 letters (636 in 6,338 letters, 1.25× the Tanakh rate)Vayera — 106.3 per 1,000 letters (836 in 7,861 letters, 1.33× the Tanakh rate)Chayei Sara — 105.4 per 1,000 letters (560 in 5,315 letters, 1.32× the Tanakh rate)Toldot — 97.3 per 1,000 letters (528 in 5,427 letters, 1.22× the Tanakh rate)Vayetzei — 96.4 per 1,000 letters (724 in 7,512 letters, 1.21× the Tanakh rate)Vayishlach — 99.6 per 1,000 letters (743 in 7,457 letters, 1.25× the Tanakh rate)Vayeshev — 94.9 per 1,000 letters (567 in 5,972 letters, 1.19× the Tanakh rate)Miketz — 102.0 per 1,000 letters (807 in 7,913 letters, 1.28× the Tanakh rate)Vayigash — 101.9 per 1,000 letters (579 in 5,684 letters, 1.27× the Tanakh rate)Vayechi — 98.4 per 1,000 letters (438 in 4,449 letters, 1.23× the Tanakh rate)Shemot — 96.3 per 1,000 letters (651 in 6,763 letters, 1.20× the Tanakh rate)Vaera — 89.2 per 1,000 letters (598 in 6,703 letters, 1.12× the Tanakh rate)Bo — 86.5 per 1,000 letters (532 in 6,149 letters, 1.08× the Tanakh rate)Beshalach — 74.7 per 1,000 letters (480 in 6,424 letters, 0.94× the Tanakh rate)Yitro — 91.0 per 1,000 letters (366 in 4,024 letters, 1.14× the Tanakh rate)Mishpatim — 88.1 per 1,000 letters (468 in 5,312 letters, 1.10× the Tanakh rate)Terumah — 61.6 per 1,000 letters (289 in 4,691 letters, 0.77× the Tanakh rate)Tetzaveh — 75.4 per 1,000 letters (409 in 5,427 letters, 0.94× the Tanakh rate)Ki Tisa — 90.1 per 1,000 letters (669 in 7,426 letters, 1.13× the Tanakh rate)Vayakhel — 75.2 per 1,000 letters (465 in 6,180 letters, 0.94× the Tanakh rate)Pekudei — 75.1 per 1,000 letters (333 in 4,432 letters, 0.94× the Tanakh rate)Vayikra — 88.9 per 1,000 letters (553 in 6,222 letters, 1.11× the Tanakh rate)Tzav — 83.8 per 1,000 letters (427 in 5,096 letters, 1.05× the Tanakh rate)Shmini — 94.2 per 1,000 letters (440 in 4,669 letters, 1.18× the Tanakh rate)Tazria — 89.7 per 1,000 letters (329 in 3,667 letters, 1.12× the Tanakh rate)Metzora — 78.8 per 1,000 letters (370 in 4,698 letters, 0.98× the Tanakh rate)Achrei Mot — 102.7 per 1,000 letters (441 in 4,296 letters, 1.28× the Tanakh rate)Kedoshim — 116.1 per 1,000 letters (375 in 3,231 letters, 1.45× the Tanakh rate)Emor — 86.8 per 1,000 letters (530 in 6,108 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Behar — 90.2 per 1,000 letters (254 in 2,817 letters, 1.13× the Tanakh rate)Bechukotai — 84.2 per 1,000 letters (336 in 3,991 letters, 1.05× the Tanakh rate)Bamidbar — 75.3 per 1,000 letters (557 in 7,394 letters, 0.94× the Tanakh rate)Nasso — 80.4 per 1,000 letters (694 in 8,632 letters, 1.01× the Tanakh rate)Beha'alotcha — 81.5 per 1,000 letters (575 in 7,058 letters, 1.02× the Tanakh rate)Sh'lach — 90.7 per 1,000 letters (528 in 5,820 letters, 1.14× the Tanakh rate)Korach — 87.1 per 1,000 letters (464 in 5,325 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Chukat — 93.7 per 1,000 letters (438 in 4,674 letters, 1.17× the Tanakh rate)Balak — 100.2 per 1,000 letters (537 in 5,359 letters, 1.25× the Tanakh rate)Pinchas — 63.9 per 1,000 letters (502 in 7,854 letters, 0.80× the Tanakh rate)Matot — 96.9 per 1,000 letters (548 in 5,653 letters, 1.21× the Tanakh rate)Masei — 66.0 per 1,000 letters (381 in 5,776 letters, 0.82× the Tanakh rate)Devarim — 87.2 per 1,000 letters (521 in 5,973 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Vaetchanan — 90.4 per 1,000 letters (664 in 7,346 letters, 1.13× the Tanakh rate)Eikev — 88.5 per 1,000 letters (607 in 6,861 letters, 1.11× the Tanakh rate)Re'eh — 88.1 per 1,000 letters (656 in 7,443 letters, 1.10× the Tanakh rate)Shoftim — 87.3 per 1,000 letters (488 in 5,592 letters, 1.09× the Tanakh rate)Ki Teitzei — 94.9 per 1,000 letters (556 in 5,858 letters, 1.19× the Tanakh rate)Ki Tavo — 86.1 per 1,000 letters (587 in 6,816 letters, 1.08× the Tanakh rate)Nitzavim — 90.1 per 1,000 letters (232 in 2,576 letters, 1.13× the Tanakh rate)Vayeilech — 104.6 per 1,000 letters (222 in 2,123 letters, 1.31× the Tanakh rate)Ha'Azinu — 86.7 per 1,000 letters (202 in 2,329 letters, 1.08× the Tanakh rate)V'Zot HaBerachah — 76.3 per 1,000 letters (152 in 1,993 letters, 0.95× the Tanakh rate)highestlowestBereChayVayeShemYitroKi TTzavAchrBechSh'lPincVaetKi TV'Zo

Its two ends

Highest
Kedoshim 116.1
Lowest
Terumah 61.6

Every column's numbers are in the table below.

All the numbers 54 portions
Alef in each of the 54 portions, in canonical order.
PlaceOccurrencesOf lettersPer 1,000× usualRank
Bereshit בראשית6537,23490.271.13×23
Noach נח5636,90781.511.02×42
Lech Lecha לך לך6366,338100.351.25×8
Vayera וירא8367,861106.351.33×2
Chayei Sara חיי שרה5605,315105.361.32×3
Toldot תולדות5285,42797.291.22×12
Vayetzei ויצא7247,51296.381.21×14
Vayishlach וישלח7437,45799.641.25×10
Vayeshev וישב5675,97294.941.19×16
Miketz מקץ8077,913101.981.28×6
Vayigash ויגש5795,684101.861.27×7
Vayechi ויחי4384,44998.451.23×11
Shemot שמות6516,76396.261.20×15
Vaera וארא5986,70389.211.12×28
Bo בא5326,14986.521.08×38
Beshalach בשלח4806,42474.720.94×51
Yitro יתרו3664,02490.951.14×20
Mishpatim משפטים4685,31288.101.10×32
Terumah תרומה2894,69161.610.77×54
Tetzaveh תצוה4095,42775.360.94×47
Ki Tisa כי תשא6697,42690.091.13×25
Vayakhel ויקהל4656,18075.240.94×49
Pekudei פקודי3334,43275.140.94×50
Vayikra ויקרא5536,22288.881.11×29
Tzav צו4275,09683.791.05×41
Shmini שמיני4404,66994.241.18×18
Tazria תזריע3293,66789.721.12×27
Metzora מצורע3704,69878.760.98×45
Achrei Mot אחרי מות4414,296102.651.28×5
Kedoshim קדושים3753,231116.061.45×1
Emor אמור5306,10886.771.09×36
Behar בהר2542,81790.171.13×24
Bechukotai בחוקתי3363,99184.191.05×40
Bamidbar במדבר5577,39475.330.94×48
Nasso נשא6948,63280.401.01×44
Beha'alotcha בהעלותך5757,05881.471.02×43
Sh'lach שלח5285,82090.721.14×21
Korach קרח4645,32587.141.09×35
Chukat חקת4384,67493.711.17×19
Balak בלק5375,359100.201.25×9
Pinchas פנחס5027,85463.920.80×53
Matot מטות5485,65396.941.21×13
Masei מסעי3815,77665.960.82×52
Devarim דברים5215,97387.231.09×34
Vaetchanan ואתחנן6647,34690.391.13×22
Eikev עקב6076,86188.471.11×30
Re'eh ראה6567,44388.141.10×31
Shoftim שופטים4885,59287.271.09×33
Ki Teitzei כי תצא5565,85894.911.19×17
Ki Tavo כי תבוא5876,81686.121.08×39
Nitzavim נצבים2322,57690.061.13×26
Vayeilech וילך2222,123104.571.31×4
Ha'Azinu האזינו2022,32986.731.08×37
V'Zot HaBerachah וזאת הברכה1521,99376.270.95×46

Where it runs hardest and thinnest

A place is listed when Alef runs at least 1.25× its Tanakh-wide rate of 79.94 per 1,000, or at most 0.80× it. Two thresholds, applied to every letter alike — nothing here is picked by hand.

Books where it runs low

  • Nahum0.63×50.6 per 1,000 · 114 of 2,252
  • Song of Songs0.68×54.6 per 1,000 · 281 of 5,151
  • Proverbs0.72×57.3 per 1,000 · 1,518 of 26,507
  • Habakkuk0.74×58.9 per 1,000 · 153 of 2,598
  • Joel0.75×59.7 per 1,000 · 231 of 3,872
  • Psalms0.76×60.5 per 1,000 · 4,768 of 78,833
  • Lamentations0.76×60.5 per 1,000 · 362 of 5,980

Portions where it runs high

  • Kedoshim1.45×116.1 per 1,000 · 375 of 3,231
  • Vayera1.33×106.3 per 1,000 · 836 of 7,861
  • Chayei Sara1.32×105.4 per 1,000 · 560 of 5,315
  • Vayeilech1.31×104.6 per 1,000 · 222 of 2,123
  • Achrei Mot1.28×102.7 per 1,000 · 441 of 4,296
  • Miketz1.28×102.0 per 1,000 · 807 of 7,913
  • Vayigash1.27×101.9 per 1,000 · 579 of 5,684
  • Lech Lecha1.25×100.3 per 1,000 · 636 of 6,338

Portions where it runs low

  • Terumah0.77×61.6 per 1,000 · 289 of 4,691
  • Pinchas0.80×63.9 per 1,000 · 502 of 7,854

The gematria of the letter

Standard1Gadol1Katan1Siduri (ordinal)1Atbash400Perati1Milui111

Milui values a letter at the standard gematria of its own name spelled in full: אלף = 111. Computed at render by the same engine that runs every search — nothing on this page is a stored number except the counts.

First standing

The first Alef of the Tanakh, in canonical order from Bereshit 1:1 forward, is in בראשית — Genesis 1:1, the 1st word of the verse.

Quick answers

What is the gematria of Alef?

Alef (א) is 1 in standard gematria; it is the 1st letter of the alef-bet. Spelled out in full, אלף, it is 111.

How many times does Alef appear in the Tanakh?

95,685 times in the twenty-four books — the 5th most written of the twenty-two letters.