Chai (symbol)
Chai or Hai (Hebrew: חַי "living" ḥay) is a symbol that figures prominently in modern Jewish culture; the Hebrew letters of the word are often used as a visual symbol.
History
According to
Two common Jewish names used since Talmudic times, are based on this symbol, Chaya feminine, Chayim masculine.[citation needed] The Jewish toast (on alcoholic beverages such as wine) is l'chaim, 'to life'.[2]
Linguistics
The word is made up of two letters of the
In Hebrew, the related word chaya (חיה) means "living thing" or "animal", and is derived from the Hebrew word chai (חי), meaning "alive".
Numerology
There have been various mystical
In Jewish culture
The Chai symbol can be worn by Jews as a medallion around the neck, similarly to other Jewish symbols, such as the Star of David and the Hamsa.[2]
Jews often give gifts and donations in multiples of 18, which is called "giving chai". Mailings from Jewish charities usually suggest the amounts to give in multiples of chai (18, 36, 54 dollars, etc.) rather than the usual multiples of 25.[2]
It appears in the slogan "ʿam yisraʾel ḥay!" (עַם יִשְרָאֵל חַי, "The people of Israel live!").[4]
It is heard in a BBC recording from April 20, 1945 of Jewish survivors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp five days after their liberation. This was the first Sabbath ceremony openly conducted on German soil since the beginning of the war. With people still dying around them, the survivors sang what would become the Israeli national anthem, "Hatikvah". At the end of "Hatikvah", British Army Chaplain Leslie Hardman shouts out, Am Yisrael Chai! ("The people of Israel is alive!")[5]
In the
Several Jewish radio stations have the word in their names, including Kol Chai (Israel), Radio Jai (Argentina), and ChaiFM (South Africa).
Chai jewelry
See also
References
- ^ "Exploring 'Chai' Culture". The Jewish Daily Forward. 11 November 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Pelaia, Ariela. "What Does the Chai Symbol Signify for Jews?" ThoughtCo. (accessed March 9, 2018).
- ^ Sheat Ratzon al ha-Zohar 35
- ^ ""Am Yisrael Chai" – Eternal Nation". aish.com. 9 May 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Nana.co.il Archived May 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, original Site with Newspaper Article (in Hebrew)
- ^ "Elvis' Jewish Heritage", Elvis Presley News, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2008. Note photograph of Elvis performing with Chai necklace toward the bottom of the page.
- ^ Barshad, Amos (June 2010). "Drake: The Heeb Interview". Heeb. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ^ "Everybody Loves Drake". Vibe. Retrieved 26 April 2019.