By: Kaufmann Kohler
The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For its symbolic meaning, see Mishnah Shabbat, i. It was employed as a numeral to mark No. 1 of the shekel-boxes in the Temple (SheḲ. iii. 2). Aleph and Tav being the first and the last letters of the alphabet, the expression "from Aleph to Tav" signifies "from beginning to end." Hence, "the observers of the Law from Aleph to Tav" are those that keep the Law in its entirety. See Alphabet; Alpha and Omega.