The Hebrew letter Tov
Tov is the twenty-second of the 22 letters of the alef beis. It is written ת in print, in ksiva it takes two strokes, and its gematria value is 400. It says t with a dagesh and, in Ashkenazi reading, s without one. My Ksiva Workbook teaches it on page 70.
Tov is the last letter of the alef beis and carries its largest value, 400. With a dagesh it says t; without it, in Ashkenazi reading, s — which is why the same letter ends both Shabbos and emes. It is written in two strokes, and its left leg finishes in a foot.
- Position 22 of 22
- Gematria 400
- Sound t / s
- Ksiva strokes 2
- Taught on page 70 of 82
How is Tov written?
The workbook teaches every letter the same four ways, so a child always knows what is being asked of them.
See both forms. The workbook opens the letter with Tov in print and in ksiva side by side, and marks the ksiva form with a numbered arrow showing where the stroke begins.
Trace it. A row of dotted outlines gives the whole shape. The child writes over the top of it, so the hand learns the movement before it has to remember the shape.
Finish it. Each box after that gives a little less of the letter than the one before, until the last box is empty and the child writes it unaided.
Use it in a word. The letter then appears in whole words to copy in script, built only from letters already taught, so the child is never asked to write a letter they have not met.
What is it confused with?
Tov, ches and hai share a roof and two legs. Ches is closed across the top; hai’s left leg hangs free below a gap; tov’s left leg turns into a foot at the bottom.
How is it spelled in English?
The workbook banners this letter Tov-Sov, naming both of its forms on one page. You will also see it written tav, taf, sav. They are all the same letter.
Where it is taught
Tov is taught on page 70 of My Ksiva Workbook, an 82-page Hebrew handwriting workbook covering all 22 letters in both scripts. Every letterform on this page is taken from the book itself.