Tzedakah צדקה
Hebrew speakers now use צדקה for charity. In the Tanakh it is righteousness, and the move between the two can be watched in Proverbs.
- Found in the Torah
- 13,880
- Chance alone: 13,162
- Skips 2 to 101,616
- Found in the Tanakh
- 184,808
- Chance alone: 187,188
- Skips 2 to 399,013
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Give tzedakah today and you have made a donation. In the Tanakh the same word is righteousness, doing what is right. Abraham trusts the Lord, and it is counted to him as צדקה in Genesis 15:6. Abraham's household is told to do it, with justice, in Genesis 18:19, and the prophets pair the two words again and again. The shift toward money can be seen starting in Proverbs 10:2, where צדקה delivereth from death is set against treasures of wickedness. By rabbinic times the word had settled there. The Tanakh's own uses are spread thin, 33 bare, mostly in Proverbs and Isaiah. The five letters are searched here at every skip, with the plain count alongside.
- As a whole word
- 33
- First, with any prefix
- Genesis 15:6
- Last
- 2 Chronicles 9:8
The measurement
Two of these sequences are really one. The shortest skip, 6, stands at Exodus 25:32 and again at Exodus 37:18, because the second passage repeats the wording of the first, and a repeated passage repeats whatever is in it.
| At every skip | Torah | Tanakh |
|---|---|---|
| Found | 13,880 | 184,808 |
| Chance alone | 13,162 | 187,188 |
| P (≥ found) | 2.9 × 10⁻¹⁰ | 1.00 |
| Shortest skip | 6 | 6 |
| Longest skip | 101,041 | 398,631 |
Counted forward and backward on the written text, with final letters treated as ordinary ones. At the laboratory's opening setting, skips 2 to 5,000, the Torah gives 1,185 against 1,263 by chance. How these figures are made.
The sequences, letter by letter
Each letter is shown in the verse it happens to stand in, nothing more. Tap one to read it in the Tanakh, with the rest of the sequence marked.
In the Torah
Shortest skip 6, forward from Exodus 25:32
וְשִׁשָּׁ֣ה קָנִ֔ים יֹצְאִ֖ים מִצִּדֶּ֑יהָ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֗ה מִצִּדָּהּ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֔ה מִצִּדָּ֖הּ הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃
And there shall be six branches going out of the sides thereof: three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candle-stick out of the other side thereof;
Shortest skip 6, forward from Exodus 37:18
וְשִׁשָּׁ֣ה קָנִ֔ים יֹצְאִ֖ים מִצִּדֶּ֑יהָ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֗ה מִצִּדָּהּ֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֔ה מִצִּדָּ֖הּ הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃
And there were six branches going out of the sides thereof: three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof;
Short skip 52, forward from Genesis 49:29
וַיְצַ֣ו אוֹתָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲנִי֙ נֶאֱסָ֣ף אֶל־עַמִּ֔י קִבְר֥וּ אֹתִ֖י אֶל־אֲבֹתָ֑י אֶל־הַ֨מְּעָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׂדֵ֖ה עֶפְר֥וֹן הַֽחִתִּֽי׃
And be charged them, and said unto them: ‘I am to be gathered unto my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
בַּמְּעָרָ֞ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בִּשְׂדֵ֧ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־פְּנֵי־מַמְרֵ֖א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ קָנָ֨ה אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה מֵאֵ֛ת עֶפְרֹ֥ן הַחִתִּ֖י לַאֲחֻזַּת־קָֽבֶר׃
in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying-place.
שָׁ֣מָּה קָֽבְר֞וּ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֗ם וְאֵת֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ שָׁ֚מָּה קָבְר֣וּ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְאֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְשָׁ֥מָּה קָבַ֖רְתִּי אֶת־לֵאָֽה׃
There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
Middle skip 504, backward from Leviticus 11:11
וְשֶׁ֖קֶץ יִהְי֣וּ לָכֶ֑ם מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וְאֶת־נִבְלָתָ֖ם תְּשַׁקֵּֽצוּ׃
and they shall be a detestable thing unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, and their carcasses ye shall have in detestation.
וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְקוָ֛ק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֥ר אֲלֵהֶֽם׃
And the LORD spoke unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them:
וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֤ם אֹתָהּ֙ בְּמָק֣וֹם קָדֹ֔שׁ כִּ֣י חָקְךָ֤ וְחָק־בָּנֶ֨יךָ֙ הִ֔וא מֵאִשֵּׁ֖י יְקוָ֑ק כִּי־כֵ֖ן צֻוֵּֽיתִי׃
And ye shall eat it in a holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the offerings of the LORD made by fire; for so I am commanded.
… קִ֠רְב֞וּ שְׂא֤וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ מֵאֵ֣ת פְּנֵי־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them: ‘Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.’
Wide skip 5,029, forward from Numbers 2:18
דֶּ֣גֶל מַחֲנֵ֥ה אֶפְרַ֛יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֖ם יָ֑מָּה וְנָשִׂיא֙ לִבְנֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם אֱלִישָׁמָ֖ע בֶּן־עַמִּיהֽוּד׃
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts; the prince of the children of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud,
מִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered upon the service, for service in the tent of meeting.
וּלְזֶ֣בַח הַשְּׁלָמִים֮ בָּקָ֣ר שְׁנַיִם֒ אֵילִ֤ם חֲמִשָּׁה֙ עַתֻּדִ֣ים חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה כְּבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵי־שָׁנָ֖ה חֲמִשָּׁ֑ה זֶ֛ה קָרְבַּ֥ן אֱלִיאָ֖ב בֶּן־חֵלֹֽן׃
and for the sacrifice of peace-offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
וּבְיוֹם֙ הָקִ֣ים אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן כִּסָּ֤ה הֶֽעָנָן֙ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן לְאֹ֖הֶל הָעֵדֻ֑ת וּבָעֶ֜רֶב יִהְיֶ֧ה עַֽל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֖שׁ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר׃
And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony; and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning.
Outside the Torah
Shortest skip 7, forward from Jeremiah 6:22
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְקוָ֔ק הִנֵּ֛ה עַ֥ם בָּ֖א מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צָפ֑וֹן וְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל יֵע֖וֹר מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
Thus saith the LORD: Behold, a people cometh from the north country, And a great nation shall be roused from the uttermost parts of the earth.
קֶ֣שֶׁת וְכִיד֞וֹן יַחֲזִ֗יקוּ אַכְזָרִ֥י הוּא֙ וְלֹ֣א יְרַחֵ֔מוּ קוֹלָם֙ כַּיָּ֣ם …
They lay hold on bow and spear, They are cruel, and have no compassion; Their voice is like the roaring sea, And they ride upon horses; Set in array, as a man for war, Against thee, O daughter of Zion.
Middle skip 501, backward from Isaiah 22:10
וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם סְפַרְתֶּ֑ם וַתִּתְֿצוּ֙ הַבָּ֣תִּ֔ים לְבַצֵּ֖ר הַחוֹמָֽה׃
And ye numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and ye broke down the houses to fortify the wall;
כִּי־כֹ֛ה אָמַ֥ר אֲדֹנָ֖י אֵלָ֑י בְּע֤וֹד שָׁנָה֙ כִּשְׁנֵ֣י שָׂכִ֔יר וְכָלָ֖ה כָּל־כְּב֥וֹד קֵדָֽר׃
For thus hath the Lord said unto me: ‘Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;
תָּעָ֣ה לְבָבִ֔י פַּלָּצ֖וּת בִּֽעֲתָ֑תְנִי אֵ֚ת נֶ֣שֶׁף חִשְׁקִ֔י שָׂ֥ם לִ֖י לַחֲרָדָֽה׃
My heart is bewildered, terror hath overwhelmed me; The twilight that I longed for hath been turned for me into trembling.
בִּשְׁנַ֨ת בֹּ֤א תַרְתָּן֙ אַשְׁדּ֔וֹדָה בִּשְׁלֹ֣ח אֹת֔וֹ סַֽרְג֖וֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם בְּאַשְׁדּ֖וֹד וַֽיִּלְכְּדָֽהּ׃
In the year that Tartan came into Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it;
By skip range, shuffled texts and book
| Skips, Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | 2 | 2.3 |
| 11 to 100 | 19 | 23.3 |
| 101 to 1,000 | 210 | 232 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 954 | 1,006 |
| 5,001 to 101,616 | 12,695 | 11,899 |
Shuffled Torahs
The Torah's own count at skips 2 to 1,000 is 231. Each family below rebuilt the text 100 times (seed 5787). What each family keeps.
| Control family | Runs at or above 231 | Median run | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter shuffle | 96/100 | 259 | 221 to 305 |
| Words within each verse | 61/100 | 236 | 194 to 271 |
Where the sequences start
| Torah | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis | 3,941 | 3,371 |
| Exodus | 3,356 | 2,743 |
| Leviticus | 1,609 | 1,934 |
| Numbers | 2,425 | 2,744 |
| Deuteronomy | 2,549 | 2,371 |
| Tanakh | Found | Chance alone |
|---|---|---|
| Torah | 47,216 | 47,671 |
| Prophets | 84,450 | 86,598 |
| Writings | 53,142 | 52,918 |
Run this search yourself
Change the skips, set צדקה beside another word, and run the controls on your own question.
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