The ancient glyph symbol of Kaf had a very distinct resemblance to a palm or open hand.
Consider the image of the palms. The palm of a hand can represent holding or containing.
The Hebrew word kippah (כיפה), which is a Jewish skullcap, has a deep connection to the Hebrew letter Kaf (כ). A kippah symbolizes humility and the awareness of God's presence above, as the palm of a hand represents protection and covering. In Jewish tradition, wearing a kippah is a sign of respect and submission to God, inspired by the concept of yirat Shamayim (fear of Heaven).
I can personally relate to this meaning every morning when I put a kippah on my head. It is a daily reminder in the morning to start my day.
In Genesis 6:14 God instructs Noah to build the ark and "cover it inside and outside with pitch." The Hebrew word for "cover" is ve'chafartah (וְכָפַרְתָּ), derived from the root Kaf-Peh-Resh, emphasizing the idea of protection and covering.
In Exodus 4:4 Moses is told to "stretch out your hand יָֽדְךָ֔ and take it by the tail." Here we see the Kaf in it's final (soffit) form. In that form the gematria value is 500.
Exodus 33:22 (כב =Kaf 20 + Bet 2) -- And it shall be that when My glory passes by, I will place you into the cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand כַפִּ֛י until I have passed by.
This next verse combines the gematria of Kaf (20) with the symbolism of using our hands and the concept that God is watching over us.
Genesis 20:41-42 -- Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
When I think of someone receiving wages, I also think of them being paid into the palms of our hands.
Isaiah 49.16 -- See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
Symbolism of Kaf
Kaf's (כ) bent shape is also symbolic of submission and humility. Ironically, it is also associated with the crown (כֶּתֶר - keter) as it's the first letter of the word. Indeed, humility is a key trait for a king in Judaism. This is especially highlighted in the Torah.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20 -- And it will be, when he sits upon his royal throne, that he shall write for himself two copies of this Torah on a scroll from [that Torah which is] before the Levitic kohanim.
And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord, his God, to keep all the words of this Torah and these statutes, to perform them,
so that his heart will not be haughty over his brothers, and so that he will not turn away from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, in order that he may prolong [his] days in his kingdom, he and his sons, among Israel.
Mystical Judaism, Kabbalah, associates the spiritual significance of the Keter (crown) with a level beyond intellect.
Hebrew Words Beginning with Kaf
One of the best ways to understand a Hebrew letter is to look at significant Hebrew words that begin with the letter Kaf:
Keter (כתר): Meaning "crown," it symbolizes authority, accomplishment, and the highest spiritual attainment.
Kadosh (קדוש): Meaning "holy" or "sacred," it reflects the sanctity and separation of God and His people.
Kesef (כסף): Meaning "silver" or "money," it represents wealth and the material world.
Kavod (כבד): Meaning "heavy" or "honored," it reflects weightiness, significance, and respect.
Kalah (כלה): Meaning "bride" or "to complete," it symbolizes fulfillment and union, often used in the context of marriage.
Kol (כל) - "all" or "every"
Kokhav (כוכב) - "star"
Kohen (כהן ) - "priest"
Katav (כתב) - "to write" or "writing"
Koach (כח) - "strength" or "power"
Kanaf (כנף) - "wing"
Kli (כלי) - "vessel" or "instrument"
Kerem (כרם) - "vineyard"
Kotel (כותל) - "wall," often referring to the Western Wall in Jerusalem
Kaf In The Root of Words
Hebrew is constructed in such a way that most words are built from a root consisting of three consonants, known as a "shoresh" (שורש). This root conveys the core meaning of the word, and various prefixes, suffixes, and vowel changes can modify this root to create related words with nuanced meanings.
The concept of the three-letter root is integral to understanding the depth and spiritual meaning of Hebrew words. Many of key words with Kaf in their core reflect ideas of holding, covering, or strength.
The Hebrew word "kadosh" (קדוש), meaning "holy," comes from the root קדש (kaf-dalet-shin). The basic meaning is "to be set apart" or "to consecrate." It can refer to something or someone separated for a sacred purpose.
The root appears in many important Hebrew terms related to holiness and sanctification, including:
- Kiddush (blessing over wine)
- Kedusha (prayer praising God's holiness)
- Kaddish (prayer of sanctification)
- Kiddushin (betrothal/marriage)
In closing
I will conclude this post with two scripture verses that each incorporate the word Kadosh (Holy).
Isaiah 6:3 -- "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."
Revelation 4:8 (KJV) -- "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."
