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it's only words
The word Chai (pronounced as hai...) is a symbol and a word that figures prominently in Jewish culture... It consists of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, Chet and Yod.
In the Hebrew language (ivrit), the word chai, which is spelt by using the two letters of chet and yod, actually means 'living', but it also is related to the term for 'life' (cha-im).
There have been various mystical numerological speculations about the fact that, according to the system of gematria, the letters of chai, add up to the number 18. For this reason, the number 18 is considered to be a spiritual number in Judaism, consequently, the custom in Jewish circles is to give donations and monetary gifts in multiples of 18, as an expression for a 'long life'... this is known as 'giving chai' and as such, mailings and requests from Jewish charities usually suggest giving in multiples of chai, namely 18, 36, 56 etc... rather than the usual multiples of 25, 100 etc...
In the Talmud, Rabbi Yehudah ben Teime gives the age of 18 as the appropriate age to get married ("Ben shmonah esra techupah"... translated means... at eighteen years old, to the Chupah (marriage canopy)).
Chai, is a popular root word in Hebrew names. Chaya, derived from chai, is a popular female name in Hebrew, and Chaim, is the very popular male version. The biblical name Eve, in Hebrew is Chaya, also derived from the same root as chai...
Among all Jews, both religious and secular, the toast... "L'chaim", which means 'to life',
is frequently used when celebrating something such as a one of the high holidays, birthdays, bar/batmitzvah's, weddings etc...
The chai symbol is often worn by Jews as a medallion around the neck or upon a charm bracelet for women, along with the Star of David (Magen David), and Mezuzah... In recent times, non-Jews, in particular many celebrities and performers in the music industry (such as Madonna, and long before her, it was a known fact that the Elvis Presley, wore a Chai around his neck as a medallion...) have taken to wearing a chai, as they support the view that it brings good luck, and a 'long life...'
Finally, the word chai, is the cornerstone of Jewish life. Although the word dates back many thousands of years, on 20th April 1945, Jewish survivors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, being five days after their liberation, openly held their first Sabbath ceremony conducted on German soil since the beginning of the war, with people still dying around them, they were singing what would become the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah. At the end of Hatikvah, a man shouts out... "Am Yisrael Chai"... translated means literally... "The children of Israel still living..."
If you have found the above information about chai to be of interest, although they are not necessarily connected directly, please take a look at the following pages within this site, namely... loshon hara, neshuma and eshet chayil.
PLEASE NOTE: The comments and information concerning chai, or other terms realting to chai, that may appear on this site are intended to be as a guide and for information purposes only... It is not to be considered as an exhaustive authority upon the subject, and is based solely upon the author's own knowledge, understanding, readings and research of the subject, which it is fully accepted is open to personal interpretation...
