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Reconstructing the original Semitic/Hebrew alphabet is not an exact science and is always in need of updating when new evidence is found or discovered. When I first began the task of reconstructing this ancient alphabet, I found that in the past, most scholars agreed that the original form of the letter tsade was  and believed to be a "hook." However, the problem I had with this was that the Hebrew word for a hook was חח (hhahh) and has no relationship to the Hebrew word צדי (tsade, the name of this letter). What I did discover was that the ancient pictograph  looks like a picture of a man laying on his side and the Hebrew word "side" is צד (tsad), a clear connection between the pictograph and the name of this letter.
About a year ago, I received an email from an individual who proposed the idea that the pictograph was an image of a trail or path, which was very similar to the Ancient Hebrew meaning of the word צדיק(tsadiq, which begins with the letter tsade) meaning, "to walk the correct path. After looking into this, I discovered that there was much evidence to support this view of the letter.
Let's first start with the pictograph itself - . The squiggly line is the trail while the circle is the destination. The Hebrew verb ציד (Ts.Y.D) means "to hunt" as in following a trail to the game (the destination). The word "tsiyd" may be the original name for this letter, which then later evolved to "tsade." Each of the words that are derived from the parent root צד (tsad) are related to the idea of hunting. צדה means to lay in wait in ambush alongside a trail. צוד is a snare that is set in the trail. ציד means game, the goal or destination of the hunt.
Below is a list of Child roots which begin with the letter tsiyd.
| צא | | to go out, as in to follow a trail or path. |
| צב
| | a wagon, as following a trail or path. |
| צג
| | to leave behind. |
| צד
| | a stronghold. |
| צו
| | directions, as in to point out the way. |
| צח
| | dry, in the sense of the desert, the place of the nomads who follow the trails. |
| צי
| | a desert, the place of the nomads who follow the trails. |
| צך
| | a burden, as carried when traveling. |
| צל
| | a shadow, as an outline/path of the original. |
| צם
| | thirst, in the sense of searching for water. צ
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| צן
| | a flock, as herded by the nomad. |
| צע
| | wander, as one searching for the trail. |
| צף
| | keep watch, as in keeping an eye on the destination. |
| צץ
| | a blossom, whose purpose (destination) is to produce a fruit. |
| צר
| | narrow, in the sense of following a canyon trail with high sides. |
| צת
| | to set on fire, possibly related to the idea of "blazing" a trail. |
In addition, the concept of a trail can be seen in other Hebrew roots.
| צדק
| | to be on the correct path. |
| צעד
| | to march or walk in step. |
| צפר
| | to depart early for a journey. |
Based on this evidence, the meaning of this can be a trail, hunt or journey. The word צם (tsam) appears as  in the ancient pictographic script, a picture of a trail and of water (the letter mem). When combined these letters mean "trail of water" and this word means "thirst." The word צע (tsey) appears as  in the ancient pictographic script, a picture of a trail and the eye. When combined these letters mean "trail of the eye" and this word means "wander" in the sense of looking for a trail.
Over the next few months I will be updating the pages of this website to reflect this new understanding of the Hebrew letter "tsayid."
Jeff A. Benner
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