What is the Ancient Hebrew Word Picture for Righteous?
“In the Way of Righteousness (צְדָקָה Tzedaqah) is Life, in its Path there is no Death,” Proverbs 12:28
If, צְדָקָה Tzedaqah, is often translated into English as Righteousness. It is known as the Way of Life, so what could be more important than to fully understanding its original meaning?
צְדָקָה Tzedaqah, is a feminine Noun. Its masculine Noun is, צֶ-דֶ-ק, Tzedeq.
It is derived from the Primitive 3-letter Verb Root, צָדַק Tzadaq, most often translated into English as, to be Just, or Righteous.
Righteous Behavior is simply doing what is Right, Just, Accurate, Correct, Fair, Impartial… Restoring, Vindicating, Acquitting, Clearing, or Cleansing, the Self in a moral sense… by our Creator’s standard; the Torah of *YHVH.
The Original Hebrew Picture Letters illustrate the figurative meaning of צָדַק Tzadaq:
צֶ Tzade 
= Fishhook, Side, Trail; to Hunt, Wait, Pull Toward, Chase, Catch, Trouble, Harvest, Journey, Desire…
דֶ Dalet 
= Door; to Move In or Out, Hang, Opening, Entrance, Path, Way, Gate, Knock, Branch, Judgement…
ק Qoof 
= Back of Head, Horizon; to Follow, After, Behind, Last, Least, Circle, Cycle, Surround, Dome, Time…
Hook/Desire – Door/Entrance – Back of Head/Follow?
צָדַק Tzadaq contains Sub-roots that clarify its meaning even further. They also reveal Consistent Patterns:
צַ-ד Tza-d, means Side. A Picture of the Tzade; Hook – Dalet; Door.
צוּד Tz-oo-d means to Hunt: Tzade; Hook – 
Vav; Tent Peg – Dalet; Door.
דַּ-ק Da-q means Small, as in Finely Ground, or Threshed: Dalet; Door – Qoof; Back of Head.
The letter , 
, Tzade represents Desire. It is the 18th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-bet, and has a numerical value of 90. It sounds like the Tz in Tsunami, Pizza, Cluts… Its bent form is also said to represent Righteous Humility.
When the meaning of the letter צ Tzade, is combined with the Hebrew word דַּ-ק Daq, Dalet –Qoof, it shows us the Desire – to be made Small. Where do we get this unnatural Desire?
The Hebrew word צָמָא Tzama, shows us the meaning of Thirst:
“Blessed are those who hunger and Thirst for Righteousness, for they will be filled,” Matthew 5:6
Its Original Hebrew Word Picture is Tzade; Hook – 
Mem; Water – 
Aleph; Strong. As a truly Thirsty person has a Strong Desire for Water.
Likewise, a צַדִיק Tzadiq, is a Righteous Person, Tzade; Hooked – Dalet; to the Door – Qoof; by Following. Who Is the Door? John 10:9. Who Is the Living Water? Zechariah 14:8; John 7:38; Revelation 22:1…
“…I Am the Aleph and the Tav, the Beginning and the End. To the Thirsty I will give freely from the Spring of Living Water.” Revelation 21:6; 22:17; John 4:10; Isaiah 55:1
The Thirsty have been Given a Strong Desire for the Living Water. Desiring to be made small, or humble, is contrary to the natural desire of our flesh. So it is evidence of those who have received the Gift of Spiritual Life.
The Messiah reveals this Spiritual mystery in His parable of The Wheat and the Darnel, or Weeds. The Wheat bears Fruit that gives Life, while the Darnel is a worthless Weed. While it resembles wheat, it does not bear any fruit:
…Let both (the Darnel and the Wheat) grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the Darnel and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the Wheat into my barn.’” Matthew 13:30
He later explained that the Wheat Field represents the World. The Wheat is the Good Seed, representing the children of the (Spiritual) Kingdom. The Darnel, along with the Chaff, everything that is not Wheat, is good for nothing, and so it is burned away, Matthew 13:37.
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will Weed out of His Kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice Lawlessness, Matthew 13:41
The Lawless are Torahless. They do not Desire to Follow the Way of Truth and Life, by Doing what Is Right (Tzedeq).
Threshing the Wheat Separates it from the Chaff. The Righteous are those who Desire to walk in the Torah of *YHVH because it Is Holy, Righteous and Good, Romans 7:12:
Then the Righteous (צָדַק Tzadoq) will Shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Matthew 13:43; Daniel 12:3
The Context of First Mention
צֶדֶק Tzedeq is first mentioned in the context of being opposed to Partiality and Favoritism:
You must not pervert justice; you must not show Partiality to the poor or Favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor Justly (צֶדֶק Tzedeq), Leviticus 19:15
The noun, צֶדֶק Tzedeq, Parallels Evenness מֵישָׁר Meshar, which is derived from the 3-letter Verb Root יָשַׁר Yashar, meaning Straight:
…before יְהוָֹה *YHVH, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with Justice צֶדֶק Tzedeq and the peoples with Equity מֵישָׁר Meshar. Psalm 98:9
It also appears in Compound words like Melchizedek מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק, Malki -Tzedeq; My King is Righteous.
We are Instructed to be Righteous, or Just, by doing what our Righteous King has Instructed us to do:
Blessed is he who Cares for the poor; יְהוָֹה *YHVH will deliver him in the day of trouble, Psalm 41:1
Defend the cause of the poor and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed, Psalm 82:3
Learn to do Good; seek Justice and Correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and Plead the Case of the widow, Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:16
Do not deny Justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security, Deuteronomy 24:17
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to Care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27; Job 31:16, 17; Psalm 146:9
The Fruit of the Righteous is a Tree of Life
The fruit of the Righteous is a Tree of Life, and he who wins souls is wise, Proverbs 11:30
To the Overcomer, I will grant the right to eat from the Tree of Life in the paradise of God, Revelation 2:7
The Tree of Life takes us back to the beginning, the Garden of Eden. From the beginning, Righteousness has been the Way of Truth and Life. Doing Right is the only way mankind Overcomes their Desire, or Hook, to do Wrong:
Your Righteousness (צְדָקָה Tzedaqah) is Everlasting Justice, (צֶדֶק Tzedeq) and Your Torah תּוֹרָה is Truth (אֶמֶת Emet) Psalm 119:142; John 17:17
If you know that He (the Messiah) is Righteous, you also know that Everyone who Does Right has been born of Him, 1 John 2:29
Little children, let no one Deceive you: The one who Practices Righteousness is Righteous, just as Christ/Messiah is Righteous. 1 John 3:7
Is there a connection between Righteousness, the Tree of Life, and the Messiah?
Mankind’s Faithfulness in Doing Right has been tested from the first man, Adam. When Eve chose to do what they both knew was Wrong, it was because she Desired the fruit of the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Bad.
The Knowledge came with a consequence, penalty, or Curse; Dying מוּת Moot – Die מוּת Moot. When Hebrew Repeats, it is called Repetitive Emphasis, which is usually translated, מ֥וֹת Mot, תָּ – מוּת, t-Moot; Surely Die, Genesis 2:17.
Death is a temporary Curse, and the reason Mankind has been kept from the Tree of Life, Genesis 3:22; Deuteronomy 30:19.
Death is also the Purpose of the promised Seed, or Messiah. The One who will crush the serpents head, and end the Curse.
The same Seed will Bless All nations, Genesis 3:15; 12:3; 22:18; Revelation 5:9…
When our Righteous Messiah said, I Am the Way of Truth and Life, He also said, Follow Me, 1 John 2:29; John 14:6; Matthew 10:38;16:24…
The test of Faithfulness has Not changed. Those who follow the Creator, walk in His Torah; the Light still shines in the Way of Life, Exodus 16:4.
Our Spiritual Creator gave His people complete, and Everlasting Instructions through Moses. His Torah reveals His Purpose, and His Salvation from the curse of Death. He has made the End known from the Beginning, Isaiah 46:10.
Righteousness is Defined by the Torah
Does His Righteousness Mean we do Nothing?
יְהוָֹה *YHVH is our Righteousness (צֶדֶק Tzedeq), Jeremiah 23:6
Jesus (Yehoshua) is our Righteousness, 1 Corinthians 1:30; Romans 3:22; Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16
Wherefore the Law (Torah) is Holy, and the Commandment Holy, and Right and Good, Romans 7:12
My tongue sings of Your Word, for all Your Commandments are Righteous (צֶדֶק Tzedeq), Psalm 119:172
Doing Right is Keeping the Commandments of *YHVH. To Hear and Do (Shema’a) is the only Way to enter the Door of Spiritual Life. Deuteronomy 6:25; Romans 10:3…
The Righteous in Contrast to the Wicked:
The thoughts of the Righteous (צַדִיק Tzadiq) are Justice (מִשְׁפָט Mishpat); the Counsels of the Wicked (רָשְׁע Rasha’a) are Deceitful. Proverbs 12:5
The Wicked (רָשְׁע Rasha’a) Flee when no one pursues, but the Righteous (צַדִיק Tzadiq) are Bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1
Belief, or the Act of Faith, is credited to us as Righteousness:
“Abram (Abraham) Believed (אָמַן Aman) יְהוָֹה *YHVH and it was credited to him as Righteousness (צְדָקָה Tzedeqah).” Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 4; James 2:20
The Persian King Cyrus was called צֶדֶק Tzedeq, Righteous, because he did what *YHVH instructed him to do:
I will raise up Cyrus in Righteousness, (צֶדֶק Tzedeq) and I will make all his ways Straight. He will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for payment or reward, says יְהוָֹה *YHVH of Hosts, Isaiah 45:13
When we Believe *YHVH, it means we Do what He says. Right Actions are the Fruit of Salvation, not an attempt to earn, or give, ourselves Life.
It is *YHVH Who Justifies:
Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who Justifies, Romans 8:33
Righteousness is the Essence of the Torah
The Messiah summed up the Essence of the Torah and Prophets:
In everything, then, Do to others as you would have them Do to you. For this is the Essence of the Law and the Prophets, Matthew 7:12
Doing Right means treating others as we would want them to treat us.
In the book of James, his Hebrew name Ya’aqob, he refers to the Torah, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” as “the Royal Law,” Leviticus 19:18; James 2:8.
Paul reiterated Leviticus 19:18 as the fulfillment of the Torah!
“for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law (Torah),” Romans 13:8, Leviticus 19:18.
When the Messiah was asked, what is the Greatest Commandment? He answered by quoting the Shema; Hear and Do:
“…Love יְהוָֹה *YHVH with all your heart, soul and strength,” Deuteronomy 6:5
Then He said:
Love your Neighbor (רֵעַ Rei’a = one another) as yourself, Leviticus 19:18
All the Law (Torah) and the Prophets hang on these two Commandments, Matthew 22:38-40.
Clothed in His Righteousness
Those who are Holy, or Set-apart, because they walk in the Light of Truth and Life, which is Righteousness, will be granted the right to eat from the Tree of Life. They are given Clothing of Fine Linen, bright and pure, which is the Righteous Actions of the Holy:
“She was given Clothing of Fine Linen, bright and pure. For the Fine Linen she wears is the Righteous Actions of the Holy“ Revelation 19:8; Isaiah 64:6; Zechariah 3:3.
Blessed are those who Wash their Robes, so that they may have the right to the Tree of Life and may enter the city by its Gates. Revelation 22:14; Revelation 2:7; Exodus 19:10; Psalm 118:20
In contrast, Wrong Actions, like self-righteousness, is likened to Filthy Rags, Isaiah 64:6.
Do You Know the Way that Leads to Life?
I asked a question on fb in January of 2017. Here’s a summary of the answers:
Someone had hope of being accepted by who we are, and the way we work, the words we say, and what we do to please the Lord… By obeying His Laws… By accepting Jesus into your heart and life as your personal savior… By Unconditionally loving others… By Love and sacrifice for something greater than ourselves… Others Quoted:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
“I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” John 14:6.
These answers all describe Righteousness, צְדָקָה Tzadaqah; the צְ Desire we all have to Enter the דָ Door by קָ Following, ה Behold…
In the Parable of the Good Shephard the sheep know who to Follow. We already know *YHVH is our Shephard, Psalm 23:1.
He also says, I Am the Door,” John 10:9.
The Righteous are Called Children of God
Those who practice Righteousness are called Children of God, and Born of God, because He Is Righteous:
If you know that He is Righteous, you also know that everyone who practices Righteousness is born of Him, 1 John 2:29
“…He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God (the Spirit),” John 1:13
By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the adversary: Anyone who does not practice Righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not Love his brother. This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should Love one another, 1 John 3:10
“This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.“ 1 John 3:11
Not as a new Commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning— that we Love one another, 2 John 1:5
The Prayer of a Righteous Person:
The Righteous cry out, and יְהוָֹה *YHVH hears; He delivers them from all their distress. Psalm 34:17
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a Righteous man has great power to prevail. James 5:16
The Parable of the Righteous:
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.
Then the Righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?
And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you Did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you Did for Me. Matthew 25:34 – 40
Click Here to read Truth (Emet), the Ancient Hebrew Meaning
*Yah is the short, and undisputed, pronunciation of YHVH, as in Hallelu-Yah!
Light of the World 