The foundation of Biblical Hebrew is its script, called the Aleph-Bet. Unlike the English alphabet, which has vowels and consonants, the classical Hebrew script is an abjad. This means it's made up entirely of consonants, 22 of them to be exact. Vowels were traditionally understood from context by the reader.

Another key difference is the direction of writing. English flows from left to right, but Hebrew is written and read from right to left. This can feel strange at first, but you'll get used to it quickly.

Let's look at all 22 letters of the Aleph-Bet. For now, focus on matching each letter's shape with its name and sound. Don't worry about memorizing them all at once.

Some letters in Hebrew have a special shape when they appear at the very end of a word. These are called final forms. There are five such letters to learn.

Notice how the final forms are often more angular or elongated, dropping below the line of the other letters. Recognizing these is just a matter of practice.

With the letters and their final forms, you now have the complete toolkit for reading the consonants of Biblical Hebrew. The next steps in your journey will involve learning the vowel markings and basic grammar, but mastering this Aleph-Bet is the essential first leap.

Great work taking the first step. Keep practicing recognizing these letters, and you'll be reading ancient texts before you know it.