Tzedek
/ˈtsɛ.dɛk/noun
A Hebrew word meaning justice, righteousness, or ethical integrity.
Did you know?In the Hebrew Bible, tzedek is not merely legal fairness but a moral order associated with right conduct, communal responsibility, and alignment with divine judgment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ṣ-d-q
“Root associated with righteousness, justice, truthfulness, or being in the right”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
צֶדֶק (ṣédeq)
“Righteousness, justice, right order, or moral integrity”
Second Temple Period
Hebrew
צדק (ṣdq)
“Justice and conformity to the proper moral or communal order”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Mishnaic Hebrew
צדק (tzedek)
“Justice or righteousness, often discussed alongside charity, law, and ethical duty”
Medieval Hebrew
Hebrew
צֶדֶק (tzedek)
“Moral justice and righteousness in Jewish legal, philosophical, and religious writing”
Modern English
English
tzedek
“A Hebrew loanword used in English discussions of Jewish ethics, justice, and social responsibility”