Before A Name:
- הבחור החשוב – הבה”ח Habachur hashuv; “The important young man”
- המלומד בניסים = המלוב”ן Hamulumad benisim; (one) who has practiced many miracles – used for sfaradic Rabis who deal with “Torat Hanistar”
- רב/רבי = ר׳; rav/rabi; “rabbi…”. OR רבינו; rabeinu; “our rabbi”
- הרב = הר׳; harav; “the rabbi”.
- הרב רבי/רבינו = הר״ר; harav rabi/rabeinu; “Our Rabbi, Rav…”.
- הרב החשוב = הרה״ח; harav hechashuv; “the important rabbi”. OR הרב החסיד; harav hechassid; “the rabbi and chassid”.
- הרב הגאון = הרה״ג; harav hagaon; “the genius/esteemed rabbi”.
- הרב הצדיק = הרה”צ; harav hatzaddik; “the righteous rabbi”.
- הרב הקדוש = הרה”ק; harav hakadosh; “the holy rabbi”.
- הרב התמים = הרה״ת; harav hatamim; “the tamim rabbi”.
- כבוד קדושת = כ״ק; k’vod k’dushas; “his holy honor…”, (used for chasidic rabbis).
- אדונינו מורינו (ו)רבינו = אדמו״ר; adonenu morenu (v’)rabenu; “our master, teacher, and rabbi”, (a Hassidic rebbe, or “grand rabbi”).
- אדוני אבי מורי ורבי = אאמו״ר; avi adoni mori rabi; “my father, master, teacher, and rabbi”.
- מורינו (ורבינו) הרב רבי = מוהר”ר; moreinu (v’rabeinu) harav rabbi; “our teacher (and our rabbi,) rabbi…”.
- מורי (ו)רבי = מו״ר; mori (v’)rabi; “my teacher (and) rabbi”.
- מורי (ו)חמי = מו״ח; mori (v’)chami; “my teacher and father-in-law”.
- מורינו = מו׳; morenu; “our teacher” or מורי; mori “my teacher”.
- מר = מ׳; mar; “mister”.
- פה נטמן = 1פ״נ or פה נקבר; po nitman or po nikbar; (both) “here lies”. (Used on headstones).
- רבן של כל בני הגולה = רשכבה”ג; rabban shel kol b’nei hagolah “rabbi of all the diaspora”.
- צדיק יסוד עולם = ציס”ע; tzaddik yesod olam; “a righteous man, support of the world”.
- סיני ועוקר הרים = סוע”ה; sinai v’oker harim.
- מנשים באוהל תבורך = מנב״ת; minashim ba’ohel tevorach.
- יבלחטו”א or יבדל(ו) לחיים טובים וארוכים אמן = יבלטו”א = yibadel(oo) l’chaim tovim varuchim amen; “[to] separate for long, good life, amen”. (Used when listing names, to separate those who are alive from those who are not.)
- יבלחט”א or יבדל(ו) לחיים טובים וארוכים = יבלט”א = yibadel(oo) l’chaim tovim varuchim; “[to] separate for long, good life”. (Used when listing names, to separate those who are alive from those who are not.)
- אדוני אבי זקני = אא”ז; adoni avi zekeini; “my master, my grandfather”.
- אדוני אבי מורי = אא”מ; adoni avi mori; “my master, my father, my teacher”.
- אב בית דין = אב”ד; av beis din; “the head of the court of Jewish Law”.
- אב בית דין קהילת = אבד”ק; av beis din kehilas; the head of the Jewish court of Law of… [insert community here]”.
- הגאון מורינו = הג״מ; hagaon moreinu; “the genius, our teacher”.
- עטרת ראשי = עט”ר; ateres roshi; “my head’s crown”. (Used for a parent, rarely mother.) OR עטרת ראשינו; ateres rosheinu; “Our head’s crown”. (Used for a Rabbi).
- ירום הודו = יר”ה; yarum hodo; “His Royal Highness”. (Used for Non-Jewish kings).
- many on this list preceded by כבוד = כ; k’vod… “the honorable…”.
After A Name:
- יבלחט”א or יבלט”א (as above)
- שו״ב = shochet uvodek A ritual slaughterer and inspector of the kashrus of animals”
- דומו״צ, מו״צ (dayan u) moreh tzedek. One who rules on halachic matters.
- ע״ה2 = alav/aleha hashalom “Peace is upon him/her”
- ע״ה2 = eved Hashem “servant of God” (Used after referencing righteous biblical characters who are thus described in the Bible.)
- 2אבינו עליו השלום = אע”ה; avinu alav hashalom; “Our father, may peace be upon him”. Or: אבינו עבד השם; avinu eved Hashem; “Our father, servant of God”. (Used after referencing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.)
- ז״ל2, zal = zichrono/ah livracha or zichro/rah livracha “May his/her/their memory be a blessing”
- זצ״ל2, zatzal = zecher tzadik livracha “May the memory of this tzaddik be a blessing”
- זצוק״ל2 = zecher tzadik v’kadosh livracha
- זצוקללה״ה2 = zecher tzadik v’kadosh livracha l’chayei ha’olam habah
- זי״ע(א)2 = z’chuso yagen alenu (amen)
- מה״מ = melech hamashiach “King Messiah” (Used by people who believe that Rabbi to be Moshiach)
- נבג״מ2 = nishmaso b’ginze m’romim
- נ״ע2 = nocho eden or nishmaso eden
- נ״י3 = nero yair “His candle should light the way”
- ש”ן or שי”ן = sheyair nero “that his candle should light the way” or sheyichyeh netzach “that he should live for eternity”
- עקד”ה2 = Al kiddush Hashem; “(died) for the sanctification of God’s name” – usually used after הי”ד
- שלי״ט3 = sheyichye l’yamim tovim“That he should live good days”
- שליט״א3 = sheyichye l’yamim tovim aruchim (or l’orech yamim tovim amen) “That he should live good, long days”
- שתליט”א3 = shetichye l'(orech) yamim tovim aruchim “That she should live good, long days”
- הי”ו3 = Hashem yechayehu veyishmerehu “May God let him live and watch over him”
- ה”י3 = Hashem yishmerehu “May God watch over him”
- כ״ץ = kohen tzedek (used for a Kohen, sometimes as a family name)
- סג״ל = s’gan leviyah or s’gan lakohanim (used for a Levi, sometimes as a family name)
- יצ״ו = yishm’rehu tzuro vichayehu“His Rock should watch over him and let him live”
- ס”ט = seifeh tav (Sephardic equivalent of נ”י or the like – not sephardi tahor, as is “May he come
- מ”ה = ma’or hagola “Illuminator of the Diaspora” (Has this ever been applied to anyone but Rabenu Gershom?)
- נר״ו3= natreih Rachmana u’parkeih; “may g-d preserve and redeem him”.
- הי”ד2 = Hashem yiykom dam(o|a(m|n)) “May G-d avenge his/her/their blood”(Usually used for people who were killed “al kiddush Hashem”)
- בהמח”ס = בעל המחבר ספר (Ba’al HaMehaber Sefer; “author of the (following) book”)
- תחי’3 = tichy[e]; may she live
- שי’3 = ‘שיחי – Sheyichye; may he live
- 2תהא נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים = תנצב”ה Tehei nishmato tzrura betzror hachaim; “may his soul be bound in the bundle of life” – based on the posuk in Shmuel 1 (25,29).
1 Not to be confused with the two other meanings of this abbreviation: פיקוח נפש = From wikipedia “principle in Jewish law that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious consideration.” OR פדיון נפש = pidyon nefesh; self evaluation
2 Only used for people who are deceased.
3 Only used for people who are alive.
