[Tex/LaTex] What are TeX codes for Hebrew letters to be used as math-mode symbols

symbols

As far as I saw in most TeX code manuals, only four letters of the Hebrew alphabet are available in LaTeX for mathematical symbols. i.e. \aleph, \beth, \gimel, \dalet.

Question: I would like to know whether there are TeX codes for other Hebrew letters or not. And if not, can anybody help to define some codes for them particularly the followings:

Lamed, Mim, Ayin, Tsadi, Qof, Shin

In order to make my question more clear let me add some additional explanations:

I want to use new Hebrew letters in research level mathematical papers. That means, I am looking for a simple code, say \shin, which could be used between dollar symbols $ ... $ (formula environment) in an English-language text and can interact with other mathematical operators like index and power. For example, as we write $\aleph_{8}^{2}$ I would like to write $\shin^{3}$.

Best Answer

I can show you how to do this in clear plain TeX and in plain TeX with OPmac. First clear plain TeX:

\newfam\hebfam
\font\tmp=rcjhbltx at10pt \textfont\hebfam=\tmp
\font\tmp=rcjhbltx at7pt  \scriptfont\hebfam=\tmp
\font\tmp=rcjhbltx at5pt  \scriptscriptfont\hebfam=\tmp

\edef\declfam{\ifcase\hebfam 
     0\or1\or2\or3\or4\or5\or6\or7\or8\or9\or A\or B\or C\or D\or E\or F\fi}

\mathchardef\shin   = "0\declfam 98 % 98 is hexa code of shin
\mathchardef\aleph  = "0\declfam 27
\mathchardef\beth   = "0\declfam 62
\mathchardef\gimel  = "0\declfam 67
\mathchardef\daleth = "0\declfam 64
\mathchardef\lamed  = "0\declfam 6C
\mathchardef\mim    = "0\declfam 6D
\mathchardef\ayin   = "0\declfam 60
\mathchardef\tsadi  = "0\declfam 76
\mathchardef\qof    = "0\declfam 72

Now I can use $A_\shin, \shin$ or $B^\shin$.

\bye

The solution is based on the font rcjhbltx which is present in common TeX distributions. The encoding of this font is described in the file cjhebltx.enc. You can look into this file in order to find another codes you need.

The main disadvantage of clear plain TeX is that the main font size is fixed to 10pt and the math typesetting is set to fixed 10pt/7pt/5pt. On the other hand, OPmac provides arbitrary size of main font (and derived math typesetting). Finally, the declaration of new math family is more simple:

\input opmac
\addto\normalmath {\loadmathfamily 15 rcjhbltx } \normalmath
\addto\boldmath   {\loadmathfamily 15 rcjhbltx }

\mathchardef\shin   = "0F98  % 98 is hexa code of shin
\mathchardef\aleph  = "0F27
\mathchardef\beth   = "0F62
\mathchardef\gimel  = "0F67
\mathchardef\daleth = "0F64
\mathchardef\lamed  = "0F6C
\mathchardef\mim    = "0F6D
\mathchardef\ayin   = "0F60
\mathchardef\tsadi  = "0F76
\mathchardef\qof    = "0F72

Now I can use $A_\shin, \shin$ or $B^\shin$. (10pt size)

\typosize[12.3/15]

Now I can use $A_\shin, \shin$ or $B^\shin$. (12.3pt size)

\bye

shin

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