Meaning of notarikon | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A cabalistic method of deriving a phrase from a word, using the letters of the word as initial letters of words in the sentence.
2. A cabalistic method of creating a word from initial, middle and final letters (in any combination) of words in a phrase.

Examples

“Rashi explains the second phrase in his commentary to the parallel section in Berakhot 24a, s.v. takhshitin shebifnim: "Kumaz — a defuss of the uterus that they would make⟳ for their daughters, and they would pierce the walls of the uterus as one pierces the ears and insert⟳ it so that men would not have⟳ relations with them". In other words, according to Rashi, kumaz means a "chastity belt", and Rabbah hints at this later on in the sugya in Shabbat, using a notarikon: "KuMaZ — Kan Mekom Zima", here is a place⟳ of lewdness".”

“The Hebrew word zahav (ZaHaB) is the notarikon (shorthand) for Zan, Ha'aret, and Bonayh Yerushalayim.”

CEFR level