Tag (Hebrew writing)

A tag (Aramaic: , plural , ) is a decoration drawn over some Hebrew letters in the Jewish scrolls of Sifrei Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzot and the Five Megillot. The Hebrew name for this Scribal feature is (). Both and mean 'crown' in Aramaic and Hebrew respectively.
The letters Beth, Daleth, He, Heth, Yud and Quf have one tag (Mnemonic: BeDeQ-ChaYaH ). The letters Gimel, Zayin, Tet, Nun, Ayin, Tzadi and Shin have 3 tags (Mnemonic: Sha´ATNeZ-GaTz ). In kabbalistic thought, each has special significance and meaning. Some manuscripts feature embellished on the top line of each column and some also on all occurrences of the Tetragrammaton other than those prefixed with a lamed (b. Seferot).
The Talmud states that was originally added to the text by God at Mount Sinai, and that Rabbi Akiva would use their presence in order to derive laws.