In Hebrew, the days of the week are named based on their order, starting from sunset to sunset. This is rooted in the creation narrative in Genesis where it states “And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” This establishes the pattern of the day beginning with the evening.

The names of the days of the week in Hebrew are literally numbered, reflecting their order in the creation week.

Here’s a quick rundown:

Yom Rishon (יום ראשון) – First day (Sunday)

Yom Sheni (יום שני) – Second day (Monday)

Yom Shlishi (יום שלישי) – Third day (Tuesday)

Yom Revi’i (יום רביעי) – Fourth day (Wednesday)

Yom Chamishi (יום חמישי) – Fifth day (Thursday)

Yom Shishi (יום שישי) – Sixth day (Friday)

Shabbat (שבת) – The Sabbath (Saturday)

This numbering emphasizes the sanctity and importance of the seventh day, Shabbat, which is not numbered but has its own distinct name, highlighting its special status as a day of rest.

• Hebrew-English vocab, but also texts on Israel, Jews, linguistics