echad

Echad is a Hebrew word meaning “one” and, in broader usage, “unity” or “oneness.” In everyday Hebrew it functions as the masculine cardinal numeral, with the feminine form achat. The root is traditionally linked to concepts of unity and joining.

In Judaism, echad carries distinctive theological weight. It appears in the Shema, the central declaration of faith: “Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad” — the Lord is one. Rabbinic and philosophical literature uses echad to express monotheistic oneness, and in Kabbalah and Hasidic thought it is discussed in relation to the unity of God’s essence and attributes. The related noun achdut denotes general unity or solidarity.

In modern Hebrew, echad functions as the number one, part of everyday counting and expressions of quantity. It contrasts with achat (feminine one) and with yachid (an individual person). The word also appears in religious and cultural contexts, where it is sometimes used as a symbol of unity within the Jewish community.