tsavá

Tsavá is a Hebrew term that can be rendered as "command" or "order." It derives from the Semitic root tz-v-h (צ-ו-ה), which lies behind the verb tzavah, meaning “to command,” and related noun forms. In biblical and rabbinic Hebrew, tsavá appears in forms that convey a directive issued by a ruler, a sovereign, or a divine authority. The form can function as a verb (for example, “he commanded”) or as a noun in contexts that emphasize an instruction or mandate.

In study of Hebrew grammar and textual interpretation, tsavá is often discussed as part of the verbal system surrounding commands and decrees. Scholars examine how different morphological forms express notions of obligation, authority, and obedience within ancient legal and narrative passages. The concept also helps illuminate how Hebrew distinguishes between general commands and the more specialized religious obligations later expressed by the term mitzvah.

In modern Hebrew, the everyday word for a commandment or religious obligation is mitzvah, which is etymologically related to the same root but is the preferred term for Jewish law and practice. Tsavá, by contrast, is primarily encountered in linguistic, philological, or historical discussions about ancient commands and royal or divine edicts. It is not a standard term in contemporary speech outside of scholarly or liturgical contexts.

See also: mitzvah; tzavot; tzavah. If you had a different sense of tsavá in mind (for example a place name or cultural concept), please provide more context.