23

If aleph, beth, gimel, and daleth are needed in their mathematical meanings (identifiers for cardinality), how can we get them in the same font or at least reasonably similar in style. The following simple approach makes aleph different from the rest in style:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

The aleph is smaller and has thinner strokes:

enter image description here

Apparently the reason is that amssymb does not have aleph. What might be the simplest fix?

4 Answers 4

22

There are other font that can be used:

  • MnSymbol:

    MnSymbol

  • FdSymbol:

    FdSymbol

  • TX fonts:

    TX

  • PX fonts:

    PX

  • cjhebrew:

    cjhebrew

OpenType fonts (LuaTeX/XeTeX):

  • Latin Modern Math:

    Latin Modern Math

  • Asana Math:

    Asana Math

  • XITS Math:

    XITS Math

  • TeX Gyre Pagella Math:

    TeX Gyre Pagella Math

  • TeX Gyre Termes Math:

    TeX Gyre Termes Math

  • Linux Libertine:

    Linux Libertine

  • GNU FreeFont/FreeSerif:

    FreeSerif

  • GNU FreeFont/FreeSans:

    FreeSans


MnSymbol

\documentclass{article}

% \usepackage{MnSymbol}

% Definitions without package "MnSymbol", which also changes
% other math symbols.
\makeatletter
\@ifpackageloaded{MnSymbol}\@tempswafalse\@tempswatrue
\if@tempswa
  \DeclareFontFamily{U}{MnSymbolC}{}
  \DeclareSymbolFont{MnSyC}{U}{MnSymbolC}{m}{n}
  \SetSymbolFont{MnSyC}{bold}{U}{MnSymbolC}{b}{n}
  \DeclareFontShape{U}{MnSymbolC}{m}{n}{
      <-6>  MnSymbolC5
     <6-7>  MnSymbolC6
     <7-8>  MnSymbolC7
     <8-9>  MnSymbolC8
     <9-10> MnSymbolC9
    <10-12> MnSymbolC10
    <12->   MnSymbolC12}{}
  \DeclareFontShape{U}{MnSymbolC}{b}{n}{
      <-6>  MnSymbolC-Bold5
     <6-7>  MnSymbolC-Bold6
     <7-8>  MnSymbolC-Bold7
     <8-9>  MnSymbolC-Bold8
     <9-10> MnSymbolC-Bold9
    <10-12> MnSymbolC-Bold10
    <12->   MnSymbolC-Bold12}{}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\aleph}{\mathord}{MnSyC}{"AF}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\beth}{\mathord}{MnSyC}{"B0}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\gimel}{\mathord}{MnSyC}{"B1}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\daleth}{\mathord}{MnSyC}{"B2}
\fi
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

MnSymbol

FdSymbol

\documentclass{article}

% \usepackage{fdsymbol}

% Definitions without package "fdsymbol", which also changes
% other math symbols.
\makeatletter
\@ifpackageloaded{fdsymbol}\@tempswafalse\@tempswatrue
\if@tempswa
  \newcommand{\fdsy@scale}{1.0}
  \newcommand\fdsy@mweight@normal{Book}
  \newcommand\fdsy@mweight@small{Book}
  \newcommand\fdsy@bweight@normal{Medium}
  \newcommand\fdsy@bweight@small{Medium}
  \DeclareFontFamily{U}{FdSymbolA}{}
  \DeclareSymbolFont{fdsymbols}{U}{FdSymbolA}{m}{n}%
  \SetSymbolFont{symbols}{bold}{U}{FdSymbolA}{b}{n}%
  \DeclareFontShape{U}{FdSymbolA}{m}{n}{
      <-7.1> s * [\fdsy@scale] FdSymbolA-\fdsy@mweight@small
      <7.1-> s * [\fdsy@scale] FdSymbolA-\fdsy@mweight@normal
  }{}
  \DeclareFontShape{U}{FdSymbolA}{b}{n}{
      <-7.1> s * [\fdsy@scale] FdSymbolA-\fdsy@bweight@small
      <7.1-> s * [\fdsy@scale] FdSymbolA-\fdsy@bweight@normal
  }{}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\aleph}{\mathord}{fdsymbols}{"C7}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\beth}{\mathord}{fdsymbols}{"C8}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\gimel}{\mathord}{fdsymbols}{"C9}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\daleth}{\mathord}{fdsymbols}{"CA}
\fi
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

FdSymbol

TX fonts

\documentclass{article}

% \usepackage{txfonts}

% Definitions without package "txfonts", which also changes
% other math symbols.
\makeatletter
\@ifpackageloaded{txfonts}\@tempswafalse\@tempswatrue
\if@tempswa
  \DeclareFontFamily{U}{txsymbols}{}
  \DeclareFontFamily{U}{txAMSb}{}
  \DeclareSymbolFont{txsymbols}{OMS}{txsy}{m}{n}
  \SetSymbolFont{txsymbols}{bold}{OMS}{txsy}{bx}{n}
  \DeclareFontSubstitution{OMS}{txsy}{m}{n}
  \DeclareSymbolFont{txAMSb}{U}{txsyb}{m}{n}
  \SetSymbolFont{txAMSb}{bold}{U}{txsyb}{bx}{n}
  \DeclareFontSubstitution{U}{txsyb}{m}{n}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\aleph}{\mathord}{txsymbols}{64}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\beth}{\mathord}{txAMSb}{105}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\gimel}{\mathord}{txAMSb}{106}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\daleth}{\mathord}{txAMSb}{107}
\fi
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

TX

PX fonts

\documentclass{article}

% \usepackage{pxfonts}

% Definitions without package "pxfonts", which also changes
% other math symbols.
\makeatletter
\@ifpackageloaded{pxfonts}\@tempswafalse\@tempswatrue
\if@tempswa
  \DeclareFontFamily{U}{pxsymbols}{}
  \DeclareFontFamily{U}{pxAMSb}{}
  \DeclareSymbolFont{pxsymbols}{OMS}{pxsy}{m}{n}
  \SetSymbolFont{pxsymbols}{bold}{OMS}{pxsy}{bx}{n}
  \DeclareFontSubstitution{OMS}{pxsy}{m}{n}
  \DeclareSymbolFont{pxAMSb}{U}{pxsyb}{m}{n}
  \SetSymbolFont{pxAMSb}{bold}{U}{pxsyb}{bx}{n}
  \DeclareFontSubstitution{U}{pxsyb}{m}{n}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\aleph}{\mathord}{pxsymbols}{64}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\beth}{\mathord}{pxAMSb}{105}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\gimel}{\mathord}{pxAMSb}{106}
  \DeclareMathSymbol{\daleth}{\mathord}{pxAMSb}{107}
\fi
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

PX

cjhebrew

See egreg's answer.

\documentclass{article}

% \usepackage{cjhebrew}

% Definitions without package "cjhebrew"
\makeatletter
\@ifpackageloaded{cjhebrew}\@tempswafalse\@tempswatrue
\if@tempswa
  \DeclareFontFamily{U}{cjheb}{}
  \DeclareFontShape{U}{cjheb}{m}{n}{%
    <-11> s*[1.2] cjhblsm
    <11-> s*[1.2] cjhbltx
  }{}
  \newcommand{\cjhebfamily}{\fontencoding{U}\fontfamily{cjheb}\selectfont}
  \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcjheb}{\cjhebfamily}
\fi
\makeatother

\usepackage{amstext}
\newcommand*{\mathhebrew}[1]{\text{\cjhebfamily#1}}
\def\aleph{\mathhebrew{\symbol{'047}}}
\def\beth{\mathhebrew{\symbol{'142}}}
\def\gimel{\mathhebrew{\symbol{'147}}}
\def\daleth{\mathhebrew{\symbol{'144}}}

\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

cjhebrew

Latin Modern Math (LuaTeX/XeTeX)

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont{latinmodern-math.otf}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

Latin Modern Math

Asana Math (LuaTeX/XeTeX)

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont{Asana-Math.otf}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

Asana Math

XITS Math (LuaTeX/XeTeX)

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont{xits-math.otf}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

XITS Math

TeX Gyre Pagella Math

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont{texgyrepagella-math.otf}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

TeX Gyre Pagella Math

TeX Gyre Termes Math

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont{texgyretermes-math.otf}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

TeX Gyre Termes Math

Linux Libertine

See Herbert's answer.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont[range={\aleph,\beth,\gimel,\daleth}]{Linux Libertine O}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

Linux Libertine

GNU FreeFont/FreeSerif

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont[range={\aleph,\beth,\gimel,\daleth}]{FreeSerif.otf}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

FreeSerif

GNU FreeFont/FreeSans

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\setmathfont[range={\aleph,\beth,\gimel,\daleth}]{FreeSans.otf}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\end{document}

FreeSans

1
  • 2
    You, sir, seem to have too much time on your hand ;) Very nice answer.
    – arne
    Apr 9, 2014 at 12:10
7

If you find a Hebrew font, you can use it; in this example I use the fonts provided by the cjhebrew package.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}

% from cjhebrew.sty (with scaling added)
\DeclareFontFamily{U}{cjheb}{}
\DeclareFontShape{U}{cjheb}{m}{n}{%
  <-11> s*[1.2] cjhblsm
  <11-> s*[1.2] cjhbltx
}{}
\newcommand{\cjhebfamily}{\fontencoding{U}\fontfamily{cjheb}\selectfont}
\DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcjheb}{\cjhebfamily}

% provide the commands in case amssymb is not loaded
\providecommand{\beth}{}
\providecommand{\gimel}{}
\providecommand{\daleth}{}
% renew the commands
\newcommand{\mathhebrew}[1]{\text{\cjhebfamily#1}}
\renewcommand{\aleph}{\mathhebrew{\char'047}}
\renewcommand{\beth}{\mathhebrew{\char'142}}
\renewcommand{\gimel}{\mathhebrew{\char'147}}
\renewcommand{\daleth}{\mathhebrew{\char'144}}


\begin{document}
$X\aleph \beth \gimel \daleth Y$

\end{document}

enter image description here

5

You could scale it (1.5x horizontal, 1.1x vertical).

EDITED to work in all math styles (thanks, tohecz), and provided a slight vertical shift and kern for better matching. Lastly, enclosed in a group, so that it works directly in a subscript.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{scalerel}
\let\oldaleph\aleph
\def\aleph{{\ThisStyle{\scalebox{1.5}[1.1]{%
  \raisebox{-.2\LMpt}{$\SavedStyle\oldaleph$}}\kern-.2pt}}}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\begin{document}
\[ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\[ \scriptstyle \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\[ \scriptscriptstyle \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth \]
\[X_{\aleph_\aleph}\]
\end{document}

enter image description here

4
  • Preferably \let\oldaleph\aleph \def\aleph{...} (naming consitency). As well, \aleph appears often in indices, therefore \mathpalette should be used here IMHO. Still, +1 for the idea, it looks reasonably consistent, I like this font much more than MnSymbol one, not speaking about the ugly sans-serif variants, which just look badly in serif maths.
    – yo'
    Apr 9, 2014 at 10:37
  • 1
    @tohecz Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't mastered "The Mysteries of \mathpalette", so I just used my \ThisStyle{...\SavedStyle...} syntax to accomplish it. Apr 9, 2014 at 10:48
  • For latin modern math, can we invoke aleph, beth, gimel, daleth only?
    – M. Logic
    Aug 22, 2021 at 8:29
  • @M.Logic I am no expert on that font, but it can be downloaded (here, for example, gust.org.pl/projects/e-foundry/lm-math/download/index_html) and then you can search it yourself. Aug 22, 2021 at 15:00
4

run it with xelatex. unicode-math allows to use single characters from another font:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\usepackage{libertine}
\setmathfont[range={\beth,\gimel,\daleth,\aleph}]{Linux Libertine O}   
\begin{document}
\Huge
בגדא
$ \aleph \beth \gimel \daleth $
\end{document}

enter image description here

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