TITLE: $\aleph$ looks like $\mathbb N$?
QUESTION [10 upvotes]: We all know the notation $\aleph_\lambda$ for the $\lambda$th (or, I guess, $\lambda+1$st) infinite cardinal number; in particular $\aleph_0$ is the cardinality of the the set of natural numbers $\mathbb N$.
Out of curiosity:

Is it the case that historically, the Hebrew letter $\aleph$ (aleph) was chosen because it sort of looks like the letter N?

REPLY [6 votes]: There is another explanation for Cantor's choice of aleph: not the numerical value of the character, but its occurrence in the word (phrase?) denoting infinity. Here is a quotation from the article by Yuval Ne'eman, ``Issai Schur died here: some background comments, in memoriam (xxi–xxx)"MR1985185 (regarding Jewish mathematics professors): "Another interesting case is that of Georg Cantor (1845-1918), probably the most original and creative mind in nineteenth century mathematics. In this case, conversion to Christianity had already taken place in his parents' generation, but he identified with Jewish destinies and used the Hebrew letter aleph $\aleph$ for systematics of infinity (in Hebrew, ein-sof) which starts with an $\aleph$ and for which he was criticized by editors".