Aluf (Hebrew: אלוף‎) is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces. In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word. Together, they constitute the five highest ranks in the IDF. Insignia of the Rav Aluf The Ramatkal (Hebrew: רמטכל, abbr. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Admiral (disambiguation). ... Emblem of the IDF The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... Notes If the ranks of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are to be translated one-to-one to Western ranks then a Rav Aluf is equivalent to Lieutenant General (since Major General is Aluf). But since Rav Aluf in Israel is the high commander of the army (including air force...

Rank order of Aluf and its derivatives

• Rav Aluf (Hebrew: רב-אלוף‎) : Lieutenant General (Chief of the General Staff Rank)

• Aluf: Major General (arms, branches, and regional commands)

• Tat Aluf (Hebrew: תת-אלוף‎) : Brigadier General (divisional and corps-level)

• Aluf Mishne (Hebrew: אלוף-משנה‎) : Colonel (brigade-level)

• Sgan Aluf (Hebrew: סגן-אלוף‎) : Lieutenant Colonel (battalion-level)

Rav Aluf is usually translated as "Lieutenant General," but is often considered to equate to a full General, since it is the most senior rank. The rank is given only to the Ramatkal (Chief of the General Staff), so there can only be one active Rav Aluf under regular circumstances. However this could change in a time of war. During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, retired rav aluf Haim Bar-Lev was called back into service, replacing Shmuel Gonen as the commander of the the southern front. Thus, along with chief of the general staff David Elazar (who succeed Bar-Lev in that position the previous year), there were two people in active service holding the rank of rav aluf simultaneously. Insignia of the Rav Aluf The Ramatkal (Hebrew: רמטכל, abbr. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... The Israeli General Staff is the general staff of the Israel Defense Forces, constituting its supreme command. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Emblem of the IDF The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... Emblem of the IDF The Israel Defense Forces are part of the Israeli Security Forces. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to twenty thousand soldiers. ... This article is about a military unit. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... For other uses, see Colonel (disambiguation). ... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols This article is about the military unit. ... Insignia of the Rav Aluf The Ramatkal (Hebrew: רמטכל, abbr. ... Combatants  Israel  Egypt,  Syria,  Iraq Commanders Moshe Dayan, David Elazar, Ariel Sharon, Shmuel Gonen, Benjamin Peled, Israel Tal, Rehavam Zeevi, Aharon Yariv, Yitzhak Hofi, Rafael Eitan, Abraham Adan, Yanush Ben Gal Saad El Shazly, Ahmad Ismail Ali, Hosni Mubarak, Mohammed Aly Fahmy, Anwar Sadat, Abdel Ghani el-Gammasy, Abdul Munim... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Chaim Kidoni Bar-Lev (November 16, 1924 - May 7, 1994) was a Jewish army officer during Israels pre-state and early statehood eras. ... Shmuel Gonen Shmuel Gonen (né Gorodish; 1930-30 September 1991) was Chief of the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces during the Yom Kippur War. ... David (Dado) Elazar (1925 - 1976), was the ninth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, serving in that capacity from 1972 to 1974. ...

Israel is essentially a land power and air power, with the navy being apportioned less than five percent of the military budget. Consequently, there are no separate naval ranks, and "Aluf" can be an Admiral as well as a General. Mazi logo The Israeli GOC Army headquarters (Hebrew: , Mifkedet Zroa HaYabasha), abbreviated as Mazi (מזי), is a multi-corps command headquarters created in 1998, which amalgamates the ground forces of the Israel Defense Forces. ... The Israeli Air Force (IAF; Hebrew: זרוע האויר והחלל, Zroa HaAvir VeHaḤalal, Air and Space Division, commonly known as חיל האוויר Hel HaAvir) is the air force of the Israel Defense Forces. ... The naval ensign of Israel The Israeli Sea Corps (Hebrew: חיל הים הישראלי) is the naval arm of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea in the west and to the Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea, and Gulf of Suez in the south. ... A military budget of an entity, most often a nation or a state, is the budget and financial resources dedicated to raising and maintaining armed forces for that entity. ...

The term "Aluf" is taken from the Bible, where it was a rank of nobility among the Edomites, ancient Judea's neighbors (and often, enemies) to the south. It comes from an archaic root meaning "to be attached to". The term is used in at the conclusion of the lengthy genealogy of Esau found in Genesis 36:40-43 to refer to the Edomite chieftains who were his descendants. In modern Hebrew as spoken in contemporary Israel it can mean "champion" as well as being a military rank. This article is about the term Hebrew Bible. For the Jewish scriptures see Tanakh. ... Edomite redirects here. ... Map of the southern Levant, c. ... Esaw redirects here. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ...

The non-Hebrew word "general" was also taken into Hebrew (גנרל), and is used to refer to the generals of foreign armies. It can also be used colloquially in reference to a senior Israeli officer, in a derogatory sense - implying that the officer concerned is over-officious, incompetent, and/or involved in internecine power struggles with other officers, to the neglect of proper military duties.

See also

• Israel Defense Forces ranks
• Mickey Marcus - the IDF's first Aluf.
• Yaakov Dori - the IDF's first Rav Aluf {Chief of Staff}