Hebrew Tailwind Preset

Tailwind CSS v4 recommended (current release v4.3, May 2026); v3.1+ is compatible for dir variants. Works with React, Vue, Angular, Next.js, and Nuxt. No network required.

Instructions

Step 1: Install and Configure Tailwind v4 for RTL

See references/rtl-config.md for complete configuration reference.

Install the Tailwind v4 build plugin first. Tailwind v4 dropped the automatic tailwind.config.js loading, so @import "tailwindcss" alone will not build until a build plugin is wired. Pick the one matching your toolchain:

# Vite (recommended): install the first-party Vite plugin
npm install tailwindcss @tailwindcss/vite

// vite.config.js -- add the plugin
import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
import tailwindcss from '@tailwindcss/vite';

export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [tailwindcss()],
});

# PostCSS-based toolchains (Next.js, Webpack, etc.)
npm install tailwindcss @tailwindcss/postcss postcss

// postcss.config.mjs
export default {
  plugins: { '@tailwindcss/postcss': {} },
};

In v4 the @tailwindcss/postcss plugin handles @import inlining and vendor prefixing, so postcss-import and autoprefixer are no longer needed.

Then load Hebrew fonts with font-display: swap (via a Google Fonts <link> or an @font-face rule) to avoid a Flash of Invisible Text while the Hebrew font file loads. See Step 2 for the snippet.

Tailwind v4 (CSS-first configuration):

/* app.css -- imported by your build entry */
@import "tailwindcss";

@theme {
  /* Hebrew font stacks */
  --font-hebrew: 'Heebo', 'Assistant', 'Noto Sans Hebrew', sans-serif;
  --font-hebrew-serif: 'Frank Ruhl Libre', 'David Libre', serif;
  --font-mono: 'Fira Code', 'Source Code Pro', monospace;

  /* Hebrew-optimized type scale */
  --text-xs: 0.8125rem;
  --text-sm: 0.875rem;
  --text-base: 1rem;
  --text-lg: 1.125rem;
  --text-xl: 1.25rem;
  --text-2xl: 1.5rem;
  --text-3xl: 1.875rem;
  --text-4xl: 2.25rem;

  /* Hebrew line heights (taller than Latin defaults) */
  --leading-tight: 1.4;
  --leading-normal: 1.7;
  --leading-relaxed: 1.9;
}

Tailwind v3 (JavaScript configuration):

// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
  content: ['./src/**/*.{html,js,jsx,tsx}'],
  theme: {
    extend: {
      fontFamily: {
        hebrew: ['Heebo', 'Assistant', 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'sans-serif'],
        'hebrew-serif': ['Frank Ruhl Libre', 'David Libre', 'serif'],
      },
      lineHeight: {
        'hebrew': '1.7',
        'hebrew-tight': '1.4',
        'hebrew-relaxed': '1.9',
      },
    },
  },
  plugins: [],
};

Load the Hebrew fonts with font-display: swap. Either add a Google Fonts <link> in your HTML head:

<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Heebo:wght@400;500;700&family=Assistant:wght@400;600&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">

Or self-host with an @font-face rule inside the same CSS file as your @theme block:

@font-face {
  font-family: 'Heebo';
  src: url('/fonts/heebo-variable.woff2') format('woff2');
  font-weight: 400 700;
  font-display: swap;
}

The &display=swap query param (link) and the font-display: swap descriptor (@font-face) both make the browser render fallback text immediately instead of hiding text until the Hebrew font loads.

Next.js: wire next/font through @theme inline. When you self-host with next/font (recommended for Next.js: no external request, no layout shift), the font is exposed as a CSS variable, and @theme cannot reference a runtime variable directly. Use @theme inline so the variable resolves at the use site:

/* app.css */
@import "tailwindcss";
@theme inline {
  --font-hebrew: var(--font-heebo); /* --font-heebo comes from next/font */
}

// layout.tsx
import { Heebo } from 'next/font/google';
const heebo = Heebo({ subsets: ['hebrew', 'latin'], variable: '--font-heebo' });
// <html lang="he" dir="rtl" className={heebo.variable}> ... </html>

Plain @theme { --font-hebrew: var(--font-heebo); } (without inline) breaks, because Tailwind tries to resolve the variable at build time when it does not yet exist.

Step 2: Use Logical Property Utilities

Tailwind v4's native logical utilities and rtl:/ltr: variants cover RTL on their own, so the old community tailwindcss-rtl plugin is no longer needed. Always prefer logical utilities over physical directional ones:

Physical (avoid)	Logical (use)	RTL Behavior
`ml-4`	`ms-4`	Right margin in RTL
`mr-4`	`me-4`	Left margin in RTL
`pl-4`	`ps-4`	Right padding in RTL
`pr-4`	`pe-4`	Left padding in RTL
`left-0`	`inset-s-0`	Right: 0 in RTL (v4.3+; `start-0` is the deprecated alias)
`right-0`	`inset-e-0`	Left: 0 in RTL (v4.3+; `end-0` is the deprecated alias)
`border-l`	`border-s`	Right border in RTL
`border-r`	`border-e`	Left border in RTL
`rounded-l-lg`	`rounded-s-lg`	Right rounded in RTL
`rounded-r-lg`	`rounded-e-lg`	Left rounded in RTL
`text-left`	`text-start`	Right-aligned in RTL
`text-right`	`text-end`	Left-aligned in RTL
`scroll-ml-4`	`scroll-ms-4`	Right scroll margin in RTL

Tailwind v4.3 inset rename. As of v4.3 (May 2026) the logical positioning utilities start-/end- are deprecated in favor of inset-s-/inset-e- (so they line up with inset-bs-/inset-be-). The old names still work, but prefer inset-s-0/inset-e-0 in new code. This rename affects only inset/positioning; the margin/padding/border utilities ms-/me-/ps-/pe-/border-s/border-e are unchanged. Arbitrary values compose with logical utilities too (e.g. ms-[3px], inset-s-[10px]).

Step 3: Use Dir Variants for RTL-Specific Styles

Prerequisite: the rtl: and ltr: variants (built into Tailwind v4) match on an ancestor's dir attribute. They do nothing unless an ancestor element actually carries dir="rtl" (or dir="ltr") - normally the <html> element. Set dir="rtl" on the root before relying on any rtl: utility below. Because these variants resolve via the CSS :dir() pseudo-class, they also respond correctly to dir="auto" on mixed Hebrew/English user content, not only an explicit dir="rtl".

Dark mode in v4. The v3 darkMode config key is gone. In v4 you opt into class-based dark mode in CSS with @custom-variant dark (&:where(.dark, .dark *));, then combine freely with direction, e.g. class="dark:bg-gray-900 rtl:text-right". Set dir="rtl" on <html> and toggle .dark on the same element.

When you need direction-specific overrides:

<!-- Root setup -- dir="rtl" here is what activates every rtl: variant -->
<html lang="he" dir="rtl">

<!-- Dir variant usage -->
<div class="flex rtl:flex-row-reverse">
  <span class="rtl:rotate-180">&#8594;</span>
  <span>הבא</span>
</div>

<!-- Icon mirroring for directional icons -->
<button class="flex items-center gap-2">
  <svg class="rtl:scale-x-[-1]"><!-- arrow icon --></svg>
  <span>חזרה</span>
</button>

<!-- Conditional spacing that differs by direction -->
<div class="ltr:ml-auto rtl:mr-auto">
  <!-- Push to end in both directions -->
</div>

Step 4: Hebrew Typography Utilities

<!-- Hebrew body text with proper settings -->
<body dir="rtl" class="font-hebrew text-base leading-hebrew
                        tracking-normal">

  <!-- Hebrew heading -->
  <h1 class="text-3xl font-bold leading-hebrew-tight">
    כותרת ראשית
  </h1>

  <!-- Hebrew paragraph -->
  <p class="text-base leading-hebrew [word-spacing:0.05em]">
    טקסט גוף עם ריווח מותאם לקריאות עברית.
  </p>

  <!-- Mixed Hebrew + English content -->
  <p class="text-base leading-hebrew">
    פריט מספר <span dir="ltr" class="font-mono">ORD-12345</span> אושר
  </p>
</body>

Step 5: RTL-First Component Patterns with Tailwind

RTL-first card:

<div class="rounded-lg border border-gray-200 p-6">
  <div class="flex items-center justify-between mb-4
              border-b border-gray-100 pb-4">
    <h3 class="text-lg font-bold">כותרת הכרטיס</h3>
    <span class="text-sm text-gray-500">פעיל</span>
  </div>
  <p class="text-base leading-hebrew text-gray-700">
    תוכן הכרטיס עם טקסט בעברית.
  </p>
  <div class="mt-4 flex gap-3">
    <button class="bg-blue-600 text-white px-4 py-2 rounded-md">
      אישור
    </button>
    <button class="border border-gray-300 px-4 py-2 rounded-md">
      ביטול
    </button>
  </div>
</div>

RTL-first navigation:

<nav dir="rtl" class="flex items-center justify-between
                       px-6 py-4 bg-white border-b">
  <div class="flex items-center gap-3">
    <img src="/logo.svg" alt="לוגו" class="h-8">
    <span class="font-bold text-xl">שם האתר</span>
  </div>
  <ul class="flex gap-6 text-sm font-medium">
    <li><a href="/" class="text-blue-600">ראשי</a></li>
    <li><a href="/about" class="text-gray-600">אודות</a></li>
    <li><a href="/contact" class="text-gray-600">צור קשר</a></li>
  </ul>
</nav>

RTL-first sidebar layout:

<div class="grid grid-cols-[280px_1fr] min-h-screen">
  <!-- Sidebar: appears on right in RTL automatically -->
  <aside class="border-e border-gray-200 pe-6 p-4">
    <nav class="space-y-2">
      <a href="#" class="block ps-4 py-2 rounded-md
                         bg-blue-50 text-blue-700 border-s-4
                         border-blue-600">לוח בקרה</a>
      <a href="#" class="block ps-4 py-2 rounded-md
                         text-gray-600">הגדרות</a>
    </nav>
  </aside>
  <!-- Main content -->
  <main class="p-6">
    <h1 class="text-2xl font-bold mb-6">לוח בקרה</h1>
  </main>
</div>

Step 6: Form Utilities for Hebrew

<form dir="rtl" class="max-w-lg space-y-6">
  <div>
    <label for="name" class="block text-sm font-medium
                              text-gray-700 mb-2">שם מלא</label>
    <input id="name" type="text"
           class="w-full px-4 py-3 border border-gray-300
                  rounded-md text-base font-hebrew
                  focus:outline-none focus:ring-2
                  focus:ring-blue-500">
  </div>

  <div>
    <label for="phone" class="block text-sm font-medium
                               text-gray-700 mb-2">טלפון</label>
    <input id="phone" type="tel" dir="ltr"
           placeholder="05X-XXXXXXX"
           class="w-full px-4 py-3 border border-gray-300
                  rounded-md text-base
                  focus:outline-none focus:ring-2
                  focus:ring-blue-500">
  </div>

  <div>
    <label for="message" class="block text-sm font-medium
                                 text-gray-700 mb-2">הודעה</label>
    <textarea id="message" rows="4"
              class="w-full px-4 py-3 border border-gray-300
                     rounded-md text-base font-hebrew
                     leading-hebrew
                     focus:outline-none focus:ring-2
                     focus:ring-blue-500"></textarea>
  </div>

  <button type="submit"
          class="w-full bg-blue-600 text-white py-3
                 rounded-md font-medium text-base
                 hover:bg-blue-700 transition-colors">
    שליחה
  </button>
</form>

Examples

Example 1: Set Up Tailwind for Hebrew Project

User says: "Configure Tailwind for my Hebrew web app" Result: Add Hebrew font families to Tailwind theme, configure Hebrew-optimized line heights, set up dir="rtl" on root HTML element, and demonstrate using logical utilities (ms-/me-/ps-/pe-) instead of physical ones (ml-/mr-/pl-/pr-).

Example 2: Convert LTR Tailwind Component to RTL

User says: "Make this Tailwind component work in Hebrew RTL" Result: Replace all physical utility classes with logical equivalents (ml- to ms-, pl- to ps-, text-left to text-start, border-l to border-s, rounded-l to rounded-s), add rtl: variants for directional icons, and set font-hebrew class on text elements.

Example 3: Build Hebrew Dashboard with Tailwind

User says: "Create a Hebrew admin dashboard layout with Tailwind" Result: Build grid layout with RTL sidebar (border-e, pe-6), navigation with Hebrew font and RTL flow, card components using logical spacing, and form elements with proper Hebrew typography (font-hebrew, leading-hebrew).

Bundled Resources

References

references/rtl-config.md -- Complete Tailwind CSS RTL configuration reference: v4 CSS-first and v3 JavaScript config examples, full physical-to-logical utility mapping table, dir variant usage patterns, Hebrew font stack presets, typography token definitions, and migration guide from physical to logical utilities.

Gotchas

Tailwind CSS v3+ supports RTL variants (rtl: prefix), but agents often do not use them, instead hardcoding mr-4 when they should use ms-4 (margin-start) for RTL compatibility.
The space-x-4 utility in Tailwind does not respect RTL direction. Agents must use gap-4 with flex or grid, or manually add rtl:space-x-reverse to flip spacing direction.
Custom font declarations for Hebrew must include font-display: swap to prevent FOIT (Flash of Invisible Text). Agents may omit this, causing Hebrew text to disappear during font loading.
Tailwind's text-left and text-right are physical properties. Use text-start and text-end classes for RTL-aware alignment. Agents default to physical direction classes.
Gradient and shadow direction is physical, not logical: bg-gradient-to-r and offset shadows do not flip in RTL. Add a rtl: override (e.g. rtl:bg-gradient-to-l) when the direction is meaningful.

Reference Links

Source	URL	What to Check
Tailwind CSS docs	https://tailwindcss.com/docs	Current configuration syntax, v4 migration notes
Tailwind RTL / logical properties	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/hover-focus-and-other-states#rtl-support	`rtl:` and `ltr:` variants
Google Fonts – Heebo	https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Heebo	Hebrew UI font, weights, loading snippet
Google Fonts – Assistant	https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Assistant	Hebrew body font
MDN font-display	https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/@font-face/font-display	`swap` value and FOIT mitigation

Troubleshooting

Error: "Tailwind logical utilities not working"

Cause: Using older Tailwind version without logical property support Solution: Logical utilities (ms-, me-, ps-, pe-, and inset inset-s-/inset-e-, formerly start-/end-) require Tailwind v3.3+. For v3.0-3.2, use rtl:/ltr: variants instead (e.g., rtl:mr-4 ltr:ml-4). Tailwind v4 has full logical property support built in; the inset-s-/inset-e- names landed in v4.3 (the older start-/end- still resolve).

Error: "Font not applying with font-hebrew class"

Cause: Hebrew font family not defined in Tailwind configuration Solution: Add the Hebrew font stack to your Tailwind theme under fontFamily.hebrew. Ensure the font CSS is imported (Google Fonts link or local @font-face). Verify the class name matches your config key.

Error: "Sidebar appears on wrong side in RTL"

Cause: Grid or flex layout not respecting dir attribute Solution: CSS Grid and Flexbox automatically respect dir="rtl". Ensure dir="rtl" is set on the html element. Use logical properties for borders (border-e instead of border-r) and padding (pe- instead of pr-). Keep the CSS direction value consistent with the HTML dir attribute - prefer setting direction via the dir attribute so the cascade and the rtl:/ltr: variants stay in sync; if you do set direction in CSS, make sure it matches dir.

hebrew-tailwind-preset

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