Each of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet is correlated with a specific number. (We see this most often in the Jewish calendar - such as Tu B'Shvat or the 15th of Shevat.) Gematria (from Gr. γεωμετρία) is the computation of individual letters, words, or entire sentences utilizing their numerical equivalence. Some people believe that the words and ideas in the Torah may be connected with or understood from the numerical values and relationships. It is alleged that the numerical word value is not unintentional but rather prearranged.
Over the centuries, scholars have created numerous sophisticated systems of gematria for interpreting Jewish texts and traditions. For example, the numerical value of each letter in a word may be deciphered separately to indicate something explicit. And each letter in a word really has a hidden meaning or secret behind its mathematical quantity. Many individuals believe there are an unlimited number of secrets in the Torah that can be unlocked utilizing gematria. In rabbinic literature, numerical gematria first appears in statements by tannaim in the 2nd century C.E.
These gematriot are based on the first of four methods of calculating the numeral value of the letters of the Hebrew alpha. Known as Mispar Hekhreḥi, absolute or normative value, each letter is given a specific numerical equivalent:
- Mispar Sidduri, ordinal value: each of the 22 letters are given a number between 1 and 22
- Mispar Katan, reduced value: every letter is equal to a single digit number. Thus, the alef equals 1, but so do the yod and the kuf, which equal 10 and 100 in the first value system.
- Mispar Katan Mispari, integral reduced value: reduces the total value of the word to a single-digit number. For example, ḥesed has an absolute or normative value of 72. The ḥet equals 8, the samakh equals 60, and the dalet equals 4. The numbers of the sum of 72 are then added together (7 plus 2) to equal 9.
Use the guide above to figure out the gematria of each Hebrew word (first system only), and we'll discuss!
חי
Chai, "Life"
אהבה
Ahavah, "love"
אחד
Echad, "one"
כבד
Kavod, "honor"
ציצית
Tzitzit, "fringes"
(יב) כַּבֵּ֥ד אֶת־אָבִ֖יךָ וְאֶת־אִמֶּ֑ךָ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יַאֲרִכ֣וּן יָמֶ֔יךָ עַ֚ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ {ס}
(12) Honor your father and your mother, that you may long endure on the land that your God יהוה is assigning to you.
(לז) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (לח) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֥ם צִיצִ֛ת עַל־כַּנְפֵ֥י בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָ֑ם וְנָ֥תְנ֛וּ עַל־צִיצִ֥ת הַכָּנָ֖ף פְּתִ֥יל תְּכֵֽלֶת׃ (לט) וְהָיָ֣ה לָכֶם֮ לְצִיצִת֒ וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם אֹת֗וֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָת֜וּרוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַחֲרֵ֣י עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ (מ) לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכְּר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתָ֑י וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם קְדֹשִׁ֖ים לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם׃
(37) יהוה said to Moses as follows: (38) Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes (tzitzit) on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. (39) That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of יהוה and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your harmful urges. (40) Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God.
Gematria made a big impact on determining the number of forbidden forms of work (m'lakha) on Shabbat:
(א) וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶֽת־כׇּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת אֹתָֽם׃ (ב) שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ שַׁבַּ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן לַיהֹוָ֑ה כׇּל־הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה ב֛וֹ מְלָאכָ֖ה יוּמָֽת׃ (ג) לֹא־תְבַעֲר֣וּ אֵ֔שׁ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּי֖וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃ {פ}
וְתִיפּוֹק לֵיהּ חִילּוּק מְלָאכוֹת מֵהֵיכָא דְּנָפְקָא לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי נָתָן! דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: ״לֹא תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת״ מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה אֶת כׇּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים וְגוֹ׳ שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה״. ״דְּבָרִים״, ״הַדְּבָרִים״, ״אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים״ — אֵלּוּ שְׁלֹשִׁים וָתֵשַׁע מְלָאכוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי.
Rabbi Natan derives as follows: “These are the things" refers to the halakhot [laws] of Shabbat, because the Torah could have simply stated: This is a thing [davar] in regards to kindling a fire. When it states: Things [devarim] in the plural, it teaches at least two points. The addition of the definite article: The things [hadevarim], adds at least a third point. The numerological value of letters of the word eleh: Alef, one; lamed, thirty; and heh, five, is thirty-six. The total numerical value, three plus thirty-six, derived from the phrase: “These are the things.” This alludes to the thirty-nine prohibited labors that were stated to Moses at Sinai.
(יד) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃
(14) When Abram heard that his kinsman’s [household] had been taken captive, he mustered his retainers, born into his household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
(ג) שמנה עשר וגו'. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ אֱלִיעֶזֶר לְבַדּוֹ הָיָה (נדרים ל"ב), וְהוּא מִנְיַן גִּימַטְרִיָּא שֶׁל שְׁמוֹ:
(3) 'שמנה עשר וגו THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN — Our Rabbis said, “It was Eliezer alone whom he armed and it (318) is the numerical value of his name” (Nedarim 32a).
(ב) חניכיו. וחשבון אותיות אליעזר דרך דרש כי אין הכתוב מדבר בגימטריא. כי יכול יוכל הרוצה להוציא כל שם לטוב ולרע. רק השם כמשמעו:
(2) HIS TRAINED MEN.
Those who identify Abraham’s trained men with his servant Eliezer on the basis of the numerical value of the latter’s name are indulging in Midrash, as Scripture does not speak in gematria (numericals). With this type of interpretation one can interpret any name as he wishes, both in a positive and a negative manner. Eliezer is to be taken literally.
(כ) וְאַתָּ֞ה תְּצַוֶּ֣ה ׀ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד׃
"Moshe" is missing in the parsha, for the first time since his introduction. The Vilna Gaon points out that, in fact, Moshe seems to be hidden but he really is "in" the parsha:
Mem (MEM) - (Me) m = 40
Shin - (SHIN YUD NUN) - (Sh) i n = 60
He - HEH ALEPH) - (H) e/a = 1
The total of missing letters equals 101, and there are 101 verses in the portion. Thus the Vilna Gaon claims that Moshe is "hiding" in this way.
(ז) הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשׇׁל־בּֽוֹ׃
(7) Surely, if you do right, There is uplift. But if you do not do right, Sin couches at the door; Its urge is toward you, Yet you can be its master.”
״לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רוֹבֵץ״. וְשָׂטָן מַאי אֲמַר? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׂטָן בְּיוֹמָא דְכִיפּוּרֵי — לֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְאַסְטוֹנֵי. מִמַּאי? אָמַר רָמֵי בַּר חָמָא: ״הַשָּׂטָן״ בְּגִמַטְרִיָּא תְּלָת מְאָה וְשִׁיתִּין וְאַרְבְּעָה הָוֵי. תְּלָת מְאָה וְשִׁיתִּין וְאַרְבְּעָה יוֹמֵי — אִית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְאַסְטוֹנֵי. בְּיוֹמָא דְכִיפּוּרֵי — לֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְאַסְטוֹנֵי.
“Sin lies in waiting at the door” (Genesis 4:7), and it is no wonder that people sin. He asked him: And what did Satan the prosecutor say about their sinning? Elijah said to him: Satan, on Yom Kippur, has no license to prosecute. From where is that idea derived? Rami bar Ḥama said: The numerological value of the letters that constitute the word HaSatan is three hundred and sixty four: Heh has a value of five, sin has a value of three hundred, tet has a value of nine, and nun has a value of fifty. Three hundred and sixty-four days of the solar year, which is three hundred and sixty-five days long, Satan has license to prosecute. On the remaining day, Yom Kippur, he has no license to prosecute.
Rav Huna said that Rav said that Rabbi Meir said; and so it was taught in a baraita in the name of Rabbi Akiva: One must always accustom oneself to say: Everything that God does, He does for the best.
It only means to accept it happily:
When you count the hidden part of the Gematria of the word "Simcha", you get 520, which is the same Gematria as "True Judge" (Dayan HaEmes) – 520.
This hints to the idea that one must bless the True Judge happily.
This is why the Talmud later says, "'in Elokim we will praise' – this is the trait of catastrophe..." As the word Elokim has 5 letters, and the Hebrew word "Chamisha", 5, is an anagram for "Simcha", happiness.