Klarinet Archive - Posting 001077.txt from 1999/02
From: "Steven J Goldman, MD" <sjgoldman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] The Strange World of Gematria
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 07:36:49 -0500
Just came across this article from an orthodox Jewish sight (for better or
worse I am not orthodox and do not personaly subscribe to the ideas on the
sight). It discusess gematria and how it is used, and since it was discussed
on the list I thought some of you may be interested in it.
Steve (on my way to hell) Goldman
Glenview, IL
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-innernet@-----.com] On
Behalf Of Shraga Simmons
Subject: InnerNet - Purim Gematria
INNERNET MAGAZINE
February 1999
* * *
"PURIM IN GEMATRIA"
by Rabbi Avie Gold
* * *
In almost every alphabet, each letter is
assigned a particular place in the sequence of
letters. Most of today's languages developed
from earlier, ancient tongues, and not all
bothered to keep the internal structure of their
alphabets the same as that of the borrowed-from
languages. Moreover, even the arrangements of
letters in the earlier alphabets had neither
scientific nor logical bases.
The Holy Tongue of Hebrew, however, assigns each
letter its position among the others based upon
the unique numerical value of that letter. Thus,
the Aleph with a value of one, is first; Bet -
two, is second; and Gimmel - three, is third.
This system of numbers is called gematria. A
complete table of these values appears below.
Aleph = 1
Bet = 2
Gimmel = 3
Daled = 4
Heh = 5
Vav = 6
Zayin = 7
Chet = 8
Tet = 9
Yud = 10
Kaf = 20
Lamed = 30
Mem = 40
Nun = 50
Samech = 60
Ayin = 70
Pey = 80
Tzaddi = 90
Kuf = 100
Reish = 200
Shin = 300
Taf = 400
* * *
A natural consequence of this correlation
between letters and numbers is the gematria of
words. That is, the total of the numerical
equivalents of the respective letters of the
word. For example, the gematria of "Abba" -
father, is four (1 + 2 + 1).
Gematria often plays a significant role in Torah
study and kabbalistic teachings. Here are some
examples relating to Purim:
* * *
127 PROVINCES
The Scroll of Esther reports that King Ahasuerus
ruled over 127 provinces.
The Vilna Gaon cites a Midrash that locates 100
of Ahasuerus' provinces on continental land
masses. The remaining 27 were islands in the
sea. He then cites the verse, "King Ahasuerus
levied a tax on the land and the islands of the
sea" (Esther 10:1) as proof of this statement.
The gematria of "mas" (tax) is 100 and the
gematria of "vi-eyay" (and the islands) is 27.
This verse may then be interpreted: King
Ahasuerus had 100 provinces on the mainland and
27 in the sea.
* * *
ON THE SABBATH
The Talmud reports that Queen Vashti was killed
on the Sabbath, because God always metes out
punishment, measure for measure. Every Sabbath
day, Vashti would strip her Jewish maids of
their clothing and force them to work.
Therefore, on the Sabbath, God caused the king
to demand that she appear in public stripped of
her clothing. (Talmud - Megillah 12b)
The commentator Arameiz Badavar finds in
Vashti's name an allusion to her
profanation of the Sabbath. The gematria of
"Vashti" is 716, the same as
that of "Shabbat Baza" - she insulted the
Sabbath.
* * *
ONLY THE CROWN
When King Ahasuerus asked Haman what to do for
the man he wished to honor, Haman thought the
king was referring to him (Esther 6:6). And
since the king had already raised Haman above
all the other officials in his kingdom (3:1),
Haman lacked nothing. In fact, he considered
himself on a par with Ahasuerus.
[Even his name alluded to royalty: "Haman" has a
gematria of 95, the same as "Hamelech" - the
king.]
The one thing Haman did not have was the king's
crown. And that he coveted greatly. So Haman
replied that the man the king desires to honor
should be dressed royally "with the royal crown
on his head." (Esther 6:8)
The commentator Arameiz Badavar points out an
allusion to Haman's lust for the crown, the only
thing separating him from the king:
The first time Haman is mentioned in the Scroll
of Esther (3:1), he is called "Haman son of
Hammedasa the Agagite." The gematria of this
phrase is 619, exactly one less than the
gematria of "keter" - crown - 620. Haman was
just one short of the crown!
* * *
THE TEST OF SOBRIETY
The Talmudic dictum, "A person is obligated to
become intoxicated on Purim until he does not
know the difference between "cursed be Haman"
and "blessed be Mordechai," is the subject of
much rabbinic discussion regarding the amount
one must actually drink to fulfill this
obligation.
According to the commentator Abudraham, one is
required to drink enough so that he will become
too intoxicated to be able to compare two sets
of numbers to determine whether they are equal.
The Talmud expresses this tersely as the
difference between "cursed be Haman" and
"blessed be Mordechai," two phrases with the
same gematria - 502.
* * *
Reprinted with permission from "PURIM - ITS
OBSERVANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE," by Rabbi Avie
Gold. Published by Mesorah Publications Ltd,
Brooklyn, NY. Web: http://www.artscroll.com
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