GEMATRIA

Simple Gematria Techniques

The crux of Gematria involves summing up the numerical equivalents of letters in words or phrases to derive new meanings. Let's illustrate this with an example:

Consider the Hebrew word for life, "Chai" (חי). Chai is composed of two Hebrew letters: Chet (ח), with a numerical value of 8, and Yud (י), with a numerical value of 10. Summing these two values gives us 18, which symbolically represents life in Jewish culture. Hence, donations in multiples of 18 are common in Jewish tradition as they symbolize giving 'life'.

Another fascinating aspect of Gematria involves finding words with similar numerical values, hinting at an intrinsic spiritual connection between them. For example, the Hebrew word for love, "Ahava" (אהבה), and the word for One, "Echad" (אחד), both have a numerical value of 13, suggesting a deep link between divine love and unity.

As a practical exercise, try finding words with the same numeric total in a given Hebrew text and explore their connections.