gematria

American  

[guh-mey-tree-uh] / gəˈmeɪ tri ə /

noun

1. a cabbalistic system of interpretation of the Scriptures by substituting for a particular word another word whose letters give the same numerical sum.

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Etymology

Origin of gematria

1685–95; < Hebrew gēmaṭriyā < Greek geōmetría geometry

Explanation

Gematria is the assignment of a number to a letter, word, or phrase, often for a religious or spiritual purpose. It is used especially in the context of Judaism. Gematria comes from the Hebrew word gematriya, a borrowing from the same Greek word that gave us geometry. Though it originated in ancient Assyria and Greece, it became a pillar of Jewish tradition used to interpret the Tanakh (Hebrew scriptures). In ancient Hebrew, there were no separate symbols for numbers, so people used letters to represent numerical values. The numerical values of the letters in a word were added up, and rabbis identified "numerical synonyms" believed to share a spiritual essence. Gematria remains a central element of the mystical tradition known as Kabbalah.

Example Sentences

The pursuit of Gematria is apparently not limited to Jews.

From The Book of Delight and Other Papers by Abrahams, Israel

The philosophers call it absolute existence, but the majority of Kabbalists term it "endless," which, by Gematria, is "light"; and again, by Gematria, is "Lord of the Universe."

From Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala by Various

They gave themselves up to the Haggadah more than he did, and also to a thing unknown to him, Gematria and mystical exegesis.

From Rashi by Szold, Adele

Gematria, ge-mā′tri-a, n. a cabbalistic method of interpreting the Hebrew Scriptures by interchanging words whose letters have the same numerical value when added.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

This Gematria is worthy of note as giving the idea of foundational power.816.I.e., the containing power.817.Daath is the conjunction of Chokmah and Binah.

From Hebrew Literature by Wilson, Epiphanius