what is gematriah?

Gematria is an ancient form of numerology which assigns symbols (usually numbers) to words and phrases based on their numerical value. This technique can be used to interpret the meaning of various words, phrases, or concepts based on the numerical value assigned to them. Gematria has been used for thousands of years in various cultures and has been especially prominent in Jewish tradition.

Originating in ancient Babylon, Gematria was first used for divination and sorcery as well as for astrological charting. However, it eventually became a tool for interpreting scriptures from an esoteric interpretive perspective. The Torah (the five books of Moses) especially is believed to have hidden meanings unlocked only when read through the system of Gematria. Ultimately, it has remained a key part of Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah (Jewish esotericism), allowing gematricians to make predictions based on their interpretations of the bible utilizing numbers and symbols associated with objects or words.

In Jewish Gematria, each Hebrew letter is assigned a numerical value. While traditional Hebrew letters correspond directly with their number values (e.g., Aleph = 1, Bet = 2, etc.), some modern gematricians also assign numerical values to non-letter shapes such as spaces between two words or Hebrew punctuation marks such as word dividers called Ma'asef or Prepositions (תורה בדבר ה'). In addition, various permutations of these numeric values can be combined with other numeric values to make trilateral gematriahs (three-part combinations), as well as pentagonal and other shape-based Gematriahs that reflect complex patterns from a mathematical point of view.