Genesis Gematria

Genesis Gematria refers to the practice of interpreting the Hebrew text of the Book of Genesis (Hebrew: בראשית, transliterated as Bereishit) through the lens of gematria, a form of Jewish numerology that assigns numerical values to words or phrases based on the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Gematria is derived from the Greek word geōmetria, meaning "geometry," but in Jewish tradition, it involves the numerical values of letters to find hidden meanings or connections within the text. In the context of Genesis, gematria is used to uncover deeper theological, mystical, or prophetic insights that are not immediately apparent through a straightforward reading. This practice is particularly prominent in Kabbalah, the esoteric school of thought in Judaism, and has been employed by scholars and mystics throughout history to explore the profound mysteries embedded in the opening book of the Torah. The use of gematria in Genesis often involves comparing the numerical values of words or phrases to find correspondences or patterns that reveal hidden wisdom. For example, the Hebrew word for "light" (אור, or) has a gematria value of 207, which can be compared to other words or phrases with the same numerical value to draw connections or interpretations. This method of analysis is not limited to Hebrew but has also been explored in other languages relevant to Jewish tradition, such as Aramaic and, to a lesser extent, Greek and Latin, which were used in ancient Jewish texts and translations.