How many types of gematria are there?

Some identify two forms of gematria: the “revealed” form, which is prevalent in many hermeneutic methods found throughout rabbinic literature, and the “mystical” form, a largely Kabbalistic practice.

What does 36 mean in the Bible?

The number 36 is twice 18. In gematria (a form of Jewish numerology), the number 18 stands for “life”, because the Hebrew letters that spell chai, meaning “living”, add up to 18. Because 36 = 2×18, it represents “two lives”.

Why is 26 the number of God?

26 is the gematric number, being the sum of the Hebrew characters (Hebrew: יהוה‎) being the name of the god of Israel – YHWH (Yehowah). The expression “For His mercy endures forever” is found verbatim in English and the original Hebrew 26 times in Psalm 136. The expression is found once in each of the 26 verses.

Are gematria and Bible codes the same thing?

Although not identical, gematria is also in the same orbit as the so-called “Bible Codes” and “Equi-distant Letter Sequences” (ELS) that have become fashionable recently. According to most practitioners, there are several methods used to calculate the numerical value for individual words and phrases.

What languages are used to write gematria?

A few intances of gematria in Arabic, Spanish and Greek, spelled with the Hebrew letters, are mentioned in the works of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia ; some Hasidic Rabbis also used it, though rarely, for Yiddish. However, the primary language for gematria calculations has always been and remains Hebrew and, to a lesser degree, Aramaic.

What is gematria and why is it important?

This doctrine highlights the belief in the essential relationship between letters, words and the creative process. Gematria is a type of numerological study that may be defined as one of more systems for calculating the numerical equivalence of letters, words, and phrases in a particular Hebrew text.

What is the difference between numerology and gematria?

Gematria is the numerical valuation of words or phrases. For this reason, it is often called Numerology, but this term tends to imply a more New Age style computation and application of the valuation. Gematria tends to refer to the more traditional processes and purposes.