Gematria (גִּימַטְרִיָּה) is an ancient alphanumeric code assigning numerical values to letters, words, and phrases. Originating in Hebrew and Aramaic traditions, it became a central tool of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) and biblical interpretation.
History of Gematria
The word "gematria" likely derives from the Greek geometria or the Greek letter order (gamma being the third letter, as gimel is the third Hebrew letter). Evidence of gematria appears in the Babylonian Talmud, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and classical Midrashic literature. The Talmudic sage Rabbi Eleazar of Modiim used gematria in homiletic interpretations. The Zohar, the foundational text of Kabbalah, elevated gematria to a sophisticated mystical art.
How does gematria work?
Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds to a number (Aleph=1, Bet=2 … Tav=400). By adding up the values of all letters in a word or phrase, you get its gematria value. Words with the same value are considered to have a hidden connection. For example, the Hebrew words for "love" (ahavah, אַהֲבָה = 13) and "one" (echad, אֶחָד = 13) share the same value, revealing a mystical teaching: "love is oneness."
What is the difference between Hebrew and English gematria?
Hebrew gematria uses the traditional Hebrew letter values (1–400). English gematria maps the 26-letter Latin alphabet to numbers, either in simple order (A=1…Z=26) or in multiples of 6 (A=6…Z=156). English gematria is a modern adaptation not rooted in ancient tradition, though some researchers use it for contemporary word analysis. Greek isopsephy predates English gematria and was used in ancient Hellenistic and early Christian contexts.
What is the gematria of popular words and names?
Some famous gematria values: God (אֱלֹהִים) = 86; Torah (תּוֹרָה) = 611; Shalom (שָׁלוֹם) = 376; Mashiach / Messiah (מָשִׁיחַ) = 358; Nachash / Serpent (נָחָשׁ) = 358 — same as Mashiach, a famous Kabbalistic teaching; Chai / Life (חַי) = 18 — why Jews give gifts in multiples of $18.
What is the number 18 in gematria?
The number 18 corresponds to the Hebrew word חַי (Chai), meaning "life." This is why Jewish tradition often gives gifts and donations in multiples of 18 — it symbolizes blessing the recipient with life. The letters Chet (ח = 8) + Yod (י = 10) = 18.
What is the difference between gematria and numerology?
Numerology is a broad term for any belief in a divine or mystical relationship between numbers and events. Gematria is specifically a form of numerology applied to alphabetic letters, with its deepest roots in Jewish hermeneutics. While numerology often reduces numbers to single digits and applies them to birth dates or names in Western occult traditions, gematria focuses on finding connections between words of equal numerical value in sacred texts.
What is "goodnight" in Hebrew?
"Goodnight" in Hebrew is לַיְלָה טוֹב (Laylah Tov), pronounced "LYE-lah TOHV." The word for night, לַיְלָה (laylah), has a gematria value of 75. Its plural form, laylot, is used in the Passover song "Who Knows One?" (Echad Mi Yodea). "Good morning" is בֹּקֶר טוֹב (Boker Tov) and "Good Sabbath" is שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם (Shabbat Shalom).
What is Shematria?
Shematria (also spelled Shematria calculator or Shematria gematria) is a specialized gematria database and calculator focused particularly on biblical texts. It allows researchers to search for words and phrases in Hebrew scripture that share a gematria value with a target word, facilitating deeper Bible study and textual analysis. It is distinct from gematrix.org and gematrinator, though all serve as online gematria tools.