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Breath of Life
The first word "Beresheit" (in the Beginning) has 6 letters.
In math, 6 is classified as a "perfect number" since it's factors are 1,2,3 and 1+2+3=6.
Likewise the entire verse has 28 letters, also a perfect number, since its factors are 1,2,4,7,14 and 1+2+4+7+14=28.
"Perfect numbers" are extremely rare; only 51 are known. The first 5 are: 6,28,496,8128,33550336.
Both 6 and 28 are also triangular numbers.
6 is the 3rd triangular number since 1+2+3=6.
28 is the 7th triangular number since 1+2+3+4+5+6+7=28.
These numbers 3/7 represent the 10 sefirot used to create the world. They were split into two groups - 3 higher Sefirot and 7 lower Sefirot.
We have seen 3/7 many times already in the Genesis 1:1 numeric structure!
Interestingly, the digits of Pi intersect with triangular numbers at digits 3 and 7.
Namely, Pi=3.14159265359...
First 3 digits of Pi = 141
1+4+1=6
First 7 digits of Pi = 1415926
1+4+1+5+9+2+6=28
This phenomena is unique for 3 and 7. It never happens again for the rest of the digits of Pi.
We also saw last time that Pi is perfectly symmetrical in the first 628 digits (a concatenation of 6 and 28) both backwards and forwards.
Namely, the 611/17 digits of Pi (which are the gematria and small gematria of "Torah") are perfectly symmetrical with 2701/82 (the Gematria and small Gematria of Genesis 1:1) forward and backwards (see there). 611+17=628. The Aramaic word for "Torah" אורייתא also has Gematria of 628.
(628 is also 2×314 = Beit×Sh-adai as we'll discuss another time
Interestingly, Bereisheit×Sh-adai=913×314=286682 - note the mirror symmetry in 286/682)
Let us now look more closely at the 28 letter triangle of creation.
Since 28 is a triangle number, the 28 letters can be arranged into a perfect triangle (see picture on right).
The outer triangle has Gematria of 2080 (80×26).
The inner triangle has Gematria of 611 (Torah).
The Yud is in the center.[1]
This hints to the order of Creation. The Midrash opens saying "G-d gazed into the Torah and created the world" (Midrash Gen.Rabbah 1:1).
The letter "Yud" corresponds to the "eye" in the image of G-d (Etz Chaim, Shaar Peh Ozen Chotem, ch.1). "Yud" is also the first letter in G-d's Name which includes the whole Name[2]
| ה | ו | ה | י |
| mouth | nose | ears | eyes |
| 5 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
611 corresponds to Torah (same Gematria).
2080=80×26. 80 is the Gematria of the letter פ (Peh), which means "mouth" in Hebrew. 26 is the Gematria of G-d's Name - the Tetragramaton.
Master Kabalist Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato writes:
"And on this it is written "For the L-ORD gives wisdom, out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (Mishlei 2:6). For all that exists is from the word of the Holy One blessed be He. Because this "mouth" (of G-d) is the root of all creations, and this itself sustains their existence. And the "hevel" (breath), which means the hashpaah (influence, energy) which goes out to all creations form the source which took it out. And therefore it is written "that man does not live by bread only, but by every thing that goes out of the mouth of the L-ORD does man live" (Devarim 8:3), which is this "hevel" which goes out and sustains..." (Derech Etz Chaim).Incredibly, the word "Hevel" which means "breath" has Gematria of 37 and it appears exactly 73 times in the entire Tanach (Bible)[3] and Genesis 1:1 has gematria=2701=37×73.
Interestingly, in Eccl.1:2 Rashi notes that the seven times of "Hevel" (vanity) in that verse refers back to the creation of the world
(vanities in plural counts as 2 - thus "Vanity of vanities, says Ecclesiastes, vanity of vanities, all is vanity" = 7 total)[4].
Thus, Genesis 1:1 is a sort of cornerstone of Creation. The world came to exist through this "Hevel" of G-d's mouth, so to speak. It is this "breath of life" which everything depends on. Hence, the opening verse of the Torah is structured around this concept (interestingly, our body temperature is 37 degrees celsius).
It's connection to Torah is also meant for us. For as our sages taught that after creation, man becomes a partner with G-d through learning Torah. The "Hevel" (breath) that comes out of his mouth through Torah study sustains the world.
And in the book Shaarei Kedusha by Rabbi Chaim Vital (Part 3 Gate 2)
We have explained that man includes all the worlds, and this is what is meant by "it is all of man" (Koheles 12:13). And it is the deeper meaning of "Let Us make man in our image" (Gen.1:26). This is why "Let Us" is written in plural form - because all the worlds were partners in his making. Then he includes the image of man in all the worlds (i.e. the 10 sefirot) because all of them need his actions. This is the deeper meaning of "And He placed man in the garden of Eden to work it and guard it."(Genesis 2:15) - (work it) means positive commandments and (guard it) means negative commmandments. As it says "G-d did not bring rain on the land because the man was not there to work it." (Genesis 2:5) And also, "And I placed my word in your mouth to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth" (Isaiah 51:16). Because man through his actions brings down life to heaven and earth and it is as if he planted them and laid their foundation. Therefore we find that "You are with Me (G-d)" as the Sages taught (G-d says:)"My partner - I (G-d) create and you (man) uphold".
Our sages said the world was created for Yisrael (and anyone else willing to follow G-d's Torah such as gentiles by the 7 Noahide commandments). For it is through their Torah study and observance that the world is sustained.
The milui (letter expansion) of Yisrael = 2701.
| Letter Expansion of Yisrael | ||||
| ל | א | ר | ש | י |
| למד מם דלת | אלף למד פה | ריש יוד שין | שין יוד נון | יוד ואו דלת |
| 588 | 270 | 890 | 486 | 467 |
| Total=2701 | ||||
And the final word in the Torah is likewise:
וּלְכֹל֙ הַיָּ֣ד הַֽחֲזָקָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל הַמּוֹרָ֣א הַגָּד֑וֹל אֲשֶׁר֙ עָשָׂ֣ה משֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (Yisrael) (Devarim/Deuteronomy 34:12)
With these introductions, we will also understand some contradictions in the words of our sages.
Our sages said the world was created with the letter "Heh" (Midrash brought in Rashi on Gen.2:4).
And "the world was created with the letter Beit" (Midrash Otyiot d'Rebbi Akiva-Beit).
And "the world was created with wisdom" (Targum Yerushalmi Gen.1:1)
The explanation is that it refers to different aspects of the same thing. The world was created with wisdom, i.e. the Torah (milui of wisdom=613), i.e. G-d's looking into the Torah. (Beit represents the second Sefirah of wisdom). While the Heh represents the stage of divine "Hevel" (speech) to actually create the world. The letter "Heh" itself is pronounced like the breath - Heeehh, using neither the tongue nor the teeth to enunciate. Everything here is ultimately made of information and this information is being read and spoken by G-d.
Interestingly, there is another hugely important number we will discuss soon, be'H. Namely the number 1820.
1820 = 70×26.
70 is the gematria of the letter "Ayin" which means "eye" in Hebrew and 26 is G-d's Name. The milui (letter expansion) of the opening word Bereishis = 1820 (the Yud is also basically just a black dot, like the center of the eye).
There are exactly 1820 instances of G-d's Name in the Torah and many other amazing facts on 1820, as we will see, be'H.
>> Next: Beyond Decimal
Footnotes
- [1] after discovering this "Triangle of Yud" and its Gematrias, I was told it was previously discovered by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburg return to text
- [2] Vilna Gaon on Sefer Yetzira 1:1 see https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=59799&st=&pgnum=8 and footnote Tet-Zayin return to text
- [3] as a noun. excluding the name Hevel in Genesis (Kain's brother) and the 5 total instances where it appears in verb form: ויהבלו תהבלו מהבלים. Likewise excluding הבליעל and הבלעי which do not at all mean "Hevel". Then the total is exactly 73 times for all of Tanach. return to text
- [4] "Hevel" refers to the "Breath of Life" and wisdom, but it also means "vanity". For if a man turns to the foolishness, he transforms the "Hevel" of life, to the "Hevel" of vanity (Vilna Gaon). return to text
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