| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1233.1 | more than 1 layer of meaning | TNPUBS::STEINHART | Laura | Tue May 26 1992 17:16 | 13 |
| Each letter has a numeric equivalent. The numbers themselves have
meanings. This is called gematria.
The letters also have symbolic associations, for instance the letter
bet (B) symbolizes house (bayet, beth, or beta).
Using both the gematria and the symbolic associations, extremely
intricate embroideries have been created.
It would be interesting for someone better versed in Hebrew to enter a
chart of both the gematria and the symbols.
Laura
|
| 1233.2 | There's an easy-to-read book on the subject | DECSIM::HAMAN::GROSS | The bug stops here | Tue May 26 1992 17:31 | 7 |
| Rabbi Larry Kushner (the one from Sudbury, not the one from Natick) has
a book out called "The Book of Letters" on just this subject. It was originally
intended as a children's book, but it got out of hand I guess, and adults
like it better than kids. I can look up the publisher, etc. if people are
interested. I think I've seen it at the Israel Bookstore.
Dave
|
| 1233.3 | Gematria: The list. | TAVENG::FENSTER | Yaacov Fenster | Tue May 26 1992 17:32 | 22 |
| Aleph - 1
Beet - 2
Gimel - 3
Dalet - 4
Hey - 5
Vav - 6
Zain - 7
CHet - 8
Tet - 9
Yud - 10
Kaf - 20
Lamed - 30
Mem - 40
Nun - 50
Samech - 60
Ayin - 70
Pey - 80
Tzadik - 90
Kuf - 100
Reish - 200
Shein - 300
Taf - 400
|
| 1233.4 | I'd love to get hold of a copy | MEALA::G_OKEEFFE | His faithfulness upholds me | Tue May 26 1992 17:36 | 9 |
|
Re.-1
>I can look up the publisher, etc. if people are interested.
Yes please Dave,
Do you also know it this book is available outside of the States ?
Gerry
|
| 1233.5 | serious business to some people, however | CADSYS::HECTOR::RICHARDSON | | Tue May 26 1992 20:21 | 13 |
| "Embroidery" is what I would call it too - some people get really
wrapped up in the numerical equivalences for words (according to the
chart someone already typed in), and "embroider" rather silly ideas on
top of the system, such as deliberately spelling words wrong to avoid
them coming out to the same numerical code, if you add all the letter
digits together, as some inauspicious word does. People especially do
this with dates and with names. This is serious business to some
people. I tend to think it is all rather silly, and I think "arabic"
numerals are a lot easier to deal with anyhow. Separate symbols for
numerals, especially for zero, are a newer idea than the Hebrew
alphabet.
Charlotte
|
| 1233.6 | reading what ain't there | TNPUBS::STEINHART | Laura | Tue May 26 1992 23:50 | 11 |
| RE: .5
Please don't read my use of the term embroidery as being disparaging.
On the contrary, embroidery is an ancient, beautiful, treasured art
form that takes years to learn, usually starting in early childhood.
The finest embroideries are treasured cultural inheritances, receiving
pride of place on our Sabbath and Pesach tables, and on the bima at the
synagogue.
I respect those who have mastered the complexities of embroidery or
gematria. The finished product is often quite elegant.
|
| 1233.7 | The Book of Letters | DECSIM::HAMAN::GROSS | The bug stops here | Wed May 27 1992 19:16 | 15 |
| "The Book of Letters" by Lawrence Kushner
Jewish Lights Publishing 1990 and 1991
P.O. Box 237
Sunset Farm Offices - Route 4
Woodstock, Vermont 05091
(802)-457-4000
Sorry, I couldn't find the ISBN numbers.
This is not a book about gematria. It is about the lore concerning the
shapes of the letters. For instance, 'bet' (B) is the first letter in the
Hebrew word for 'house'. Its shape is like a house; it has a 'door' and
you could curl up inside it.
Dave
|
| 1233.8 | at the Israel Museum | TAV02::FEINBERG | Don Feinberg | Thu May 28 1992 12:58 | 12 |
|
If any of you plan to / can visit Jerusalem, (not many people seem to
know this...) the Israel Museum has a small permanent display on alphabets,
(accent on the alef-bet) ant their history. I think it very interesting.
But at each time I've been there, I've never seen anyone else lookig at the
exhibit.
don f.
|