What is gematria and how does it work?

gematria is an ancient method of assigning numeric values to letters and words in order to uncover hidden meanings. This system has been used for thousands of years, showing up in religious texts like the Hebrew Bible, as well as in literature and philosophy. Though it primarily originates from Hebrew, it can also be seen in Greek, Latin, Arabic, and other cultures.

At its core, gematria is a system of numerology. In Hebrew gematria, each letter holds a value between 1 and 400 that corresponds to its place within the Hebrew alphabet. The total numerical value of any word or phrase can be determined by summing up the values of the individual letters. A lower gematria score indicates that a phrase is more likely to have an abstract relationship with another phrase.

Though modern numerology often focuses on individual personalities or spiritual positions associated with certain numbers, gematria does not take this approach. Instead, it is used for exploring patterns and connections among different phrases or words in order to identify underlying meanings or astrological influences.

For example, the holy name "YHVH" (aka "Yahweh") adds up to 26 (according to its gematria value). This number 26 has special significance for Kabbalists who get deep into gematria; it tells them that YHVH is connected to certain other phrases that also add up to 26 such as "Father" (Hebrew: "ab"), "Son" (Hebrew: "ben"), and "Holy Spirit" (Hebrew: "ruach"). It can also point out correlations between phrases having different meanings—such as "Cross" and "Messiah" both having a total numerical value of 358—which may lead one to explore symbols or beliefs associated with them.