Gematria is a system of assigning numerical values to Hebrew letters. It is a form of numerology that has been used by Jewish scholars for centuries to find hidden meanings in the Bible and other sacred texts.
The word 'gematria' is derived from the Greek word 'grammata,' which means 'letters.' The earliest known use of gematria dates back to the 2nd century BCE, when it was used by the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria. However, it is believed that gematria was developed much earlier.
In its simplest form, gematria involves assigning a numerical value to each Hebrew letter. The numerical values are assigned based on the order of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet. For example, the letter א has a value of 1, the letter ב has a value of 2, and so on.
Once the numerical values of the letters have been assigned, they can be added together to find the numerical value of a word or phrase. For example, the word 'chai' (חַי) has a numerical value of 18, because the numerical value of the letter Chet (ח) is 8 and the numerical value of the letter Yud (י) is 10.
Gematria can be used in a variety of ways. It can be used to find hidden meanings in the Bible, to compare different words or phrases, or to create acrostics. For example, the name 'David' has a numerical value of 14, which is the same numerical value of the word 'king.' This suggests that David was destined to be king.
Biblical Interpretation: In Jewish tradition, Gematria was used to uncover hidden meanings in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Scholars believed that words or phrases with the same numerical value were connected in some way. For example, the word for 'life' (חי, pronounced as 'chai') has a numerical value of 18. This led to the belief that 18 was a lucky and symbolic number associated with life. Similarly, phrases with numerical equivalences were seen as having deeper connections, providing insights into the text's interpretation.
Numerical Symbolism: Greek philosophers like Pythagoras used Gematria to explore the underlying numerical patterns in the universe. They believed that numbers had inherent properties and significance. For example, the number 10 (represented by the letter Yud, in Hebrew) was seen as a symbol of completeness and perfection. This concept influenced Greek philosophy and mathematics.
Divination and Prediction: Some individuals in the past used Gematria for divination and predicting future events. They believed that by manipulating words and numbers, they could gain insights into upcoming circumstances or make sense of seemingly random occurrences.
Naming and Identity: Gematria was sometimes used in the past to choose or change names. Parents might calculate the numerical value of potential names for their child to ensure a name with positive or auspicious connotations. Similarly, individuals might adopt new names with specific numerical values as a reflection of their identity or spiritual path.
These examples demonstrate the diverse ways in which Gematria was employed in the past, ranging from religious interpretation and mysticism to philosophical exploration and even practical applications like naming. It reflects the belief that numbers and words held deep and interconnected meanings that could be unraveled through careful analysis and contemplation.
In the digital age, gematria is no longer confined to the realms of scholarly study and ancient scriptures; it has broken free from its traditional boundaries and is no longer the exclusive domain of academics. This ancient practice has gained popularity among the tech-savvy Gen Z and Millennials, breathing new life into this ancient tool. It has transformed from a religious scripture decoder into a tool that uncovers hidden information within pop culture, history, and current events.
The rise of gematria's popularity in the digital age can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the use of English gematria has made the practice more accessible to a wider audience. Secondly, the widespread availability of online gematria calculators provides a convenient way for anyone to calculate numerical values of words and phrases. Finally, online communities dedicated to gematria discussions frequently share intriguing results produced by these calculators, often suggesting the existence of hidden messages or hidden meanings within words and phrases.
Gematria calculators are digital tools that assign numerical values to words and phrases based on specific gematria systems. Users simply enter their desired text, and the calculator outputs the corresponding numerical value. These tools are popular among non-scholars who use them to interpret hidden meanings in various modern subjects, from political events to predicting sporting outcomes and understanding pop culture. However, a common issue with many online calculators is the lack of standardization. The ciphers used in these calculators could differ even when sharing the same names, leading to confusion among new users. To tackle this problem, some gematria calculators allow users to create custom ciphers with their own numerical assignments, potentially paving the way for standardization of ciphers used in gematria calculators. An example of a gematria calculator with custom cipher functionality is Gematria Decoder .
The modern day English gematria has many ciphers and the most popular 8 that can be found on most gematria calculator are :
These ciphers are all based on the English alphabet. For example, the 'Hebrew cipher' uses the English alphabet but adopts a numerical system similar to the Hebrew gematria system.
As a beginner, you might be overwhelmed by the these ciphers, letters, and numbers. They may appear complex and intimidating at first glance, but in reality, they are quite simple and easy to understand and use.
The following is an example of how ciphers are used in gematria calculator:
In this demonstration we wil be using Gematria Decoder as our calculator.
Each cipher comes with its own set of values. For example:
Imagine you are curious to know if there is any connection between the words 'Jesus' and 'Messiah.You can search both words on Gematria Decoder and compare their values.
Results for 'Jesus':
Results for 'Messiah':
Gematria Decoder will highlight values 74 and 444, suggesting a potential connection between Jesus and Messiah according to the 'Simple' and 'English' ciphers. However, the 'Reduced' cipher suggests no relationship between the two.
If the results produced by the 'Simple' and 'English' ciphers make sense to you, then choose them as your primary Gematria ciphers and conduct all your searches using them. In general, select the ciphers that yield the most relevant results and disable those that don't provide valuable insights. Most users employ all available ciphers at once, believing it reveals more relevant and accurate results. However, purists would stick to just one cipher.
That sums up the basics of gematria cipher for beginners.
One of the major draws of using English gematria is the intriguing results it produces on modern subjects. Here are a few examples to demonstrate that
Example 1: Entering the phrases "Thriller Album," "Grammy Award," "Chimpanzee Bubbles," and "Painkiller" into a gematria decoder reveals that they are all connected with "Michael Jackson." This aligns with established facts in real life.
Example 2: In the 2024 Taiwan presidential election, there were three candidates: Lai Ching-te, Hou Yu-ih, and Ko Wen-je. Entering their names into the gematria Decoder revealed that only Lai Ching-te has a connection with the word "President," and indeed, Lai Ching-te emerged as the winner and became the President of Taiwan.
Skeptics may dismiss these results as mere coincidences and superstitions. However, for true believers, these results demonstrate that gematria can be applied to the English language as effectively as in Hebrew and to modern subjects, suggesting its potential use for unveiling hidden messages.
From the perspective of true believers, a single gematria value can be associated with many words and phrases. Making sense of them all involves connecting the relevant words and filtering out those that aren't relevant. This process requires strong intuition and knowledge of the subject of interest. This process is akin to a psychic working on a murder case; armed with clues, strong intuition, and unconventional thinking, the psychic can connect the dots between available information and lead to the capture of the murderer. Similarly, intuition and unconventional thinking play crucial roles in using gematria to establish connections and unveil hidden meanings.
If you are interested in testing out your intuition and ability to connect the dots, visit Gematria Decoder now and experiment with it yourself.
If you are non English speaking user, Gematria Decoder allows you to create your own cipher in your own language.