What is gematria?
Gematria is the Jewish tradition of assigning numerical values to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, so that words and phrases carry numbers, and words with equal values are seen as meaningfully connected. Since each of the 22 Hebrew letters has a value (aleph = 1, bet = 2, and so on), any word can be "added up," and much of gematria explores the links those sums reveal. It's a centuries-old interpretive lens, beloved for the surprising connections it surfaces in the text.
How does gematria work?
- Each Hebrew letter has a numerical value (aleph = 1 through tav = 400).
- A word's value is the sum of its letters.
- Two words with the same value are often read as related in meaning: a hint, not a proof.
A famous example: the word chai (חי, "life") equals 18, which is why 18, and multiples of it, is a traditional number for charitable gifts.
How is gematria used in learning?
Gematria appears throughout Jewish texts as a way to draw out hidden connections, deepen a teaching, or add a memorable layer to an idea. It's best understood as an interpretive and inspirational tool, a way of noticing resonance in the language, rather than a system for prediction. Many learners enjoy it as a delightful entry point into the Hebrew of the text.
In short: gematria assigns number values to Hebrew letters and finds meaning in words that share a value: a classic interpretive lens, like chai = 18 = life.
Explore gematria with Derekh Learning
Derekh Learning includes daily gematria and Hebrew-word tools alongside its lessons, in a voice that fits you. Start learning or read how to learn Torah without Hebrew.
