What is gematria?

gematria is a system of assigning numerical values to words to discover hidden meanings in Jewish mysticism, astrology, divination and numerology. The practice dates back to the ancient Greek and Roman times, when scholars believed that each letter had a unique power. Each letter is assigned a number value, allowing numerologists to decode words into numerical values that can then be used to make predictions or interpret other spiritual messages.

At its most basic form, each letter of the Hebrew alphabet is given a numerical value by adding up the numerical values of its component letters. By combining various words or phrases with their corresponding numbers and characters, gematria can uncover connections between thematic subject matter or even mystic revelations.

For example, by taking the words "peace" (shalom) and "war" (milchamah) in their original Hebrew form plus two accompanying numerical values for each word, we can figure out the numerical value for " war and peace"; milchamah ve-shalom: = 476. This number is then used as part of another set of calculations to determine why these two concepts are connected. Another approach could involve assigning different letters from different languages with specific numerical values so that phrases become increasingly complex and mystical in nature as they are looked at through the lens of gematria.