How does jewish gematria work

jewish gematria is an ancient system of encoded Hebrew letters and words used to assess the numerical value of words. Throughout history, gematria has been associated with mystical teachings, and often used as a tool in interpreting scripture passages. In our modern day, it is still a mysterious and intriguing topic for many, who use it as a form of divination or to seek inner understanding.

To begin with, let's take a look at how Jewish gematria works. Every letter in the Hebrew alphabet is given its own numerical value. Unlike most other numerical systems which start counting at 1, Judaism's numerology starts at zero and moves up from there; Aleph (א) equals 1 all the way up to Tav (ת) equals 400. So when one adds up all the letter values within a word the total produces its respective number according to the system. This process of applying numerical values to words or phrases dates back thousands of years, having been recorded at some point by nearly every culture that existed throughout history.

In regard to Jewish gematria specifically however, two forms must be considered: Mispar Katan (or Gematria of Addition), and Mispar Gadol (or Gematria of Multiplication). The first, known as "Katan" is the simplest form, where each letter counts individually towards the total number chosen for that particular combining phrase or set of words associated with it; this number is usually predetermined and widely accepted by followers of Judaism worldwide (for example: Hallelujah), while less common words may require more research beforehand in order to discern its precise meaning.

The second type — "Gadol" — is slightly more complicated since letters are weighted more heavily depending on where they appear in any given word or phrase; not just what they are but their place relative to each other that makes up this part's formulaic components altogether. A great example would be if someone were to use Aleph א as its starting point once again but this time with Bet ב added after since their numerical contribution then doubles according to rules set out by Jewish theologians ages ago – connecting them together in different orders for various readings inspires readers into new ways which can allow for further exploration outside traditional religious worldviews much like what Greece had done centuries prior with their Olympian gods' beliefs & practices still popular today!

Finally, Rabbi Abraham Abulafia of 13th century Spain-Yemen utilized his knowledge on Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) toward proposing higher correlations between physical objects & natural phenomena using even greater mathematical skills involving various mathematical principles wherein he believed could be related back towards revealed prophetic truths present within Scripture texts we know so familiarly today - making him one among many names who stands out highly amongst early practitioners who left behind valuable information which still serves as major reference points amongst enthusiasts keen on developing upon such material being made available locally within any era they may find themselves living through!