05 The Launching Pad
Discovery begins here!
The point of origin from which the force of this investigation into the numerical structure of the Torah text was launched, commenced with a clear definition of the Creator, according to his account.
Devarim 6: 4. Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one “echad” (אחד) Lord:
The Creator says of himself, that I am “one” (echad). The Hebrew word “echad” (אחד) begins with the consonant “aleph” (א), which is also the numeral “one” and the ordinal “first”. The Hebrew word “echad” (אחד) has a numerical value of “thirteen”; the sum of the numerical value of each of the three numerical consonants is ( א= 1 + ח = 8 + ד = 4) = 13. Thus, in this case, the gematria or numerical sum of the consonant/numerals in the Hebrew word “echad” is thirteen. Although the discussion has thus far been related to gematria, the numerical structure of the Torah is not based on gematria, which uses a different numerical system from that of the ordinal value of the Hebrew consonant/numerals.
In the course of the comparative study of the Hebrew words that begin with an “aleph” (א), and have three consonants, and also have a numerical value of “thirteen”, I came across the Hebrew word “avi” (אבי) which means “my father.” The word “avi”, I found to be a unique word in the whole of the Tanach (the whole Hebrew bible). While the Hebrew word “avi” (אבי) is found numerous times referring to a man and his physical father, it is seldom if ever used by a man concerning the Creator, as his father. There is at least one time when it is used in this manner, however, that word comes from the mouth of the Creator, not a man. This special occurrence is found in the book of Jeremiah the prophet (Yer. 3:4).
A Special Text, A Special Invitation, A Special Instruction
Jeremiah 3:1-5 It is said, If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him, and becomes another man's, shall he return to her again? Shall not that land be greatly polluted? You have played the harlot with many lovers; and would you return to me? says the Lord: 2. Lift up your eyes to the high hills, and see where you have not been lain with; On the roads have you sat for them, like an Arab in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your harlotries and with your wickedness: 3. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; yet you have a harlot's forehead, you refuse to be ashamed: 4. Will you not from this time cry to me; My father (Avi), you are the guide of my youth: 5. Will he carry a grudge for ever? Will he keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and done all the evil things you could:
Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, was the only “remnant” remaining of the divided Israelite nation. The leaders of Judah were well aware of the dispersion of their northern brothers to parts unknown. The Northern Kingdom never returned home again, and the southern kingdom of Judah was about to face a similar fate. The prophet Jeremiah was commissioned by the Creator to advise the leaders and people of the Southern Kingdom.
What makes this passage so unique is the appeal that the Creator makes to this “remnant” of his “firstborn” nation, Israel. A kingdom and even a remnant of a kingdom is a collective group of people. A group that, grammatically speaking, can be “singular” in case even though it is “plural” in nature. One person does not normally constitute a group or a nation, except in the case of Israel. An example of this can be found among Christians in their special prayer that begins with: “Our Father ...”. They express themselves as one person among many who collectively acknowledge God as their father. However, in this case, the Creator reveals his genuine intentions for Israel, by desiring all of Israel to call him “my father” (avi), an exceptionally intimate expression. He brings his sincere intentions down to the individual level of every citizen (son or daughter) of his “firstborn” nation.
What must be understood here is that as a “firstborn” nation of “individuals” who have a personal and intimate relationship with their father, they, as a collective nation, must bring the light of this “individual” personal relationship to the other nations, or other non-firstborn sons in the world. Israel, as a nation, has not been able to achieve the elevated status of this intimate personal individual relationship with the Creator, but it shall come to pass. The critical point here is that every “individual” matters to The Creator. He desires this intimate relationship with every man or woman. Firstly, with every citizen of Israel, and secondly, with the entire citizenry of the world, with the nation of Israel beaconing the light of the Torah to the whole world. Why does the Creator so eagerly desire this? Because, The Creator is the third parent of every person who has ever been created; Eve the first mother in the world, Adam’s wife, testified of it long ago.
Bereshiyt. 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have acquired a man from the Lord:
There is another unique sense to the word “avi” concerning its numerical composition. The Torah teaches that “God, the Creator” is “one” (Dev. 6:4). If one ponders that thought for a moment, it is giving the listener or reader a brief partial definition of the being, God, the Creator. The sum of the ordinals of the Hebrew word avi, “my father” is thirteen, and the sum of the Hebrew ordinals for the word echad, which means “one” is also thirteen. Therefore, through numerical association, the Torah is linking three defining concepts concerning the Creator. The first concept being the Creator is one, the second being the Creator is thirteen, and third, being that the Creator desires to be called “my father” by his children. Two of the three defining concepts (God is one, and God is thirteen) involve the numeral “thirteen.”
The Gate Of Understanding Was Opened
The Hebrew language is the gate through which one can more clearly understand the Torah. However, that avenue is not easily accessible for most people in general. For the seeker of truth, the closer one can get to the ancient Hebrew language is proportionate to the closer one can come to the Creator’s truth. With a few relatively inexpensive tools and a means of examining the text, one can uncover treasures of meaning regularly. The product of one’s study becomes increasingly more beautiful, and the nearness of one’s connection to the Creator dispels the cravings of the evil inclination.
The Gate Of Understanding The Creator Was Opened With The Ordinal “One” Or “First”
The gate of understanding the Creator was opened with the numerical connection of “one.” After a considerable amount of research, it was established that “one” or “first” is consistently related to the Creator, himself, and also associated with the concept that the Creator is the foundation of everything.
“Two” Is The Next Numerical Connection
One might ask, how does “two” come into play here? While the number “two” has not been expressed in words, it has been alluded to utilizing inference. There are two aspects related to the matter of “echad,” one. The first aspect of “echad” alludes to the Creator as the foundation of everything, and the second aspect of “echad” alludes to its numerical equivalent of thirteen.
“Two,” according to the numerical structure of the Torah, is related to division, separation, or two aspects of a matter. In this case, the subject of the investigation is the Creator, and the issue of the Creator may be divided into two separate aspects: “one” and “thirteen.”
Meeting With The Creator @ the 3’s and 3rd’s
One the first and easiest numerical relationships to uncover was the connection of the numeral “three” and the ordinal “third” with an “encounter” with the Creator. Here, in this brief investigation, are three concepts of The Creator, himself, from his mouth and his own heart. These three related concepts are specifically designed for the listener/reader to encounter the Creator.
1. The Creator is one.
2. The word one is numerically related to numeral thirteen.
3. The numeral thirteen is related to the word avi (my father).
With the numbers “one” and “thirteen,” the listener/reader is informed that the Creator cannot be divided into any amount of equal whole parts. Both “one” and “thirteen” are prime numbers in the sense that they cannot be divided and yield whole numbers as factors. At first glance, this may seem to be somewhat simplified and insignificant, but all the theologies that have embraced the multiplicity of a godhead; have either wittingly or unwittingly, separated, and distanced themselves from this unique, and indivisible truth of the Creator.
The Gate Of Understanding Was Opened
“Thirteen,” according to the numerical structure of the Chumash involves “two” numerical principle meanings. There are ten basic numerical principle meanings, and when any number above ten is encountered, the numeral must be divided up into segments of ten with the last or remaining segment constituting a number less than ten. Thus, thirteen is divided into “two” segments as such: (10 + 3 = 13). Again, “Thirteen” therefore yields two segments, “ten” and “three.” The related numerical meanings of ten and three, in their combined form, shall be discussed below.
Ten Is The First Aspect Or Segment Of “Thirteen”
“Ten” according to the numerical structure of the Chumash is related to command, covenant, oath, or test of a command or covenant.
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Three Is The Second Aspect Or Segment Of Thirteen
Again, as stated above, “three” or the ordinal “third” is related to an “encounter” with the Creator.
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The Compound Meaning Of Thirteen
Thirteen is first related to the command or covenant (the ten-word segment) and then coupled with an encounter with the Creator (the three-word segment).