Gematrias for Purim

(and Life)

  1. Elokim (86) = Hateva[i]
  1. Moshe Rabeinu = 613[ii]
  1. 11+12+13+14+15 = The Shem Adnus of Hakodosh Baruch Hu

10+16 = The Shem YudKehVavKeh of Hakodsh Baruch Hu[iii]

  1. Hamelech (95) = Haman = Doniel (Chazal say that Hasach was Doniel)[iv]
  1. Boruch Mordechai (502) = Orur Haman. (This is one of the pshatim in the Rishonim of ‘Ad d’lo yoda.’) The Chosom Sofer points out that Orur (407) is greater than Haman (95), while Boruch (228) is less than Mordechai (274). The message is that Tzadikim are moving upwards, they are growing stronger, and in the end will be zocheh to greater things. Reshayim, on the other hand, are going in the opposite direction; they are moving downwards, and in the end they will be punished and lose everything.
  1. One source for Birchos Hatorah is the posuk ‘Ki Shem Hashem ekra, …’ When I call out the Name of Hashem, I will first bless Him. Chazal understood that learning Torah is like calling out Hashem’s Name.[v]

Rav Nevenzahl shli”ta explains as follows. There are 24 Sifrei Tanach. But Chazal say that Sefer Bamibar is really 3 sefarim because the pesukim of ‘Vayehi Binsoa Ha’aron…’ are actually a separate sefer which split Bamidbar into 3. Therefore, on one level there are actually 26 Sifrei Tanach. This equals the gematria of Hashem’s name YudKehVavKeh. So when one learns Tanach, he is learning and ‘saying’ Hashem’s Name.

Rav Nevenzahl continues. There are 63 Masechtos of Mishnayos. However, Chazal say that Kelim is actually split into 3 separate Masechtos. Therefore, there are actually 65 Masechtos of Mishnayos. This equals the gematria of Hashem’s name of Adnus. So when one learns Mishna, he is, in a sense, involved in ‘calling out’ Hashem’s name. WOW!

  1. Todah (415) = Simcha (353) BaChayim (70). Well, close enough, it’s Purim[vi].
  1. Machshava (355) = B’Simcha[vii]
  1. Chaver = Gold mine[viii]
  1. Text message = Shalom Bayis[ix]

Purim sameach,

B. Ginsburg

[i] Purim is about Neis Nistar. All of nature is all a neis nistar from Hashem.

[ii] Moshe Rabeinu brought down and taught the Taryag mitzvos o Benei Yisroel.

[iii] The Mishna in Megillah says ‘we read the megillah on the 11th, 12th, 13th,14th, and 15th of Adar, not more and not less.’ The Shloh Hakodosh explains that the Shem Adnus is meramez to Hashem’s hidden role in nature. So the days we can read the megillah add up to 65. The days before and after, when we cannot read the megillah add up to 26. That reflects the more Kadosh Shem of YudKehVavKeh, which refers to Hashem performing Neis Niglah, beyond the rules of narture. That is not the theme of Purim, so we do not read the megillah on those days.

The language of the Mishna is meduyak. The Mishna could have said ‘not before and not after.’ That would have fit in the flow of the Mishna. But instead, the Mishna reads ‘not more and not less.’ This may be a further hint to this (AMAZING) gematria of the Shloh.

[iv] Haman reflects the evil, negative part of the Purim story. Hasach (Doniel) played a positive role in the salvation of Bnei Yisroel. One theme of Purim is that Hashem controls all events. The good things and the seemingly bad things are all from same Hashem. We have to do mitzvos and daven well in order to be zocheh for Hashem to bring more good things for Bnei Yisroel. I mentioned this gematria to Rav Nevenzahl, and he said ‘yafeh me’od’.

[v] One explanation given is based on the famous Ramban that all of the letters of the Torah actually can spell out different forms of Hashem’s name. So when one learns Torah, he is either learning the Chumash itself, which is Hashem’s name over and over again. Or, he is learning the pshat and explanation of the Torah. So, we are, in a sense, always ‘saying’ Hashem’s name as we learn.

[vi] Read Rav Pliskin’s book ‘Thank you.’ People who train themselves to always have Hakaras Hatov to Hashem and to people for things are happier and have more Simchas Hachaim..

[vii] Rav Orlowek shli”ta quotes this from the Sfas Emes. Very often, whether a person is b’simcha will depend on how he thinks about things. Positively oriented people tend to focus on the good parts of things and they are happier. Your ‘Machshava’ affects your level of Simcha.

I heard the following mashal from Rav Yaakov Neuberger shli”ta.

Two women were sharing a hospital room and one said to the other,

Oy, I have a difficult life. I have three children who do not treat me properly. One daughter lives here in this city and she barely ever visits; she only visits once a week. Another son lives across the country, and he almost never visits; he comes once every few months. And I have a third daughter who lives overseas, and out of sight, out of mind. She never visits, and she is only in contact by email and once in a while by phone.

The other women then said,

Ah! Baruch Hashem, I have a wonderful life! I have one daughter who lives close by and she has a large family. Despite the fact that she has a large family and is very busy, she always finds time to see me once a week. I have a son who lives across the country, and he is very busy developing his new business. However, he organizes his business schedule to make sure to fly through our city once every few months. That way he can see me. I have a third child who lives overseas and even though I am out of sight, I am not out of mind. She stays in contact by email and she calls once in a while.

These two women have the exactly same life, but the first one is unhappy and the second one is b'simcha. This is the yesod that b'simcha equals machshava. As I mentioned, a good place to start to work on this middah is to read Rabbi Pliskin's book 'Thank You.'

[viii] Rabeinu Yonah explains that one purpose of a chaver is to give Tochachah (rebuke, advice). If you have a friend, whom you respect, who offers constructive criticism and you will listen, that friend is worth a million dollars. It is very healthy to hear constructive criticism, especially at a young age. Because then you have a better chance of making positive changes in your life.

[ix] Send your spouse a text during the day, stam. This shows you are thinking about him/her. This helps with Shalom Bayis.