Torah Math

Counting

Gematria is a Kabbalistic way of showing how two ideas are related on a conceptual level; it is using numerology as basis to confirm (not create) the connection.

Mispar gadol (see below) values are:

Before arithmetic.  Before we learn how to read, we can introduce fun with numbers and counting.

1. Who knows one? I know one!
   One is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
2. Who knows two? I know two!
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
3. Who knows three? I know three!
   Three are the Papas,
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
4. Who knows four? I know four!
   Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
5. Who knows five? I know five!
   Five are the books of the Torah,
   Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
6. Who knows six? I know six!
   Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
   Five are the books of the Torah,
   Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
   n the heavens and the earth.
7. Who knows seven? I know seven!
   Seven are the days of the week — ooh ah,
   Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
   Five are the books of the Torah,
   Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
8. Who knows eight? I know eight!
   Eight are the days of a brit milah,
   Seven are the days of the week — ooh ah,
   Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
   Five are the books of the Torah,
   Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
9. Who knows nine? I know nine!
   Nine are the months before a baby is born,
   Eight are the days of a brit milah,
   Seven are the days of the week — ooh ah,
   Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
   Five are the books of the Torah,
   Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
   Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
   And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
   In the heavens and the earth —
   Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
10. Who knows ten? I know ten!
    Ten are the ten commandments,
    Nine are the months before a baby is born,
    Eight are the days of a brit milah,
    Seven are the days of the week — ooh ah,
    Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
    Five are the books of the Torah,
    Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
    Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
    And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
    In the heavens and the earth —
    Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
11. Who knows eleven? I know eleven!
    Eleven are the stars in Yosef ’s dream,
    Ten are the ten commandments,
    Nine are the months before a baby is born,
    Eight are the days of a brit milah,
    Seven are the days of the week — ooh ah,
    Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
    Five are the books of the Torah,
    Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
    Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
    and one is hashem, one is hashem, one is hashem,
    And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
    In the heavens and the earth —
    Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
12. Who knows twelve? I know twelve!
    Twelve are the tribes of Yisroel,
    Eleven are the stars in Yosef ’s dream,
    Ten are the ten commandments,
    Nine are the months before a baby is born,
    Eight are the days of a brit milah,
    Seven are the days of the week — ooh ah,
    Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
    Five are the books of the Torah,
    Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
    Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
    And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
    In the heavens and the earth —
    Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.
13. Who knows thirteen? I know thirteen!
    Thirteen are the faces of haShem,
    Twelve are the tribes of Yisroel,
    Eleven are the stars in Yosef ’s dream,
    Ten are the ten commandments,
    Nine are the months of a baby’s birth,
    Eight are the days of a brit milah,
    Seven are the days of the week — ooh ah,
    Six are the parts of the Mishnah,
    Five are the books of the Torah,
    Four are the Mamas, three are the Papas,
    Two are the tablets that Moshe brought,
    And one is haShem, one is haShem, one is haShem,
    In the heavens and the earth —
    Ya-da-da-da-da-da-dah.

Welcome to Torah Math.

Do you know how to calculate the minimum amount of schach to cover a sukkah?

Do you know how to calculate how many 4′ x 8′ plywood planks to build a 20′ x 12′ sukkah?

Can you calculate a secular leap year?

Which 7 out of 19 years are Jewish leap years?  How can understanding simple remainders help you figure out whether you’ll have a March Passover seder 3 years from now.

Do you want your child to be able to mathematically debunk propaganda that the world is overpopulated?

Want to innoculate a child from gambling?

If these questions interest you, stick around.  If there are questions you’d like to see answered, let me know.