 Parshat Sh'mot U'S'FUNEI T'MUNEI CHOL Beachcombing the G'matriya Beach with the help of "Otzrot Yisrael", one of the CDs of the "Responsa Project" of Bar Ilan University. 1) When Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, he told them that G-d had sent him into Egypt before them to prepare it for them so that there will be a great deliverance (B'reishit 45:7). The G'matriya of the pasuk is 3161, the same as the open pasuk in the book and sedra of Sh'mot - And these are the names of Bnei Yisrael who are coming to Egypt with Yaakov... With this GM (G'matriya-match) one is reminded of the connection between the Sale of Yosef and the subsequent going down to Egypt of Yaakov and his descendants. 2) Shmot 1:6 states that Yosef and all his brothers and all that generation died out. G'matriya of 981 matches D'varim 4:4, the well-known pasuk: And you who cling to HaShem your G-d are all alive today. The latter pasuk alludes to the concept of life after death, and to T'chiyat HaMeitim. Yosef and his brothers and that whole generation gone? Yes... and no. Righteous people in death are called living. This latter pasuk comforts us for the loss expressed in the former pasuk. It sounded so final. But we know that they are still alive. 3) Here's another GM that appeals to one's sense of balance. And a new king arose over Egypt who "didn't know" Yosef (Shmot 1:8). T'hilim 89:21 states: "I found David My servant, with My holy oil I anointed him". Both p'sukim total 2211. Their king; our king. 4) Shmot 2:4 tells us that baby Moshe's sister stood at a distance (from his basket, and kept an eye on him) to know what would happen to him. This point very early in the life of the future Moshe Rabeinu is beautifully matched to a pasuk at the other end of Moshe's life. D'varim 34:10 tells us, in summation of Moshe's life- And no prophet arose in Israel like Moshe, who G-d communicated face-to-face. Both these p'sukim, from the beginning and end of Moshe's temporal life in this world, have the same G'matriya - 2236. A word of caution about G'matriya, specifically the homemade variety that appear in this Treasures in the Sand column. Don't read too much into them. They are not meant to say something new. They are meant to be a nice "numerical confirmation" of existing ideas. They point to ideas to be explored. Try any of them without the G'matriya. They still "work". [The Sh'mot Homepage] |