Gematria

Gematria refers to an interpretive practice in which letters are treated as numbers and words are analyzed by calculating their numerical values. When different words or phrases share the same total, they are understood to have a meaningful connection. This method appears in Jewish interpretive tradition as a way of exploring hidden relationships, emphasis, or association within texts. Gematria does not replace ordinary reading but adds an additional layer of meaning based on numerical equivalence, patterns, and symbolic association rather than grammar or narrative context.