Agent-almanac apply-gematria

install
source · Clone the upstream repo
git clone https://github.com/pjt222/agent-almanac
Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/
T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/pjt222/agent-almanac "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/i18n/caveman-ultra/skills/apply-gematria" ~/.claude/skills/pjt222-agent-almanac-apply-gematria-28bd0e && rm -rf "$T"
manifest: i18n/caveman-ultra/skills/apply-gematria/SKILL.md
source content

Apply Gematria

Compute + analyze gematria — numerical values of Hebrew letters + words. Standard (Mispar Hechrachi), ordinal (Mispar Siduri), reduced (Mispar Katan). Isopsephy compares words equal value. Interpretive frameworks for contemplation.

Use When

  • Numerical value of Hebrew word/phrase
  • Compare 2 words → shared gematria (isopsephy)
  • Which method appropriate for given analysis?
  • Study biblical verse or divine name → numerical correspondences
  • Explore word meaning ↔ numerical value
  • Connect numerical → Tree of Life

In

  • Required: Hebrew word, phrase, or divine name (Hebrew script or transliteration)
  • Optional: 2nd word/phrase for compare (isopsephy)
  • Optional: Method preferred (standard, ordinal, reduced, or all)
  • Optional: Context/question guiding analysis

Do

Step 1: Transliterate + ID Hebrew Src

Establish exact Hebrew spelling.

HEBREW LETTER VALUES — Standard Gematria (Mispar Hechrachi):

Units:
  Aleph (A)  = 1     Bet (B)    = 2     Gimel (G)  = 3
  Dalet (D)  = 4     Heh (H)    = 5     Vav (V)    = 6
  Zayin (Z)  = 7     Chet (Ch)  = 8     Tet (T)    = 9

Tens:
  Yod (Y)    = 10    Kaf (K)    = 20    Lamed (L)  = 30
  Mem (M)    = 40    Nun (N)    = 50    Samekh (S) = 60
  Ayin (Ay)  = 70    Peh (P)    = 80    Tzadi (Tz) = 90

Hundreds:
  Qoph (Q)   = 100   Resh (R)   = 200   Shin (Sh)  = 300
  Tav (Th)   = 400

Final Forms (Sofit — used when letter appears at end of word):
  Kaf-final  = 500   Mem-final  = 600   Nun-final  = 700
  Peh-final  = 800   Tzadi-final = 900

Note: Whether final forms carry different values depends on the
gematria system. Standard (Mispar Hechrachi) typically uses the
same values for regular and final forms. The 500-900 values above
follow the extended system (Mispar Gadol).
  1. English translit → Hebrew letter sequence
  2. Verify spelling: Hebrew has multiple spellings (plene vs defective)
  3. Note final-form letters (Kaf-sofit, Mem-sofit, Nun-sofit, Peh-sofit, Tzadi-sofit)
  4. State src: biblical, divine name, modern Hebrew, technical Kabbalistic term?
  5. Ambiguous → present both common spellings + compute each

Hebrew letter sequence established w/ confidence. User knows which letters summed + verifiable.

If err: Translit ambiguous ("chai" could be Chet-Yod or Chet-Yod-Yod) → both options w/ values + user selects.

Step 2: Standard Gematria (Mispar Hechrachi)

Sum letter values via standard table.

  1. Write each letter + standard value
  2. Sum left-to-right (Hebrew reads right-to-left but addition commutative)
  3. State total
  4. Note significant:
    • Sephira (1-10)
    • Path (11-32)
    • Well-known (26 = YHVH, 18 = chai, 72 = Shem ha-Mephorash, 137 = Kabbalah)
  5. Total > 400 → summing multiple hundreds

Clear numerical result w/ step-by-step computation. User verifies each letter vs table.

If err: Uncertain Hebrew spelling → compute all plausible + note range. Correct depends on src text.

Step 3: Ordinal + Reduced (Optional)

Alternative values revealing different patterns.

ORDINAL GEMATRIA (Mispar Siduri):
Each letter receives its ordinal position (1-22):
  Aleph=1, Bet=2, Gimel=3, Dalet=4, Heh=5, Vav=6,
  Zayin=7, Chet=8, Tet=9, Yod=10, Kaf=11, Lamed=12,
  Mem=13, Nun=14, Samekh=15, Ayin=16, Peh=17, Tzadi=18,
  Qoph=19, Resh=20, Shin=21, Tav=22

REDUCED GEMATRIA (Mispar Katan):
Reduce each letter's standard value to a single digit:
  Aleph=1, Bet=2, ... Tet=9, Yod=1, Kaf=2, ... Tzadi=9,
  Qoph=1, Resh=2, Shin=3, Tav=4

  Then sum the digits. If the sum exceeds 9, reduce again.
  Example: Shin(3) + Lamed(3) + Vav(6) + Mem(4) = 16 → 1+6 = 7

ATBASH:
A substitution cipher: first letter ↔ last letter.
  Aleph ↔ Tav, Bet ↔ Shin, Gimel ↔ Resh, etc.
  Used in biblical and Kabbalistic cryptography (Jeremiah's
  "Sheshach" = Babel via Atbash).
  1. Ordinal: sum each letter's position (1-22)
  2. Reduced: reduce each standard → single digit, sum + reduce
  3. Present all 3 side-by-side
  4. Note which method reveals most interesting connections

3 values (standard, ordinal, reduced) side-by-side. Reduced often links single-digit sephirotic nums, useful Tree mapping.

If err: User wants 1 method only → provide + mention others exist. No overwhelm.

Step 4: Search Isopsephy

Hebrew words/phrases sharing value.

  1. Take standard gematria (Step 2)
  2. Search well-known words, divine names, phrases same value
  3. Present 2-5 connections, prioritize:
    • Biblical words + phrases
    • Divine names + sephirotic titles
    • Traditional Kabbalistic connections (classical srcs)
    • Surprising or illuminating
  4. Per connection note src tradition (Zohar, Talmud, later Kabbalistic, Hermetic)
  5. No significant connections → acknowledge

Set of words sharing gematria + brief note why connection meaningful. User has contemplation material.

If err: No well-known for value → acknowledge. Offer relationship to nearby nums ("378 is 2 more than shalom [376] — what does that suggest?").

Step 5: Interpret Connections

Computation → contemplation.

  1. State: gematria reveals correspondences for contemplation, not proofs/predictions
  2. Per isopsephy connection pose contemplative question:
    • "Word A + B share value N. How might meanings illuminate each other?"
    • "Reduced → sephira X. How does word's meaning relate to sephira's quality?"
  3. Note Tree of Life connections:
    • Standard 1-10 → direct sephirotic correspondence
    • Reduced 1-9 → sephirotic resonance
    • Value = path (11-32) → resonance w/ path's Hebrew letter
  4. User provided guiding question → address directly
  5. Close w/ integrative statement connecting numerical → meaning

Numerical analysis meaningful — not arithmetic but lens for word's place in Kabbalah symbolic network.

If err: Interp feels forced/speculative → say directly. Some computations more fruitful than others. Honest acknowledge thin > fabricated significance.

Check

  • Hebrew spelling established w/ confidence (or multiple presented)
  • Standard gematria computed + each letter value shown
  • ≥1 additional method (ordinal or reduced) applied
  • Isopsephy searched + results w/ src notes
  • Interpretation framed contemplative, not demonstrative
  • Computation verifiable — user can check each letter vs table

Traps

  • Spelling ambiguity: Hebrew words w/ or w/o vowel letters (matres lectionis). Gematria changes significantly — always confirm.
  • Final-form confusion: Mem-final = 40 or 600 depends on system. State explicitly.
  • Finding what expect: Enough methods → connect any 2 words. Privileging confirming preexisting belief = confirmation bias.
  • Ignore tradition: Classical Kabbalistic connections (YHVH = 26, echad = 13, ahavah = 13 → love + unity = God) documented authoritative srcs. Novel connections distinct from traditional.
  • Gematria as proof: Numerical equality suggests correspondence to contemplate, not identity/causal.
  • Forget context: Same word may have different significance biblical verse vs liturgical vs meditation. Ctx shapes interp.

  • read-tree-of-life
    — map gematria → sephirot + paths
  • study-hebrew-letters
    — individual letter symbolism deepens gematria
  • observe
    — sustained neutral attention to patterns; gematria = numerical pattern recognition