VaYechi

In this post on Parashah VaYechi, you must exert extra effort in order to see the Signature of the Architect. The reasoning for this is rather interesting. 

In a Torah Scroll there is no break between Parashah VaYigash and Parashah VaYechi. They are separated by a single blank space the size of a letter. This is in contrast to the general rule that a parashah begins on a new line or is separated from the previous one by at least a nine-letter space.

Parashah VaYechi is therefore described as “closed” (סְתוּמָה). The word סָתוּם also means ‘hidden’ and it is here in VaYechi (where the Israelites start the Exile in Egypt) that God “hid” Himself. In general, it is a time when things are concealed. Yaacov wished to tell his sons when the Messiah would come but at this time the knowledge was concealed from him and he could not relay the information. 

Although in next week’s parashah, Shemoth, it details some of the suffering in the Exile and it appears that God has (perhaps) abandoned His people, it then continues with God’s revelation to Moshe at “the burning bush” and God is visibly back on the scene, and where all of this culminates with the Plagues and the Exodus. 

However, here in VaYechi, it is the beginning of the Exile and Yaacov dies along with Yoseph and the rest of his brothers, and so we’ve reached a point of concealment. Things start to go dark for the Israelites, and so VaYechi is “concealed.” That being the case, it takes extra effort to see the Hidden Signature of the Architect in this week’s post.

Since there is only a letter’s space between VaYigash and VaYechi, and the Parashah of VaYechi is “concealed,” you could just keep reading from one to the other. When we count the number of verses in VaYigash and Vayechi together (for there is no large space separating the two) the amount of verses is 191. In Parashah VaYigash, Yaacov and all his family go down to Egypt (outside the Land of Israel). In VaYechi, they are all outside the Land of Israel and all die outside the Land. Therefore the 191 verses in these 2 Portions hint to only 2 of the Explicit Names; the gematria of the Tetragrammaton together with the Havayah of Adnoot is 91 (the same number of polygonal elements in the first 6 layers of a tetrahedral matrix of 7 as seen in Parashah Miketz). The 1 Name of Ekeyeh (created when the other 2 are combined) was only for in the Land (like we saw in the posts on Toldot and VaYetze).

In Parashah VaYechi, Yaacov raises the status of Ephraim and Menashe to that of "Tribes" of Israel. He compares them to his 2 oldest sons (Reuven and Shimon) and even raises them above his own children. In 48:5, Yaacov says, “Ephraim and Menashe shall be mine like Reuven and Shimon.” This is 2 and 2 like both sets of luchot. There is even a hint to the second set replacing the first set. Yaacov compares Ephraim and Menashe to Reuven and Shimon. The gematria of Ephraim and Menashe is 726, and the gematria of Reuven and Shimon is 725. Yaacov says “like,” and that always means approximately; and so we see the gematria is off by 1. Yaacov preferred Ephraim and Menashe, not only because they were children of his favorite son, Yoseph, but because their gematria equals 726. This corresponds to the 7 (hundreds) of calendar related halachah that Ephraim and Menashe kept, and 26, the gematria of the Tetragrammaton (and the number of elements in the sapphire cube before and after it is divided as seen in the post on parashah VaYechi at the "Sapphire Magen David" blog). Reuven and Shimon however, are 1 less than the Tetragrammaton, for they already had sinned. Yaacov even chastises them in his blessings before he dies. Reuven had the incident with Bilhah, for which he lost the birthright, and Shimon’s wrath wiped out the city of Shechem and he also wanted to kill Yoseph. They fell short of the ideal and their names are 7 (hundreds) of calendar related halachah, but 25, 1 less than the Tetragrammaton; they were imperfect, and so the number of elements in both their halves were lacking. Yaacov raised Ephraim and Menashe above all his sons, as he says in 48:20, “By you shall Israel bless saying ‘May God make you like Ephraim and like Menashe’ ”. Jewish parents would always bless their children to be like Ephraim and Menashe, not Reuven or Shimon or any other sons of Yaacov. This is like the second set of luchot that replaced the first set; the twins Ephraim and Menashe essentially "replaced" Reuven and Shimon in the eyes of Yaacov.

When Yaacov blesses Ephraim and Menashe, he says in 48:16, “May the Angel who redeems me from all evil bless the lads.” The word “Angel” has a gematria of 91, the sum of the gematria for the two primary abbreviations, which are the Tetragrammaton and the Havayah of Adnoot. They could not merge to create the Havayah of Ekeyeh, for that Name was only used in the Land of Canaan which the forefathers were promised (see the posts on VaYishlach and VaYetze where the Name is used). But now Yaacov was in Egypt, and Ephraim and Menashe would also live and die in Egypt, which is outside the Land, so Yaacov blessed them with only the Tetragrammaton and Havayah of Adnoot (91) and not the Havayah of Ekeyeh.

In 48:22 Yaacov gives Yoseph an extra portion in the Land: Shechem, which has a gematria of 360. This hints to the amount of days in the solar year after the Flood, before the time of Hezekiah. Shechemah, with a heh (ה) at the end, which means “to Shechem,” has a gematria 365, which of course is the number of days in a solar year after the time of Hezekiah. (See post on BeHa’alothekha for more on this.)

Yaacov says in 48:22 that he took Shechem, “from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.” After the incident in Shechem, 7 Amorite cities went to war against the sons of Yaacov. Yaacov says that he took Shechem “with my sword and with my bow,” which has a gematria of 1040, or 10 ("hundreds") corresponding to the 10 commandments, and 4 (tens), the 4 letter Name of Ekeyeh times those commandments which Yaacov (and his sons) kept. Through the merit of keeping the Torah and God’s promise of “Ekeyeh,” Yaacov and his sons were able to win the war against the Amorites (an infinitely superior foe) and Yaacov obtained Shechem which he now gave to Yoseph as an inheritance. Besides for Yoseph’s descendants inheriting Shechem, Yoseph was buried there (Joshua 24:21) since Yaacov gave it to him as an extra portion for an inheritance. Yehoshua, Moshe’s most faithful attendant, lived in Shechem (his portion in the Land) and he died at 110 years of age, just like his great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather Yoseph did here in this week’s Parashah. They both died at 110 years of age or 11 (tens), and are separated by 10 generations. This is like the 10 commandments (but being times 11, is like 10 with “one extra portion,” like Shechem that Yaacov gave to Yoseph). These numbers have additional significance that is beyond the scope of this post.

Yoseph died at 110 years of age, for he lost 10 years of his life for the following reason. When his brothers were speaking before him, they referred to Yaacov as “your servant”. Yoseph kept quiet and this was tantamount to agreeing with the statement. For the times that Yaacov was referred to as “[Yoseph’s] servant,” Yoseph lost 10 years of his life. The slight issue with this, is that it only mentions “your servant our father” 5 times: once in Parashah Miketz 43:28, and 4 times in Parashah VaYigash 44:24,27,30,31. However, this is one of many key reflections of the luchot. Yehudah spoke these words 5 times and then the interpreter repeated these words another 5 times to Yoseph in Egyptian (5 opposite 5). This is another reflection (one of many) where the mathematic and geometric characteristics of the blueprint (combined cubic form of the luchot) manifest themselves in the events that occur throughout history. Specifically, the 5 internal mathematic constructs with their 5 internal polar opposites, that are also seen in the sephirot as 5 opposite 5 (Sefer Yetzirah) the 5 "end form," of letters opposite their 5 counterparts and 5 commandments opposite 5 commandments, etc. Moreover, just as 1 of the statements is different from the other 4, so too are the geometric counterparts in the blueprint (the tetrahedron is it's own polar opposite). We see this reflection in the number of times that “your servant our father” is mentioned, in a group of 4 with 1 separate. This is a bright reflection of the characteristics relating to the pattern of 5 opposite 5, within the cosmic blueprint or combined cubic form of the luchot. Thus Yoseph lost a total of 10 years of his life.

Yehoshua, who should have lived as long as his teacher, Moshe, also lost 10 years of his life. This is for the 10 words used to protest against Eldad and Medad when they prophesied in the camp. In Numbers 11:28 it says, “Yehoshua, son of Nun, the servant of Moshe since his youth, spoke up and said, ‘My master Moshe, incarcerate them!’”. The Talmud Sanhedrin 17a explains what Yehoshua said to Moshe, “Lay upon them the needs of the public, and they will cease prophesying by themselves.” By burdening them with public affairs, they would not be in the proper state to receive prophecy1. For the 3 Hebrew words “My master Moshe, incarcerate them!” that he argued with his teacher Moshe, and for another 7 words that the Sages say was the rest of his argument, he lost 10 years of his life. This division of the words is like the sefirot. Just as the 10 are described as 5 opposite 5 (Sefer Yetzirah) so too can they be described as 3 and 7, where 3 are in the higher realm, and 7 are below. An alternate reason why he lost 10 years of his life, is that there are 10 different words used for “prophecy” throughout Tanach. By protesting against the prophecy of Eldad and Medad, Yehoshua was badmouthing prophecy, and was punished for each of the 10 words used to connote prophecy. Both are true. One is the reason below. The other is the reason above.

Both Yoseph and Yehoshua lost 10 years of their life, and they were 10 generations apart. To see other patterns of 10s (as they pertain to the mathematic nature of the luchot) see the post on Sh’lach.

In the blessings that Yaacov bestows upon his children before he dies, Yaacov chastises the wrath of Shimon and Levi. In 49:5 he says, “Shimon and Levi are comrades, their weaponry is a stolen craft.” The Hebrew word for “stolen craft” is "hamas" (wickedness) and it has a gematria 108, or half of 216. The male and female aspects of creation (polar opposites) include, for example, righteousness and wickedness. Here we see the ultimate expression of these counterparts. As Yaacov and Esav were opposites in this regard (born in the 108th year of the third millennium) and just as Cain and Abel were opposites in this regard (born in the 108th year of the first millennium) so too, here, we see the gematria of wickedness, half of the equation, being 108. 

Hamas is specifically what the generation of the Deluge was taken to task for, and here Yaacov applies this epithet to Shimon and Levi. It was “stolen craft” (108) as if someone stole half the luchot (each 108). It is nevertheless only half; it is broken, and half is useless. It is only half the whole, and so it improperly reflects God’s Name (216). The end result is destructive. The luchot are two halves of a whole; if you break off one half, you have destroyed all of it. Before the Flood, people would “steal” the wives of others (6:2) and this had the effect of taking exactly half (of the marriage) which also breaks the whole. Shimon and Levi did a similar thing when they wiped out all the males of Shechem. They broke all of the marriages and “stole” half.

In the next verse (49:6) Yaacov says, “Into their conspiracy, may my soul not enter!” “Into their conspiracy” has a gematria of only 106 (which is mathematically 2 short of each half) and it actually has the same letters as “in Sodom.” The people of Sodom also used Hamas. Some of the reasons they were destroyed was for certain “stealing” (Hamas) practices that they had. One of their deplorable practices was that on 4 days of the year they would gather in a specific meadow, and any man would forcefully take any other man’s wife or daughter and be with them for those days. This is exactly like the “hamas – stealing.” No man protested. After those days, families would go back to their homes. This was an active practice of “stealing” a half. Another “stealing” practice the Sodomites had, was that if a traveling merchant came to their city, they would all descend upon him and each forcefully take a little of the merchant’s items, until he was left with nothing. If he tried to protest, a person would say, “I didn’t take anything from you; you gave me this negligible amount!” And so, like piranhas, they would steal all of the traveler’s merchandise, and then eject him from the city with much tumult.

These “stealing” practices are like stealing the other half of the luchot: 108 – חָמָס (blemishing God's Name) but Sodom was so corrupt that they didn’t even take the full half. “Into their conspiracy” (בסדם2) is only 106, and Yaacov did not want any part of it. This conspiracy can actually refer to the later conspiracy of Korach against Moshe, and indeed, in Numbers 16:1, when the Torah gives the genealogy of Korach, it stops at Levi and does not mention Yaacov. Korach started a coup to “steal” Moshe’s and Aaron’s jobs, and his name has a gematria of 100 + 200 + 8 or 108 + 200. Both Sodom and Korach’s assembly were destroyed by unnatural means, as was the generation of the Deluge. They were all corrupting the natural order of things that are found as mathematic and geometric constants within the cosmic blueprint, and therefore unchained elements brought about their demise.

Yaacov continues “blessing” Shimon and Levi and says in 49:7, “Accursed is their rage, for it is intense,” where the word “intense” (עָז) has a gematria of 77. Their calendar related halachah was 77 or 7 x 7 and was one of their strong points. Yaacov continues and says, (49:7)3 “I will separate them within Yaacov, and I will disperse them in Israel.” Yaacov kept them apart, and in their portions of the Land of Israel, Levi was scattered among all tribes in 48 Levite cites. Notice it is one less than 49 (7 x 7) for Yaacov sought to lessen their strength. The tribe of Shimon was scattered amongst the tribe of Yehudah.

Yaacov blesses Yehudah and in 49:10 he says, “The scepter shall not pass from Yehudah nor a scholar from among his descendants.” The kingship and ultimately the Messiah will be from Yehudah (see the post on VaYetze) and as the lasting Jews throughout history are from Yehudah, there have indeed always been scholars in every generation since Yehudah, son of Yaacov. Yaacov blesses him and compares him to 3 types of lions (49:9). “Lion” (אַרְיֵה) is gematria 216, and the 3 types hint to the 72 triplets (216 divided by 3 = 72) that make up the Explicit Name with 216 letters. There is another hint to this in 49:19 which is a rare 3 word verse. In 50:23 it says that Yoseph saw 3 generations through Ephraim. Also in 50:24, there is a mention of all 3 forefathers. These three threes not only reflect the triad nature of the Name, but the geometric characteristics of the royal seal, or three-dimensional magen david with 3 triangular faces on each side, that each have 3 triangular (3-cornered) faces (three threes).

As seen in the post on VaYeshev, Yehudah’s name is made from the 4 letters of the Tetragrammaton and the letter Daled (ד) which is gematria 4. One of the reasons this is so, is that Yehudah had the kingship, and his descendant, King David, who symbolizes the kingship, is on the 4th leg of the Throne of Glory (Zohar); thus the combination of 4 (ד) and the Tetragrammaton.

Another thing to point out (about Yehudah) is that in his blessing (49:9) Yaacov says: “from the prey, my son, you elevated yourself.” On these words Midrash Rabbah states, “Yehudah saved 4: Yoseph, Tamar, Peretz, and Zerach, and so God saved 4 of his descendants: Daniel, Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya.” Rabenu Bachayey explains that for saving Yoseph from the pit, God saved Daniel from the pit of lions, and for saving Tamar and the twins in her womb from the fire, so God saved [Yehudah’s] descendants Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya from the fire.

Yehudah’s name is made up of the Tetragrammaton and a Daled (ד) which is gematria 4. This alludes to the 4 people Yehudah saved: Yoseph, Tamar, and Peretz and Zerach (who were actually already in this world as Tamar was sentenced to burn after 3 months of her pregnancy). The rest of the letters of Yehudah’s name are the Tetragrammaton, and so God saved 4 of Yehudah’s descendants (midah keneged midah). Notice that, of all the "categories" of 4, there is 1 that is different from the other 3. This is a primary characteristic of the royal seal that reflects the nature of the two primary abbreviations in the Explicit Name, where 1 couple is different from the other 3 (as explained in Ki Thetze). There are many examples of groups of 4 people, where 3 are well known, yet there is actually a 4th that is part of the group as well. Such as: Chananya; Mishael; Azarya. These three are famous for surviving the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar, but Daniel (1) was the leader of these 3. He was exempt for a certain reason, but the famous group of 3 was actually 4.

Chaggai, Zachariya, Malachi. This is another famous group of 3 that are the last of the prophets. But Ezra, who actually was the leader of the Jews, was also a prophet at this time, and built the Second Temple, etc. Once again, this group is really made up of 4, where 1 is different from the other 3.

There is also Achimun, Sheishai and Talmai. This group is famous for being mentioned in the Torah as giants of Hebron that needed to be driven out. In Joshua, Calev is the one to defeat them and he gets Hebron as a reward. But really there is a fourth to this group: Arba, their father, of whom in Avraham’s days Hebron is known as ‘Arba’s City’ (see post on Chai Sarah). Again, he is the father, the leader, taller than the other 3, and this group too, is really 4 (his name Arba, actually means 4).

Then there are Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuchite, and Tzophar the Na’amathite. These are Iyov’s friends who discuss his plight with him and attempt to reason with him. However in reality, there is a fourth to this group: Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite. He speaks up after the other 3 have exhausted their arguments and is actually able to answer Iyov, unlike the first 3. Again a group of 3 + 1.

Gavriel, Michael, Raphael. These 3 famous angels came to Avraham in Parashah VaYera. They are the 3 best known angels and are mentioned in other places in Tanach such as Ezekiel and Daniel. However, once again there is also a fourth: Uriel. Surrounding the Throne of Glory is Michael on the right, Gavriel on the left, Uriel in the front, and Raphael in the back (as seen in Pirkei D’Rabi Eliezer). Once again there are really 4 to this group.

The bottom line is that the pattern of a group of 4 with one in the group that is different, is a reflection of the marriage between the 4 "couples" (or letters of the abbreviated forms) of God's Name (the 4 from the Tetragrammaton and the 4 from the Havaya of Adnoot) where 1 is different from the other 3, which also happens to be a function of the geometry in the royal seal.

In 49:8 the verse starts with the word “Yehudah” (יְהוּדָה)4. The first letter of the word is Yud (י) and this yud has special meaning. It is the second letter of the acronym “Bekah Shemo” (ב-י-ה  ש-מ-ו), which is the letters: Bet (ב), Yud (י), Heh (ה), Shin (ש), Mem (מ), and Vav (ו). These letters must be at the top of the column and start the column in a kosher Torah Scroll. The Bet is the first letter of Bereishit, which obviously starts the Torah, as it is "in the Beginning," and at the top of the column of a Torah Scroll. There are 5 other letters that must also be in that position in order for the Torah Scroll to be kosher. The second of these letters is in this week’s parashah (49:8) where we find the Yud of “Yehudah.” Notice that there are 6 letters that must be at the beginning of the column. 6 is the dimensions of the luchot (6 x 6 x 6 = 216). Notice also that there are 2 words made up of 3 letters each. This is like the 2 luchot that when split into their two halves, the dimensions are 6 x 6 x 3 each. The letters that must be at the top of the column are: Bet with a gematria of 2, or the 2 luchot; Yud with a gematria of 10, or the 10 commandments; Heh with a gematria of 5, the 5 internal mathematic constructs within the combined luchot or the split of the commandments into 5 opposite 5; Shin with a gematria of 300, you will have to wait for Parashah VeEthchanan 2014 to understand this; Mem with a gematria of 40, or 4 (tens), the 4 letter Explicit Names times the 10 commandments, or since there are 4 faces on a tetrahedron, 40 would make 5 star tetrahedrons; and Vav with a gematria of 6, or the dimensions of the luchot. It is also the 6th letter, and all points to the 6 x 6 x 6 of the luchot ( = 216). The Torah was inscribed on the luchot and the way for people to read it is by having it written out on a Torah Scroll. Rarely does one see an entire Torah Scroll all at once to even notice that the acronym “Bekah Shemo” must be at the beginning of a column, and so the Architect’s Signature is quite hidden from view.

Yaacov blesses Yissachar in 49:14 and compares him to a strong-boned donkey. “Donkey” (חַמֹר) is gematria 248, the number of limbs in a person’s body and the number of positive commandments. This number can also be expressed as an even progression, going from the 2 to 4 to 8 (which sounds like a rap song), which shows the progression of the division of the luchot. From one sapphire block (raw element) which is divided into 2 in one dimension (luchot), if they are divided again in the next dimension you get 4 pieces5, and when you divide them a third time, you get 4 opposite 4, or 8 cubes in total (see graphic of six 3s in the VaYeshev post for additional meaning).

Progression that Shows

each Dimension Divided in Half

1 – 2 – 4 – 8

In 49:19, Yaacov bless Gad. The letters of Gad are made up of a Gimel (ג) and a Daled (ד) whose gematrias' are 3 and 4, respectively, or a total gematria of 7. The number 7 is related to tetrahedral (blueprint) geometry (the royal seal) and of course calendar related halachah defined by cycles of 7, but here it is created using specific numbers. This is like the three 4 letter Explicit Names. This root of 7 (Gimel and Daled) is seen 4 times in the verse where Yaacov blesses Gad. There is Gad (גָּד) = 7, Gedood (גְּדוּד) = 17, Yegoodenu (יְגוּדֶנּוּ) = 79, and Yagood (יָגֻד) = 17. Notice the 2 times there is a mathematic mention of 17. This is like the 17 elements in half of the sapphire cube (before division). The 2 mentions of 17 are for each half that combine to form the luchot (see graphic in the post on VaYechi at the "Sapphire Magen David" blog to see this clearly). We seem to be left with Yegoodenu which has a gematria of 79, but if we break down the word, we have the Gimel and Daled = 7; 2 vavs and a yud, which is gematria 22, the number of Hebrew letters or the 22 years that Yaacov and Yoseph were separated (division) like the division of the luchot (again see the other graphic in the post on VaYechi at the "Sapphire Magen David" blog to see this clearly); and a Nun which is gematria 50, which is the number dividing the second dimension from the third, in the matrix of 7 x 7 x 7 defined by calendar related halachah, where 7 is the regular week and 8 is the start of the next, and 49 (7 x 7) is the end of the second dimensions, and 50 is the beginning of the third, or next level. 50 is also the Jubilee, another aspect of the calendar related halachah. It is the higher dimension that transcends the natural order. The total of all the above gematrias in the verse of Gad is (7 + 17 + 79 + 17 = ) 120 or 12 (tens). 
All 12 tribes would be obligated in the 10 commandments inscribed on the luchot, from which calendar related halachah (7) is based.

The 4 mentions of Gimel and Daled (7) in Gad’s blessing, is (4 x 7 = ) 28, or the number of elements in two opposing tetrahedrons that combine to form a star tetrahedron with 72 triangular corners that reflect the number of letters and the Triad nature of the Explicit Name (see the post on Miketz at the "Sapphire Magen David" blog for details).

In 50:10 Yoseph ordained a seven day mourning period for Yaacov. This is an example of an actual calendar related halachah, as the 7 days are spent in mourning. In 50:3, Yaacov’s “40 day-term was completed.” There are 57600 minutes in 40 days. This is actually the same number of eggs that would be found in the measure of 10 mikvahs (5760 being the number of eggs in a mikvah, as seen in the post on Shemeni and Tazria). Yaacov of course was dead, and you cannot purify a corpse (the actual source of the ritual contamination) but if we continue with the next part of the verse, we see an interesting insight into a cryptic passage in the Talmud. The rest of 50:3 reads: “and Egypt bewailed him (Yaacov) for 70 days.” The number of minutes in 70 days is 100800. The Babylonian Talmud in Tractate Ta’anit 5b states:

“Rabbi Yochanan said: ‘Yaacov our forefather did not die.’ They replied to him, ‘Was it for naught that they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him?!’ Rabbi Yochanan answered, ‘I am expounding a verse…’.”

Obviously Yaacov died, but Rabbi Yochanan is pointing out that his offspring carry on his legacy and he survives through them. If we take the number of minutes the Egyptians spent bewailing Yaacov, we get 100800. If you remove all the zeros6, you get 18, the gematria of life (חַי)!

The 70 days is also 7 (tens) again calendar related halachah in the form of mourning the death of Yaacov.

In 50:7-8, those that go up to the Land of Canaan with Yoseph to bury Yaacov are:

1) all of pharaoh’s servants;

2) the elders of his household; and

3) all the elders of the land of Egypt.

And

1) all of Yoseph’s household;

2) his brothers; and

3) his father’s household.

Only

1) their young children;

2) their flocks; and

3) their cattle,

did they leave in the region of Goshen.

Here we see another three 3s.

In this case, there are 3 + 3 with a break off of 3 that stay behind. In the geometry of the royal seal (three-dimensional magen david) there are 3 small faces with 3 corners. Each corner is triangular and in the fractal profession, the third dimension has 3 more corners.

Parashah VaYechi is the last parashah in the Book of Genesis. When we finish reading the parashah in the synagogue, the congregation chants: 

“חֲזַק! חֲזַק! וְנִתְחֲזֵק! – Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!” 

This phrase has a gematria of 801 a numeric palindrome of 108. This is 8 "hundreds," the (two dimensions above the 8 in) calendar related halachah, symbolizing there is no end to  studying Torah; we must continue and move into the next week (8) or next week's parashah, which is (in this case) the next Book of Moshe (The Book of Exodus). The added 1 is showing as if we really started already, for one can never finish studying the Torah in one’s lifetime; it is too deep and vast. Lest we get discouraged at its immensity, no matter at what age or level of scholarship, we chant in the synagogue at the completion of a Book of Moshe, “Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!” (801), meaning “may we have the strength to continue learning and studying” the next Book of Moshe and not stop here, being confident that we already completed the previous Book. This chant invigorates us to continue on to the next Book. So it is 8 (hundreds) the next week, plus 1, as if we already started the next Book, and we just need to continue studying, as opposed to starting anew. And that is also why the next Book (The Book of Exodus) starts off, “And these are the names of the Children of Israel...”; it is just a continuation. The Book of Leviticus starts off, “And He called to Moshe,...”, as does The Book of Numbers start off with the words, “And God spoke to Moshe in the Wilderness of Sinai,...”, for these too are just continuation. The Book of Deuteronomy does not start off with “And”, and we will see why in the post on Devarim.  

(Special thanks to Yisroel for pointing out the connections of the Daled in Yehudah’s name here)

_________________

Footnote 1 – See Tosafos there for the reason why. 

Footnote 2 – An alternate gematria of בסדם is 666. This number is superstitiously negative in the Gentile world. This would symbolize the 6 x 6 x 6 of an anti-matter luchot, a dark force of negative energy that corrupted the Sodomites. This of course is bogus. The most common carbon isotope (Carbon-12), the basis of all life on Earth, consists of 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons. This just proves that everything in our universe is all a function of the cosmic blueprint; by definition nothing can appear that isn’t in the blueprint.

Footnote 3 – Notice the chapter and verse, 49:7.

Footnote 4 – See post on VaYetze for the meaning of this name.

Footnote 5 – Or of the 2 sets of luchot there were 4 tablets altogether.

Footnote 6 – A technique employed in the usage of Mispar Katan. "Mispar Katan" means "the small count", and is the term used in gematria whereby only whole numbers are counted, and all zeros deleted.