Is gematria related to numerology?

gematria is an ancient Hebrew numerological system that dates back to the sixth century B.C.E. It is related to numerology because it assigns numerical values to the letters of Hebrew words and then uses these numbers to interpret texts. Gematria is based on the idea that certain numbers, or combinations of numbers, can have spiritual or prophetic meaning.

According to gematria, each letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds to a numerical value – for example, the letter alef (א) is assigned a value of one, beit (ב) is two, and so on. Words can then be broken down into their individual numerical components which represent deeper meanings behind them. For instance, a word may have an energetic or symbolic meaning that goes beyond its literal interpretation when the numerical components are taken into account. The use of gematria was prevalent in Jewish mysticism during the Middle Ages and still maintains a presence in some branches of modern Kabbalah.

Although gematria has its roots in Jewish mysticism, it has heavy overlaps with numerology as well; both systems assign specific numerical values for words and both use these numbers to explore hidden meanings in language. In numerology specifically, an individual's name is often broken down into its component numbers which are then used to draw up readings relating to their life path and personality traits - much like how predictive readings could be derived from utilizing gematria's numerical interpretations. Numerologists will look at various data points such as date of birth and names that have been given throughout life as influences on this reading; similarly, in Kabbalah many scholars will look at prior generations of names being chosen by families when interpreting birth names given at present - thus demonstrating how changes in language over time can affect such interpretations as well as standard readings being drawn up via numerology or gematria alike.