Gematria is a polarizing topic. While many love it, many others view it with skepticism.
What is the purpose of gematria?
Can we truly learn anything from the numerical representation of words?
What is beneath these creative yet apparently simplistic interpretations?
While jointly pursuing semichah and a PhD in mathematics, it seemed natural for Elie Feder to love gematria. However, he was bothered by these compelling questions. That is, until he discovered the purpose of gematria.
Gematria Refigured presents the discoveries that led to the author’s transformation from a gematria skeptic to a gematria lover. It develops a theory which elucidates how the Torah and Chazal use gematria to direct us toward a very specific type of idea. Through its many examples, this work illustrates how gematria can help us uncover novel insights, while providing interesting and clearly formulated perspectives into many mitzvos, themes, and stories in Tanach.
“Both fascinating and eye-opening… I highly recommend that the tzibbur learns through this work.
- Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Rosh Yeshiva, Aish HaTorah and the Jerusalem Kollel
“Rabbi Elie Feder has ‘redeemed’ gematria in a most beautiful and erudite way.”
- Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz, Rav, Kehillas Ohr Somayach
Elie Feder received Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin semichos from his rebbi, Rabbi Yisrael Chait. He also received a PhD in mathematics from CUNY Graduate Center. Elie has been a maggid shiur at Yeshiva Bnei Torah and a mathematics professor at Kingsborough Community College since 2004. He has published many papers and delivered many talks in graph theory, his field of mathematics research. He lives in Far Rockaway, New York, with his wife, Aliza, and their four children.
