64 Friday, May 9, 1980
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Walter L. Field's Expertness in Numerology Shown
by His Analysis of Threes and Sevens in the Bible
Numerology is science. It is a resort to numbers to
define and often to reflect upon the mysticism of life.
There are plays on numbers in the Bible which often
emerge as very intriguing. Walter L. Field is the expert
who has won wide attention for his study of numerology. It
is especially evident in a pamphlet published by the Keren
Reuben Fund of the World Jewish Bible Society headquar-
tered in Jerusalem.
In the 32-page pamphlet, entitled "Gleanings from the
Bible," Field outlines the results of his study of the num-
bers three and seven in the Bible.
Tribute to Field's labors is contained in the foreword to
the brochure by Haim Gevaryahu, director of the World
Bible Society. •
Additionally, there is an interesting letter from Rabbi
Irwin Groner of Detroit's Cong. Shaarey Zedek, who calls
"Gleanings from the Bible" a "thought-provoking collec-
tion of essays and interpretations inspired by the Holy
Scriptures."
Field defines the subject he made into a labor of love for
Bible and devotion to the subject of numerology:
"My first encounter with the liook of Books' was when
I attended `Heder' in the little village, Dobrzyn, `Na Dre-
vence,' Poland, where I was born. As I started the study of
Breshit, the numbers three and seven became a source of
wonderment for me, through my awareness that the third
day in the process of creation was something special, being
blessed twice, as related in the firstchapter of Genesis, and
the importance of the seventh day, in the cycle of the week.
"While many numbers are mentioned in the Bible in
connection with personalities and events, the numbers
three and seven must be considered in a category by them-
selves because hardly an outstanding personality or great
event in the Bible is complete without these two numbers."
In his introductory essay, Gevaryahu states:
"It is interesting to note that Pirke Avot 3:6 adduces
the presence of the Shekhina in both of the groups of 10 and
three from the same verse (Psalm 82:1), as if to equate them
in importance. And indeed there is a common denominator:
Three and 10 people constitute an official corporate body. A
tribunal of judges cannot Serve with less than three; a
group cannot conduct a public service with a minyan of less
than 10 people.
The nucleus of a community may be either three or
10. When three - eat together, the grace after meals is
prefaced by a special formula. When 10 are dining together,
the same formula is recited, but with the addition of God's
Name In both instances the diners constitute a -company,
and the formula inviting–the diners to join in giving praise
to the Almighty for the food eaten is appropriate.
"Wheras the number three carries within it the no-
tion of community, the number seven assumes a cosmic
dimension. No rational reason for the importance of the
choice of seven can be brought forth, except for the mystical
religious quality therein. The source is indeed the opening
chapter of our Tanakh
"In the cosmic account of creation, the symbolic
number of seven is proclaimed, and this sets the pattern for
many of our religious traditions: the seven day week, the
seven year cycle of the sabbatical year, and the seven-
times-seven years cycle of the jubilee year. Interestingly
too, while all the holy days and fesitvals in the Pentateuch
are enumerated according to their specific months, the
festival of Shavuot follows the pattern of the seven-week
_ cycle of counting the Omer daily from Pesach."
The "Three and Seven" theme is introduced factually
_
by Field in this interesting pamphlet. He calls attention to
the significance of the numbers as follows:
"The first sentence of the awe-inspiring story of crea-
tion is composed of seven Hebrew words, of which three are
nouns . God, heaven and earth (1:1).
"During the six days of creation, God repeated the word
`toy' (good) seven times: once on the first day, none on the
second day, twice on the third day, once on the fourth and
fifth days and twice again on the sixth day. (The sixth day
here is considered the last of the second three-day cycle).
The 10 utterances of God in the word of creation show
a clear division and -three, seven divine acts creat-
ing matter — and three mentioned for the benefit of man:
"Let there be light"
"Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water."
"Let the water below the sky gather in one area."
"Let the earth sprout vegetation."
c
As an epilogue, Field's study concludes with a poem,
"The Preacher," the final stanza of which reads:
Envy and hatred, race against race.
Bloody battles for a foot of space.
Oh God, why do you hide your face?
Rabbi Philip Birnbaum, in "A Book of Jewish
Concepts," has an interesting commentary on
number terms:
NUMBER TERMS
Walter L. Field, right, and Israel Prime Minister
Begin are shown at a study session of the World
Jewish Bible Society, at the residence of the prime
minister, June 23, 1979.
Let there be light in the expanse of the sky to separate
clay from night."
"Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures."
"Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature."
"I will make man in My image."
"Be fertile and increase."
"See I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon the
earth."
The first three verses of Chapter 2 mention the
number seven three times. -
"After Cain killed Abel, God drove him from his home
but warned humanity: Therefore, if anyone kills Cain,
sevenfold vengeance shall be taken of him (4:15).
- "And Lamech said to his wives: "If Cain is avenged
sevenfold, then Lamech seventy and sevenfold' (4:24). ,
In the story of the Flood, the number seven is men-
tioned seven times (5:5-7)."
In this Jerusalem-published booklet, "Gleanings from
the Bible," Field devotes considerable space to describe the
result of his study of "The Numbers Three and Seven in the
Bible." He then proceeds further to define the subject with
additional studies entitled: "Numerical Symbolism in Rites
and Prayers," The Pilgrim Holidays and the Holy Days,"
The Minyan," "Shirat Moshe, Shira Hadasha, Lekha Dodi:
What Are Structural Similarities Between These Three
Hebrew Liturgical Songs?," "Second Son Syndrome as Re-
corded in Genesis and Exodus."
"
"The symbolical use of round numbers occurs fre-
quently in Hebrew literature. The sacredness of the
number seven is enhanced by its connection with the crea-
tion of the world and the institution of the Sabbath. The
number seven appears in the institution of the seventh yr
of release (shemita), the 49 years between jubilees, t
seven branches of the Menora, the 49 days between Pesach
and Shavuot, the seven days of Pesach and of Sukkot.
"The number 10 is reminiscent of the 10 generations
before the flood and the 10 generations between Noah and
Abraham, the 10 plagues in Egypt, the 10 commandments,
the 10 divine utterances by which the world was created,
the 10 trials of Abraham, and the expression: 'They have
put me to the test 10 times' (Numbers 14:22).
"The number 40 is often used in the Bible. At the time
of the flood, it rained for 40 days; Israel wandered in the
wilderness for 40 years; David and Solomon each reigned
for 40 years; Elijah journeyed for 40 days to flee from
Jezebel to the mountain of God.
The number 70, made up of the factors seven and 10,
has a symbolical significance. The descendants of the three
sons of Noah, repopulating the world after the flood, were
70 in number. Jacob came into Egypt with 70 persons;
Moses chose 70 elders to assist him in his duties; Israel was
exiled into Babylonia for a period of 70 years; the Septuag-
int version of the Bible was prepared by 70 scribes.
"The sages frequently grouped themes of traditional
teaching according to numbers. Many instances are to be
found especially in Ethics of the Fathers: They said three
things . . . The world is based upon three things . . . Ten
miracles were performed for our fathers in Egypt, and 10 at
the Red Sea . . . Ten miracles were done for our fathers in
the Temple . . . Ten things . were created on the eve of Sab-
bath . . . There are seven characteristics of a stupid person,
and seven of a wise man . . . There are four characters
among men . . . There are four dispositions . . . There are
four types of students . . . There are four types of con-
tributors to charity . . . 'Such numerical groupings were an
aid to memory."
An Immigrant's View of Home: Jerusalem
By DVORA WAYSMAN
World Zionist Organization
I have lived in Jerusalem
for nine years, but even now
when I answer someone's
question with "I live in
Jerusalem," I feel a sense of
shock — as if it's too preten-
tious to be really true.
You don't fall in love with
Jerusalem all at once. It
happens so imperceptibly
that you don't even notice.
One day you're indifferent
— it's just another city —
less dignified than London;
less charming than Venice;
less magical than Paris.
And then, one day, you're
"hooked." You find your
_perceptions are sharpened
and you begin to see beauty
unexpectedly.-
Eventually there is a
day when the city and its
people are more familiar.
You feel comfortable with
the motley ethnic mosaic
and no longer think it
strange that on the one
street you may have passed
There are barrows of sil- years old, was giving its
very carp and the delicately shade to some little boys
flavored St. Peter's fish playing ball, their black
from the Sea of Galilee. You `kipot' askew and their ear-
can buy freshly-killed chic- locks flying in the wind.
kens, cheap jewelry, brass There was blue sky,
trays, toys and trinkets. The silvery-green leaves, scarlet
smell is something special, __poppies in the grass.
I caught my breath, re-
a real Middle-Eastern mar-
membering a quotation
JERUSALEM DAY, marking the reunification
from Gemara Kiddushin:
of the Holy City in 1967, will be celebrated in
"Ten measures of beauty
many communities on Tuesday. Detroit will
came to the world; nine
mark the day with a special program at Oak
were taken by Jerusalem
Park's Major Park on May 18.
Jerusalem is like that.
ket kind of a smell.
Dominican monk.
Jerusalem has many
The fact that you also
may have heard 12 different beautiful spots that are
languages no longer seems tourist sights: the Western
strange to you either. You Wall, the Knesset, the Is-
rael Museum and Shrine of
are becoming "absorbed."
It is a comfortable city to the Book, the Hebrew Uni-
live in, everything you need versity. They are all worth
in the way of shops and serv- visiting. But the charm of
ices, yet compact enough to Jerusalem lies in the unex-
retain an almost small- pected.
On Shabat I was walking
town feeling. The Old City
is walled, and shopping in through Mea Shearim. It's
the Arab "shuk" or bazaar is like taking a trip back in
time. The streets are
an exotic experience.
Personally, I prefer the blocked off from traffic so
Jewish market in that nothing disturbs the
Mahane Yehuda that peace. It's not particularly
runs off Jaffa Road. It's a attractive — not too clean,
busy, colorful sort of dingy old buildings.
I was walking through
place. My mouth starts to
water just looking at the this drab, Orthodox
stalls piled high with neighborhood when I
plump strawberries, happened to glance thiwn
David's Tower in
shining avocadoes, one of its narrow lanes.
brown coconuts, fat At the end of it was a Jerusalem, built in 1536
by the Turkish Sultan
radishes, tomatoes, courtyard.
An olive tree, hundreds of Suleiman.
cucumbers.
well-dressed American
tourists, Israelis in open-
neck shirts and jeans, a
bearded hasid in black suit
and fur-edged streimel, an
Arab wearing the tradi-
tional keffiyeh head-dress;
a brightly-garbed black He-
brew; a turbaned Kurd; a
/1'