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a word borrowed from the Greek, either corresponding to ãåùìåôñßá or ãñáììáôåßá , denotes, among the Cabalists, a rule according to which the Scripture was explained. The idea of this rule was. since every letter is a numeral, to reduce the word to the number it contains, and to explain the word by another of the same quantity. Thus, from the words, "Lo! three men stood by him" (Gen_18:2), it is deduced that these three angels were Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, because åäðä ùìùä ; and lo! three men, and àìå îéëàì âáøéàì åøôàì , these are Michael, Gabrie, and Raphael, are of the same numerical value, as will be seen from the following reduction to their numerical value of both these phrases: å ä ð ä ù ì ù ä 5+300+30+300+5+50+5+6=701 ì å î é ë à ì â á ø é à ì 30+1+10+200+2+3+30+ 1 +20 +10+40 +6+30 å ø ô à ì à +1 +30 +1 +80+200+6=701. From the passage, "And all the inhabitants of the earth were of one language" (Gen_11:1), is deduced that all spoke Hebrew; ùôä being changed for its synonym ìùåï , and ä÷ãù =5+100+4+300=409, is substituted for its equivalent àçú =l+8+400=409. Or the word öîú in the passage, "For behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch" (Zec_3:8), must mean the Messiah; for it amounts numerically to the same as îðçí "Comforter" (Lam_1:16)=138. So éáà ùéìä in the passage, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come," amounts numerically to the same as îùéç =358; hence Shiloh must be the Messiah. SEE CABALA. (B.P.)