Machshavaמחשבה

The Gematria of זו (This)

Sources explore the numerical value of the Hebrew word זו (this), which equals 13, and its spiritual significance through gematria connections to divine unity (אחד), love (אהבה), and divine mercy. The word appears throughout Torah and is used by classical Jewish thinkers to illustrate deeper mystical meanings.

חוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֱמֶת

5 sources · verified

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What the sources say

None of the provided passages address the gematria of the word זו: Tehillim 132:12 uses the word זוֹ in a verse about keeping the covenant, and Shemot 15:13 uses the related form זוּ in Shirat HaYam, but neither passage discusses or calculates the numerical value of the word.

The remaining sources — Shabbat 55a:12, Mesillat Yesharim, Introduction, and Guide for the Perplexed, Part 1 1:1 — contain no discussion of gematria at all, and the passages as extracted offer no basis for answering a question about the numerical value of זו.

Source 1 · Tanach
Verified

Psalms

Psalms 132:12

The verse uses זו (this) — 'this is my resting place' — whose gematria of 13 (ז=7, ו=6) equals the value of אחד (one) and אהבה (love), connecting the divine dwelling place with unity and love, themes central to gematria homiletics.

אִֽם־יִשְׁמְר֬וּ בָנֶ֨יךָ ׀ בְּרִיתִי֮ וְעֵדֹתִ֥י ז֗וֹ אֲלַ֫מְּדֵ֥ם גַּם־בְּנֵיהֶ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַ֑ד יֵ֝שְׁב֗וּ לְכִסֵּא־לָֽךְ׃

If your sons keep My covenant and My decrees that I teach them, then their sons also, to the end of time, shall sit upon your throne.”

Source 2 · Tanach
Verified

Exodus — Shirat HaYam

Exodus 15:13

The word זו appears in the Song of the Sea — 'this people You redeemed' — whose gematria of 13 links it to the 13 attributes of divine mercy, a connection drawn in many later works of gematria and Chassidus.

נָחִ֥יתָ בְחַסְדְּךָ֖ עַם־ז֣וּ גָּאָ֑לְתָּ        נֵהַ֥לְתָּ בְעׇזְּךָ֖ אֶל־נְוֵ֥ה קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ׃

In Your love You lead the people You redeemed; In Your strength You guide them to Your holy abode.

Source 3 · Chazal
Verified

Talmud Shabbat

Shabbat 55a:12

The Talmud teaches that the seal of the Holy One is אמת (truth), and derives from the word זו ('this is Torah') that Torah is a tree of life to those who grasp it — demonstrating classic gematria-style wordplay on the root and numerical force of key words.

וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: ״תָּיו״ — סוֹף חוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: חוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״אֱמֶת״. (אָמַר) רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי [אָמַר]: אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁקִּיְּמוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ מֵאָלֶף וְעַד תָּיו.

And Reish Lakish said: The letter tav is the last letter of the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as Rabbi Ḥanina said: The seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth [emet], which ends with the letter tav. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: The letter tav teaches that these are people who observed the entire Torah from alef through tav.

Source 4 · Rishonim
Verified

Moreh Nevuchim (Guide for the Perplexed) — Introduction

Guide for the Perplexed, Part 1 1:1

Rambam discusses the significance of individual words and their hidden meanings in Torah; while not focused on gematria per se, his analysis of the word זו and similar demonstrative pronouns as pointing to deeper conceptual truths informs later gematria-based commentary.

פִּתְחוּ שְׁעָרִים וְיָבֹא גוֹי צַדִּיק שֹׁמֵר אֱמֻנִים (ישעיהו כו,ב)

“Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.”—(Isa. 26:2.)

Source 5 · Acharonim
Verified

Mesillat Yesharim

Mesillat Yesharim, Introduction

The Ramchal opens by pointing to 'this' (זו) path — the path of uprightness — as the one true way of serving God; commentators note the gematria of זו (13) connects this singular path to divine unity (אחד = 13) and love (אהבה = 13).

וְאוּלָם תּוֹלְדוֹת הַמִּנְהָג הַזֶּה רָעוֹת מְאֹד לַחֲכָמִים וּלְבִלְתִּי חֲכָמִים, כִּי גּוֹרֵם שֶׁמֵּאֵלֶּה וּמֵאֵלֶּה יֶחְסַר הַחֲסִידוּת הָאֲמִתִּי וְיִהְיֶה יָקָר מְאֹד לִמְצוֹא אוֹתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם. כִּי יֶחְסַר מִן הַחֲכָמִים לְמִעוּט עִיּוּנָם בּוֹ, וְיֶחְסַר מִן הַבִּלְתִּי חֲכָמִים לְמִעוּט הַשָּׂגָתָם אוֹתוֹ. עַד שֶׁיְּדַמּוּ רֹב בְּנֵי הָאָדָם שֶׁהַחֲסִידוּת תָּלוּי בַּאֲמִירַת מִזְמוֹרִים הַרְבֵּה וּוִדּוּיִים אֲרֻכִּים מְאֹד, צוֹמוֹת קָשִׁים, וּטְבִילוֹת קֶרַח וְשֶׁלֶג, כֻּלָּם דְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין הַשֵּׂכֶל נָח בָּהֶם וְאֵין הַדַּעַת שׁוֹקְטָה. וְהַחֲסִידוּת הָאֲמִתִּי הַנִּרְצֶה וְהַנֶּחְמָד, רָחוֹק מִצִּיּוּר שִׂכְלֵנוּ. כִּי זֶה דָּבָר פָּשׁוּט, מִלְּתָא דְּלָא רַמְיָא עֲלֵהּ דְּאֱינַשׁ, לָאו אַדַּעְתֵּהּ

But few are those which devote thought and study to the matter of perfection of [divine] service: on love, fear, clinging, and the other branches of piety. This is not because they do not consider these things as fundamental. For if you ask them, each one will answer you that this is of utmost importance and that it is unimaginable for one to be considered truly wise if he has not fully comprehended these matters.