PARSHA MATH

THE NAME OF G-D IS UPON YOU

ָ‫על ֶיך‬
ָ ‫קר ָא‬
ְ ִ ‫שם ה' נ‬
ֵ ‫ע ַמֵי הָאר ֶץ כ ִי‬-‫ י וְרָאו כ ָל‬,‫דברים פרק כח‬
:ָ ‫וְיָר ְאו מִמֶך‬
Then all the nations of the world will see that the Name of G-d is upon you, and they will fear you.

The Gemara (Berachos 6a) says that this verse refers to the head Tefillin. Rabbeinu Bachaye
explains that the “Name of G-d” refers to the letter Shin that is found on either side of the head
Tefillin.
According to the Baal HaTurim the first letters of the words in the phrase “the name of G-d will be
proclaimed ‫שם יה' נקרא‬, is an acronym for the word of the letter Shin ‫שין‬.
On a practical level the number value of the letter ‫ ש‬is 300, the number of days the Tefillin are
worn each year (approximately 65 days of the year are Shabbos and Yom Tov, when Tefillin are
not worn).
We also have another association using the At-Bash(‫ )את בש‬numerical system. In this system of
numeric values, one substitutes letters (first Aleph ‫ א‬with the last letter ‫ ;ת‬second letter ‫ ב‬with
the second from last letter ‫ ;ש‬etc.) Thus, the letters of the Name of G-d when substituted
according to At-Bash (‫)את בש‬:
‫ י‬- ‫ מ‬Gematria 40
‫ ה‬- ‫ צ‬Gematria 90
‫ ו‬- ‫ פ‬Gematria 80
‫ ה‬- ‫ צ‬Gematria 90
Total = 300 Gematria of Shin

Why do the nations of the world see the Name of G-d and fear us? What does this
have to do with Tefillin?
Rashi tells us that the Name of G-d refers to the knot of the Tefillin at the back of
the head.
The word for knot in Hebrew is Kesher ‫קשר‬. Toras Levi Yitzchak (pg 219)
explains that the Shin (=) 300, unites the Kuf (=100) with the Reish (=200) on
either side of the Shin. In other words, the letter Shin (from the Tefillin) is the
“knot” (from the Tefillin) that unites G-d (represented by His Name) with the
Jews (wearer of the Tefillin). This special connection through Mitzvos of the
Creator with the Jews is what brings fear to the nations of the world in order
that they do not physically harm us.
info@parshapages.com www.parshaforkids.blogspot.com
 PARSHA MATH

NOTES FOR TEACHER OR PARENT

Age group – 10 years and up
Objective of this lesson:
Appreciate math in the Parsha
Introduction to concepts within Judaism of letter and number values

Three Hundred
Worlds:

Three hundred foxes sent to burn down the fields of the Philistines.
Three hundred arrows pierced King Yoshiyahu.
Three hundred years Israel worshipped idolatry in the days of the
Judges.

Souls:

Three hundred fox-parables of Rabbi Meir.

Three thousand (ten sets of 300) parables of King Solomon.
Three hundred firstborn Levites.
• Three hundred soldiers of Gideon.

Divinity:

Three hundred halachot concerning "a mighty bright spot."

Three hundred halachot concerning "you shall not let a sorceress live."
Three hundred halachot concerning "the tower soaring in air."
Three hundred halachot concerning "and the name of his wife was
Meheitavel."
"Is not my word like fire and like a hammer that breaks rock into
pieces?"
"The spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters."
The full spelling of the Name Elokim (and the Name Havayah in
at'bash).

info@parshapages.com www.parshaforkids.blogspot.com