GiNaT

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GiNaT ( Hebrew גנת) is an acronym for three different approaches to the exegesis of the Jewish Bible and other sacred texts in the tradition of rabbinic Judaism :

The word ginnat (גנת) is the status constructus of ginna (גנה; dt. Garden ) and appears as an acronym in the title Ginnat egos (גנת אגוז; dt. Nut garden , written in 1274, first printed in 1615) by the Spanish Kabbalist Josef Gikatilla .

Interpretation of the Torah

With the help of this system, some passages from the Bible can be interpreted in a new, non-literal sense, in addition to classic readings. According to the Kabbalistic mysticism of letters, the words and letters of the Bible are mystical ciphers or numbers. This happens either in a synthesizing or identifying way.

The Ginat typology is related to the Pardes method. This says that the Tanach was laid out in four layers. The Ginat method speaks of another threefold sense of the word. “Ginat” means “garden” from Hebrew. The word GiNaT is composed of the first letters of the words: Gematria , Notarikon and Temura .

Gematria is a method of interpreting words with the help of numbers. Letters are converted into their numerical values. The meanings and connections are then derived from the numerical values. Notarikon is a method of connecting the first or last letter of a word to form another word. Other, new words or sentences can be found from this. Temura is a method of explaining a word by interchanging its letters. This creates an explanatory or hidden meaning. The Pardes Ginat method or the paradise garden method says that everything in the Bible has a sevenfold sense.

Gematria

Gematria is also called identifying number mysticism . Example: The Hebrew word AChaD (אחז) means “a” and has the numerical value 13 (1 + 8 + 4). The Hebrew word AHaWA (אהבה) means "love" and also has the numerical value 13 (1 + 5 + 2 + 5). According to the Gematria, both words are interchangeable:

"Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and they will be one flesh." ( Genesis 2:24)

The Gematria translates a word into its numerical value in order to find a hidden or other meaning. Then a new word is formed from the same numerical value. The word a - in the above verse - can be reformulated accordingly to the word love , because both have the same numerical value:

Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and they will become his loving flesh.

Notarikon

Notarikon is also called synthesizing number mysticism and is done by expanding and supplementing letters and words. In his will, David calls out for his son Solomon (1 Kings 2.8): “He has cursed me with a harsh (נמרצת [NiMReZeT]) curse." According to this method, the consonants of the Hebrew word nimrezet contain the following insulting accusations :

  • N oeph: Adulterer
  • M oabi: Moabites
  • R ozeach: murderer
  • Z ores: violent
  • T oeb: More cruel

Temura

Temura is also called synthesizing number mysticism , but in this case it is done by rearranging the letters. Example: God says in 2. Book of Moses (23:23): I want to send my angel (מלאכי; Mal'achi ) to come before you ! By rearranging the letters of my angel you get the name of the angel Michael (מיכאל).

Literature (selection)

  • Isaak Heinemann : The scientific allegorism of the Jewish Middle Ages . In: Hebrew Union College Annual 23, 1950, ZDB -ID 1392696-2 , pp. 611-643.

See also