[Avodah] Abra(ha)m Received an A+ / Gematria

[Zev Sero]

Joshua Meisner wrote:

> Being that the original discussion was based on a gematria, it's 
> worthwhile to note that that gematria utilizes a base-10 system in which 
> units of 10 represent levels of completion, i.e., (10^0)x, (10^1)x, and 
> (10^2)x.  For argument's sake, one could as easily conceive a base-7 
> gematria system in which the values are 1,2...7,14,21...49, 98, etc.

I don't see where "levels of completion" comes in to it.  10 isn't a
level of completion, it's just when one runs out of fingers and has to
carry one over to the next column and start again.


> Given RZS' observation that powers of 10 are nowhere else used to imply 
> completeness, though,  it is quite curious that the system of gematria 
> should be set up in this fashion.  Why is this the case?

Because we count in base 10.  Every culture that wears shoes counts in
base 10.  Not because of any mystical notion about the number 10, but
because that's how many fingers we have.  People who don't wear shoes
can count in base 20, as the Maya did.

-- 
Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
zev at sero.name          interpretation of the Constitution.
                       	                          - Clarence Thomas