Symmetrically Designed Sifrei Torah: A Quantitative Analysis - Hakirah
Symmetrically Designed Sifrei Torah: A Quantitative Analysis - Hakirah
Symmetrically Designed Sifrei Torah: A Quantitative Analysis - Hakirah
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180 : Hạkirah, the Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought<br />
פרשיות as well as those in the first few חומש number of words in each<br />
:ויקרא of<br />
Table 1<br />
Number of words in the <strong>Torah</strong><br />
# of # of<br />
חומש<br />
Words פרשה Words בראשית<br />
20,614 ויקרא 1,673 שמות<br />
16,714 צו 1,353 ויקרא<br />
11,950 שמיני 1,238 במדבר<br />
16,408 תזריע 1,010 דברים<br />
14,294 Total 15 79,980<br />
According to the actual word count of 79,980, the middle<br />
words are words 39,990 and 39,991, i.e. יצק אל in ח׃טו .ויקרא The<br />
Gemara’s choice, דרש ,דרש are words 40,923 and 40,924. How do we<br />
explain a discrepancy of over 900 words?<br />
The existing literature addressing this issue is sparse. R’ Isaac<br />
Zilber, as he did with respect to the middle letter, again offers a novel<br />
15 The 79,976 number given in the back of standard Chumashim is 4 less<br />
than our actual count (the סימן is עט סופר מהיר יפיפית based on the<br />
underlined letters). While we know all of the words in the <strong>Torah</strong>, there<br />
are instances in the <strong>Torah</strong> where there is some question as to whether<br />
the letters form 1 or 2 words, e.g.<br />
• Devarim 32:6: The first letter in the verse - see Rashi.<br />
א 117a: • Pesachim<br />
"ר חסדא א"ר יוחנן הללויה וכסיה וידידיה אחת הן רב<br />
אמר כסיה ומרחביה אחת הן רבה אמר מרחביה בלבד איבעיא להו מרחב יה<br />
.לרב חסדא מאי תיקו<br />
(בראשית יד) את כדר לעומר דפסק להו ספרא<br />
• 65a: Chulin<br />
אלא מעתה .בתרי הכי נמי דתרתי שמי נינהו<br />
as well as others. Regardless of whether 79,976 or 79,980 is correct, the<br />
discrepancy between the actual middle word(s) and the one the Gemara<br />
gives is so great that it cannot be explained by “missing” words.