Hebrew (Mispar Hechrachi) Gematria Cipher

Hebrew gematria, in its standard form Mispar Hechrachi (absolute value), gives each of the 22 Hebrew letters a fixed value from 1 to 400. It is the original gematria on which the English ciphers are modelled.

The Hebrew (Mispar Hechrachi) table

LetterNameValuePositionFinal form (Mispar Gadol value)
אAlef11–
בBet22–
גGimel33–
דDalet44–
הHe55–
וVav66–
זZayin77–
חChet88–
טTet99–
יYod1010–
כKaf2011ך (500)
לLamed3012–
מMem4013ם (600)
נNun5014ן (700)
סSamekh6015–
עAyin7016–
פPe8017ף (800)
צTsadi9018ץ (900)
קQof10019–
רResh20020–
שShin30021–
תTav40022–

How it works

Write the word in Hebrew letters, replace each letter by its value (alef = 1, bet = 2, yod = 10, kaf = 20, qof = 100, tav = 400) and add them up. In the standard method, final letter forms count the same as the regular forms. Vowel marks are ignored.

Worked examples

  • חי (life): ח (8) + י (10) = 18
  • אהבה (love): א (1) + ה (5) + ב (2) + ה (5) = 13
  • אחד (one): א (1) + ח (8) + ד (4) = 13

Where it comes from

Hebrew letters have served as numerals for centuries, and gematria appears as an interpretive technique in rabbinic literature and later Jewish mysticism. Related practices exist in Greek (isopsephy) and Arabic (abjad numerals).

Frequently asked questions

Can I type Hebrew into the calculator?

Yes. Type or paste Hebrew letters and the calculator adds a Hebrew row to the results.

Are final letters worth more?

In Mispar Hechrachi they are not. Another method, Mispar Gadol, gives final letters values from 500 to 900.

Other ciphers

Gematria and numerology are traditions of interpretation, not sciences. Results are provided for education, curiosity and entertainment and are not a prediction or professional advice.