The Hebrew letters are fascinating and interesting to learn about because each letter in the Aleph-Bet contain different meanings and symbolisms. Perhaps therefore it is not a coincidence that the Hebrew word for “letter” is "ot" (אוֹת). This word also means “sign” or “symbol” or “cue”! BRIEF INFO ABOUT THE HEBREW SCRIPT Hebrew is an ancient script and it is different from other scriptures in that:
 The 22 Hebrew Letters. Some of the Hebrew letters have other versions when used in the ending of a word, these are known as 'Soffit', and are not part of the HAMSA 22 Hebrew letters series. WHAT IS GEMATRIA ? In Hebrew the letters and words all have numerical value, providing a deeper meaning as well as connecting different words, providing even further meanings and inter-connections between them. Even the sequence of the letters can have meanings which makes the deciphering of these codes and different meanings and interpretations an interesting area of exploration or study. From an Etymological perspective, the word Gematria itself is thought to derive from the Greek γεωμετρία geōmetriā, "geometry", which was used as a translation of gēmaṭriyā, though some scholars believe it to derive from Greek γραμματεια grammateia "knowledge of writing". In relation to biblical texts, Gematria has been used by Jewish scholars and Kabbalists who believe that in these hidden 'codes' within the religious texts such as the Torah, the letters and words and even sounds are clues to gaining deeper insight about life and events. It comes also in part from the mathematical idea that numbers and interconnections/ relationships between them help to explain phenomenons in nature and our universe. Within the religious belief, the world was created through God’s “speech,” and therefore each letter represents a different creative force. This is also the assumption behind the use of Gematria - that the different numerical equivalences are not coincidental.
THE NUMBER 18 IN JUDAISM - the chai. A well-known example of Hebrew gematria is the word chai ("alive"). The word adds up to the number 18 - and therefore the Chai word is often worn as a jewelry as 18 is considered a lucky number among Jewish people. It is composed of two letters - Chet ( ח) and Yod ( י).  In my Hamsa 22 Artwork with the CHET letter, that represents the word 'Chai' meaning 'alive' or 'life' and representing also the number 8 in Gematria, - i've used the Tree of Life from the Kabbalah to illustrate these different hidden meanings of the letter. The Kabbalah is a school of thought in Jewish mysticism. Read more about The Tree of Life from the artwork below. 13 IS A GOOD NUMBER Another example is the number 13 representing among other things, the word AHAVA which means 'LOVE' and 'ECHAD' which means 'One'. Each word both adds up to 13. The Hebrew letter MEM is the 13th letter in the Hebrew aleph bet and represents MAYIM (water) which is crucial for life. The number 13 also symbolizes the Bar Mitzvah age of Jewish boys and it's considered overall a very good and lucky number. If you're interested in viewing or buying art prints from the Hamsa 22 Hebrew Letters series, you can find them in here in my online shop!  HAMSA 22 - HEBREW LETTER SERIES 'CHET'. Ink on paper, A4 May-Bell Bareket www.maybellbareket.com WHAT DOES EACH HEBREW LETTER MEAN? Many scholars have studied the letters and meanings and there is a vast amount of literature and commentaries to be found with varying levels of complexities! Naturally i am not a biblical scholar or a Jewish kabbalist and my own interests and exploration of the Hebrew letters has been through different books, online materials and videos, as part of my research in creating the Hamsa 22 series! To learn about each Hebrew letter - check out my online exhibition on Instagram. HAMSA 22 ONLINE EXHIBITION OF THE HEBREW LETTERS - NOW SHOWING! Many people seek to understand the individual letters & drawings more, beyond their visual aesthetics. My art (and any art) can of course be enjoyed as it is without the extra dimension or provided meaning, however to those that may seek this further understanding about my the letters and my inspiration for each drawing, i'm currently having a very basic introductory online 'mini-exhibition' in my Instagram stories, of each Hamsa 22-drawing!  Follow my Instagram account @maybellbareketartist #HAAMSA If you head on over to my Instagram account, you will already discover some of the individual Hebrew letters that i've featured - they are located in their own unique folders on my Instagram account. There, I provide easy and introductory information about the hidden meanings of each Hebrew letter in relation to my own Hamsa 22 artworks. You are also welcome to explore my BLOG as i update my articles or check out an overview of the symbolic elements on my website!
The 72 Names of God are not “names” in the usual sense but rather they are thought to be a kind of metaphysical keys - or powerful spiritual tools to achieving an abundance of blessing, fortune, prosperity, wholeness and happiness. It's believed one need not even know Hebrew, merely scanning the letters visually or thinking about them / meditating on them, helps this connection. In the online Instagram stories exhibition, i explain each 3-letter unit i've used in the corresponding drawing.  The 72 Names of God chart
You can read more about the symbols on on my website blog or feel free to write to me through my website if you have any questions or elements you're curious about.
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