Letter Filling
If you’re one of those people that never really understood the numerical allusions to Hashem’s name that we often see in Kabbala articles, this lesson is just for you…
At times, the numerical value of a letter or word is given using a technique known as milui (“filling”; pl., miluim). Here, not only are the letters given numerical equivalents, they are considered complete words. In such cases, the letters used to spell out the main letter are considered to be “pregnant” within it.
For example, the word chen is made up of two letters: chet, nun. The letter chet itself is spelled: chet, yud, tav equals 418. Nun is spelled: nun, vav, nun equals 106. Thus, the value of chen with its milui is 524.
In this context, we must add that certain letters have more than one possible milui. For example, the letter hei can be spelled: hei, yud; hei hei; or hei, alef, arriving at equivalents of 6, 10, or 15 respectively. Similarly, the letter vav can be spelled: vav, yud, vav; vav, alef, vav; or vav, vav, with equivalents of 12, 13, and 22 respectively.
It must be emphasized that these different calculations are not mere mathematical exercises. Rather each different numerical equivalent represents a different aspect of Divine influence.
The most classic use of these alternate miluim is with regard to Divine Name Havayah (spelled: yud, hei, vav, hei). The gematria of the letters themselves is 26. However, with the milui, different figures are reached dependent on how the vav and hei are spelled.
Following are the principal miluim of the Name Havayah discussed in Kabbalah:
| Havayah of 72 | Havayah of 63 | Havayah of 45 | Havayah of 52 | |||||
| yud | yud, vav, dalet | =20 | yud, vav, dalet | =20 | yud, vav, dalet | =20 | yud, vav, dalet | =20 |
| hei | hei, yud | =15 | hei, yud | =15 | hei, alef | =6 | hei, hei | =10 |
| vav | vav, yud, vav | =22 | vav, alef, vav | =13 | vav, alef, vav | =13 | vav, vav | =12 |
| hei | hei, yud | =15 | hei, yud | =15 | hei, alef | =6 | hei, hei | =10 |
| total milui | =72 | total milui | =63 | total milui | =45 | total milui | =52 | |
These four sums, 72, 63, 45, 52, correspond themselves to the four letters of God’s name Havayah (and the ten sefirot) as follows:
| Letter of Havayah: | Havayah of: | The Ten Sefirot | |
| yud | 72 | Chochmah | Insight, wisdom |
| hei | 63 | Binah | Understanding |
| vav | 45 | Chessed to Yesod | The Emotional Attributes |
| hei | 52 | malchut | Kingdom |
Each of the letters hei, vav, hei of the Name Havayah possesses three variant spellings. Thus, there are 27 (3 to the 3rd) possible miluim of Holy Name. There are thirteen possible numerical equivalents ranging from 44 to 72, with a midpoint of 58 (= chen). When added together, the total of all the miluim is 1521, which equals 39 squared. Thirty-nine is the numerical equivalent of Hashem Echad (“God is One”).
The four forms of the Name Havayah cited above are considered to be the most essential forms and each correspond to a different letter of God’s name, as above. When their sum, 232, is divided by four, the number 58 (= chen) is again reached. Similarly, 232 is numerically equivalent to yehi or (“Let there be light”), the first of the utterances of Creation.
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