Mispar Gadol
Mispar gadol (“large number”) is standard gematria with one change. The five final forms get their own values, continuing the hundreds after ת (400):
- ך final kaf = 500
- ם final mem = 600
- ן final nun = 700
- ף final pe = 800
- ץ final tsadi = 900
Ordinary Hebrew numerals do not work this way. They write 500 as תק (400 + 100). Mispar Gadol is a separate convention that gives the final letters a numerical role of their own.
Letter values
| Letter | Name | Gadol value |
|---|---|---|
| א | Alef | 1 |
| ב | Bet | 2 |
| ג | Gimel | 3 |
| ד | Dalet | 4 |
| ה | He | 5 |
| ו | Vav | 6 |
| ז | Zayin | 7 |
| ח | Chet | 8 |
| ט | Tet | 9 |
| י | Yod | 10 |
| כ | Kaf | 20 |
| ל | Lamed | 30 |
| מ | Mem | 40 |
| נ | Nun | 50 |
| ס | Samekh | 60 |
| ע | Ayin | 70 |
| פ | Pe | 80 |
| צ | Tsadi | 90 |
| ק | Qof | 100 |
| ר | Resh | 200 |
| ש | Shin | 300 |
| ת | Tav | 400 |
| ך | Kaf (final) | 500 |
| ם | Mem (final) | 600 |
| ן | Nun (final) | 700 |
| ף | Pe (final) | 800 |
| ץ | Tsadi (final) | 900 |
Worked examples
שלום — shalom: final mem is 600, not 40
ש 300 + ל 30 + ו 6 + ם 600 = 936
אמן — amen: final nun is 700
א 1 + מ 40 + ן 700 = 741
ארץ — eretz, “land”: final tsadi is 900
א 1 + ר 200 + ץ 900 = 1,101
A word with no final letter has the same value in Gadol as in the standard method: אמת is 441 in both.