God's Number Seven

In this study I would like to examine the meaning of the number seven. The mighty one Yha, seem to work a round the number seven as his lucky number to do his will among his people.

Seven In Creation

In the story of creation, found in Genesis, we find that the creation of the physical world was markedly formed with seven and its multiples. Even the time of creation is marked by seven.

Seven In The Body

The body, according to our Sages, is composed of seven major parts, namely: head, torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, and the Brit Mila (the organ of circumcision).

It is also obvious that there are seven openings in the head. Like the menorah, the head has three openings on either side of the centerline of the head, with the mouth in the center. 

The body is bounded by six sides, yet the spirit connects to, and animates, all of them.

Seven In Sound

Music speaks to the soul and to the body. When the music is done correctly it “moves” us. The Torah talks about how proper music can make an evil spirit depart:

1 Samuel 16:14-23

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Music that “moves” us is music which is based on a seven tone scale. The 1997 World Book Encyclopedia details this for us:

Seven In Light

The rainbow with its seven colors reflected the beauty and divinity of the seven commandments of the Children of Noah (Noachide):

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVENS !!!

1.  Shabbat is the 7th day of the week.

2. There are 7 weeks in the counting of the Omer before Shavuot.

Leviticus 23:15

15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:

3.In Israel, there are 7 days of Passover and Succoth.

Leviticus 23:6

4  And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

5.Yitro (Jethro), the first real convert to Judaism, had 7 different names, and 7 daughters (one who married Moses).

6.Moses was born and died on the same day - the 7th of Adar.
       
7.Our Succah huts are “visited” by 7 guests - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David.

8.The Menorah in the Temple had 7 branches.

9.Moses was the 7th generation after Abraham.

10.Each plague in Egypt lasted 7 days.

11.In Pharaoh’s dreams there were 7 cows and 7 stalks of grain.

12.The Biblical contamination period typically lasts 7 days.

13.God created 7 levels of heaven.

14.There are 7 special species of produce by which the Land of Israel is praised: wheat, barley, grapes, pomegranates, figs, olives, and dates. (Deut. 8:8)

15.The world has 7 continents

16.There were 7 days of preparation for the construction of the Tabernacle in the desert. (Leviticus 8:35)

17.Noah sent the dove and the raven out of the Ark for 7 days to inspect the weather conditions.

18. 7 nations warred with Israel: Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites.

19.There are 7 notes on the musical scale.

20.The world has 7 seas.

21.Joshua led the Jewish People around the walls of Jericho 7 times before the walls fell. (Joshua

22.Jacob worked for Laban for 7 years (twice) in order to marry his daughters. (Genesis 29:27)
         
23.The Holy Temple contained 7 gates of entry.