Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 1.djvu/878

 GEM

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GEM

Gemara-' Sj or Talmuds; that of Jerufalem, and that of Babylon : Tho* in Strictnefs, the Gemara is no more than an Explication of the Mifchna, made by the Jewifti Doctors in their Schools: Much as the Commentaries of our School Divines on St. Thomas, or the Matter of the Sentences, are an Explication of the Writings of thofe Authors.

A Commentary, Monf. Tillemont obferves, was wrote on the Mifchna, by one Johanan, whom the Jews place about the End of the fecond Century : But Fa. Morin proves from the Work it felf, wherein mention is made of the Turks, that it was not wrote till the time of Heraclius, about the Year 610 : And this is what is called the Gemara, or Tal- mud of Jerufalem, which the Jews do not ule or efleem much, by reafon of its Obfcurity.

They let a much greater Value of the Gemara, or Tal- mud of Babylon, begun by one Afa; difcontinued for 73 Years, onoccafion of the Wars with the Saracens and 'Per- sians; and finifh'd by one Jofa, about the Clofe of the fe- venth Century.

Tho' the Name Talmud, in its Latitude, include both the Mifchna, and the two Gemara's; yet is it properly that of Afa and Jofa alone which is meant under that Name.

This the Jews prife above all their other Writings; and even fet it on a Level with Scripture itfelf : In effect, they conceive it as the Word of God, derived by Tradition from Mofes, and preferved without Interruption to their time. See Tradition.

Ra. Jehuda, and afterwards R. Jehanan, R. Afa, and R. Jofa, fearing the Traditions mould be loll in the Dif- perfion of the Jews, collected them into the Mifchna and Gemara.

GEMATRIA, or GAMETRiA,the firft kind of arithme- tical Cabbala, ufed by the Cabbaliftick Jews. See Cabbala.

Gematria is a Geometrical, or Arithmetical manner of explaining Words; whereof there are two Kinds : The firft bearing a more immediate Relation to Arilhmetick; and the latter, to Geometry.

The firft confifts, in taking the Numerical Value of each Letter in a Word, or Phrafe; and giving it the Senfe of fome other Word, whofe numerical Letters, taken after the fame manner, make the fame Sum.

For it is to be obferv'd, that neither the Hebrews, nor Greeks, have any other Numeral Figures, befide the Let- ters of the Alphabet. See Letter, and Character.

Thus, a Cabbalift, taking the two firft Words inGenefs, N"13 n'E>N"D, and by Addition getting the Sum total of all the Numbers, fignify'd by thofe Letters; finds that thefe two Words fignify the fame as thofe other three, ti'SOJ
 * NHS: n^KTI For, as to the firft; 3, is 2; 1, 200; N, I 5

V, 3°°; '> 10; n, 400; 3, 2; -), 200; and X, 1 : Which, together make u«?. And as to the latter; 3, fignifies 2 5 -|, 200; N, I; \i>, 300; H, 5; J,?o; tt\ 300; H, 5; :, 50S 3, 2; ">, 200; and N, 1 : Which, fumm'd up, yield the fame ber 1 1 iff.

Whence the Cabbalift concludes, JOB D'tWO in the "Beginning he created; fignifies the fame thing as tWIJ N133 rWH, it -was created at the beginning of the Tear ■ and accordingly, the received Opinion of the Cabbalifts, is', that the World was created at the beginning of the Month Tbifri, which was anticntly the firft Month in the Year, and anfwers to our firft Month in Autumn, viz. September.

So, again, in the Prophecy of Jacob, Gen. xl. 9, the Words PD'ty N3' are underftood of the Meffiah; by reafon they make the fame Number with n't£>b, which fignifies the Mcfliah. — ■

The fecond kind of Gematria is much more obfeure, and difficult; and accordingly lels ufed : 'Tis cmploy'd in Peeking for abftrufe, and hidden Interpretations in the Dimenfions and Parts of the Buildings mention'd in Scripture, by di- viding, multiplying, &c. thofe Magnitudes by each other. Of this we fhall give an Example from fome Chriftian Cab- balifts.

The Scripture fays, that Noah's Arch was 300 Cubits long, 50 wide, and 30 high : Now, the Cabbalift takes the Length for the Bafis of his Operations : 3Q0, in the Hebrew, is ex- prefs'd by the Letter ty; which Length, divided by the Height 30, gives the Quotient 10: The Hebrew Character whereof is ', to be placed on the right Side of tV. He then divides the fame Length by the Width, 50; the Quotient whereof, 6, is exprels'd by a 1; which being placed on the left Side of B', makes, together with the other two Letters, the Name Jesus, IB". Thus, by the Rules of Cabbala, it appears, that there is no Salvation, but in Jelus Chrift; as, at the Deluge, no Perfon was faved but thofe in the Ark.

After the fame manner, is the fame Name W found in the Dimenfions of Solomon s Temple. But it is rather an Injury, than an Advantage to the chriftian Religion, to fup- port it by fuch frivolous Evidences.

The Word Gematria is derived from the Rabbinical Hebrew NHDa'J, form'd by Corruption of the Greek Tsa- ^.TfUGcometry.

GEMELLES, in Heraldry, a bearing of Bars by Pairs, or Couples, in a Coat of Arms : As, he beareth Gules on a Chevron Argent, three Bars Gemelles Sable, by the Name of Throgmorton.

GEMELLUS, in Anatomy, a Mufcle of the Arm, call'd alfo Biceps extcmus, as having two Heads. See Biceps.

One of the Heads of this Mufcle rifes tendinous from the upper Part of the inferior Cofta of the Scapula, whence paf- fing between the Mufcles to the back Part of the HumeruSj it joins the other Head; and both run together to their In- fertion at the Anco or Tip of the Elbow.

The Gemellus is the firft Extenlbr of the Cubit; and is by many reckoned two diftinct Mufcles; the firft called Lon- gus; the latter, Brevis.

GEMINI, in Aftronomy, the Twins; a Conftelhtion, or Sign of the Zodiac : The third in Order; reprefenting Ca- ftor and "Pollux. See Sign, and Constellation.

The Stars in the Sign Gemini, in "Ptolemy's Catalogue are 24; in Tycho's 29; in the Britannic Catalogue 79. The Order, Names, Longitudes, Latitudes, Magnitudes, &c. whereof, are as follow.

Stars in the Conftellation Gemini.

Names and Situations of the j~ Longitude Stars. a

That preced.C«/?or's Foot x£jxB(H2tf 37 24

27 13 25

n 54 2

28 5 24 28 18

In preced. Foot nf Ca/lor

Subfeq. in the fame Foot

28 30 25

29 6 43 29 23 55 29 33

9

9

00

g> o

Latitude.

o 12 19 A o 9 50 I' o 21 05 A o 28 oj A o 57 59 b

o 32 35 A o 55 00 A o 32 20B o iS 48 B

o 11


 * B

In Extrem. of Caftor's hind Foot

5 6 3J

58 ro 58 30 54 12

J 4

13 3. 28 21 19 1(5

23 4

IS

Lucid Foot of^Pollixe

In Caftor's upper Knc© 3°

In Extrem. o{"Pollux's hind foot a

35

In Caftor's Fore-arm

That preced. "Pollux's Knee

40 In theHeel of "Pollux's hind-foot

In Caftor's Thigh

In Hind-knee of ^Pollux

45 In Caftor's Groin

In Fore-arm of Caftor

Loweft in Caftor's Loin3 jo

Upper in Caftor's Loins That againft "Pollux's Leg.

3 3» 19 3 27 4"

3 50 57

4 20 7 4 6 16

4 45 18

4 24 39

4 4§ 34 5

5 3* 37

5 3° "-

5 35 25

6 31 48

5i 53

7

7

7

7 4 * 7

/ -? / 7 41 5

6 47 30

8 5 48

7 37 39

8 9 4<r

9 8 19

8 53 7

9 2 13

9 52 20

10 39 40

10 42 25

12 n 13

ii 9 53

11 34 30

12 9 12

12 3 8

13 '3 55

13 21 51

12 33 4(5

Jti4 27 14

o 3 40B

8 05A .0 51 22 A

1 42 18A

o 32 25 A

2 32 13 A

2 50 09 A

3 06 03 A 722 33A 5 *9 15 A

5 28 26-A

4 4<S 30 B 3 48 39A

6 14 57A

5 47 05 B

6 47 19A 5 4 50B 5 i 43 B 5 a? 34A 2 1 30B

5 52 00 B

5 5« 4°B

9 50 24A

10 07 57A

10 20 13 A

<f 45 50A

58 25B 9 31 3 g A

1 11 15A

2 29 09 B

9 40 15 A

3 15 3«B 3 7 i-B

1 30 14B

2 5 27A

7 7

4'

7

7

i

6

7 7 6

6
 * 3

7 5

6

6 7

7

5 4 7

a 1 4 i

7

6 6

6

6 7 6 6

o o It B 6 7 6 54 25AS J

7 43 03 B 421 25 B 1 41 cjB

3 17 3«B 7 13 MA 6 13 13A6 2 29 5«B 5 40 37 A

Names

7 7 « 7 5 S