Question

Hebrew letters can also indicate numbers; the word for 14 is yod-dalet, or 10 + 4; but 15 is to avoid writing one of the many of these sacred names.

a) Taboos
b) Ciphers
c) Epithets
d) Tetragrammaton

Answer 1

In Hebrew, numbers can be represented by letters, and the word for 14 is 'yod-dalet.' The number 15 avoids resembling the sacred Tetragrammaton by using 'tet-vav' instead of 'yod-hey.'

Step-by-step explanation:

In the Hebrew language, each letter also represents a number. For instance, the word for 14 in Hebrew is yod-dalet, which combines the letters for 10 (yod) and 4 (dalet). However, the number 15 is typically not written as yod-hey (10+5) because this combination can avoid creating a form similar to a sacred name associated with God, particularly the Tetragrammaton, which is one of the most sacred and unpronounceable names of God in Judaism. To avoid this, the number 15 is represented as tet-vav (9+6) instead. The avoidance of writing or pronouncing the name of God is a practice born out of reverence and religious taboo.