613 is the torah’s big number. it is the number of commandments. besides the 10 commandments, there are an additional 603.
this leads to the question, are numbers important?
the torah has one particular recurring number. forty plays a large role throughout the torah. for noah, the flood rains came for 40 days; for moses, he was on mt. sinai for 40 days; and for the children of israel, there was 40 years wandering in the wilderness before reaching their promised land.
all these numbers are part of the quantification of time. not a mere amount of time, but a significant amount. with this quantity, the torah sends a message that significant time is necessary for change in the world, for change in society, and for personal change. we take from this message that both patience and persistence are two qualities that can solidify transformation.
in sum, while there may be no real difference between 5 or 6 days, there is certainly a difference between 5 days and 40. as your embark on seeking to improve or change your life, the qualities of the combination of patience and persistence may offer the key.
be well!!
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