4815162342.com

[Bernie]

Tying it Together: Lost and the Curse

4 8 15 16 23 42

Looking at the numbers in relation to the larger picture seems to help shed light on the meaning of the numbers. Most people have been focusing on the mathematical meaning of the numbers … Sayid and Rousseau (both mathematical/scientific types) are unable to discern the meaning of the numbers. Who in the story seems to understand the meaning of the numbers? Hurley … who views the numbers as a curse.

Let’s start with the number that seems to be “set apart” from the others – 42. Allister Crowley (a magician, often seen as the founder of modern occult practices and groups) was a student of the Kabala. He notes in "The Book of Lies" that the number 42 is the “Great Number of the Curse.”

Hurley is the one main character (along with the supporting character of Rousseau) who believes he is cursed. The significance of the number 42 is derived from Kabalistic teachings (which is, by the way, very popular in Hollywood these days) … so, let’s take a look at the concept of “curse” in the Kabala.

In Genesis chapter 42, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt in search of food during the famine. Before his sons (the future patriarchs of Israel) left, Jacob instructed them to walk through different gates since (according to the Kabala and custom) to have all of these handsome men walk through a single gate would be to “flaunt a blessing” … inviting “ayin harah” (translated, the evil eye). The Kabalistic custom also teaches that blessing only falls on that which is “out of sight.” Anyone who can readily see your good fortune will feel contempt for you, and that feeling of contempt will cause judgment and a curse (the “evil eye”, or ayin harah) to fall on you.

Back to Hurley who wins the lottery, flaunts it by holding a press conference, buying a Hummer, purchasing his mother a huge house, etc. … he appears to be a victim of the “evil eye” as described by the Kabalists.

Looking at past episodes we see Locke who claims to have “looked into the eye of the island,” as the only character who really knows what the island is all about. We see Locke playing backgammon – and the pieces of the backgammon game are shown as eyes on Locke’s face – one white, representing good, and one black, representing evil. Also, Lock is seen in episode 17 with blood on his eye – whatever that might mean (go back and watch the episode, and you will see that the blood on his eye - seen in the jungle as he butchers a frog [which, in the Kabala, is a sign of serenity which wards off the evil eye] - changes shape and moves to a different location on his face virtually every time the camera cuts away from him).

So, back to Genesis; let’s take a look at Genesis 4:8-15 (note 4, 8, 15) which recounts the murder of Cain by Abel. The first murder in the history of the planet has taken place, and God says to Abel, “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” Abel is cursed, as a result of his indiscretion, and he becomes a restless “wanderer on the face of the earth.”

Back to Lost … this generally seems to be a story about people fighting with the demons that murder and death leave in their lives. Count the number of people linked to murders; count the number of people devastated by death.

The number 16: We find some significance to the story in Genesis chapter 16 where Hagar bears a child for Abraham, but this child, Ishmael (the biblical father of all modern Arab Muslims) is not part of the nation of Israel from which all of the Hebrew Nation is born. An angel appears to Hagar and tells her that the descendants of Ishmael will be numberless, and that “His hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him.” Sayid is definitely seen with suspicion in the eyes of many on the island – precisely because of his religion and ethnicity.

And, finally, the number 23: I can’t truly find a strong link here (in part, because I haven’t invested much time) – but do take note that Genesis 23 recounts the story of Abraham buying a plot of land in order to lay his dead (in this case, his wife, Sarah) to rest. Possibly there is a correlation here to the fact that many people on the island are trying to bring closure to deaths of people in their lives.

So – let’s stop looking at mathematical number theory and start looking at Kabalistic number theory. I think we’ll find much more there. Investigate at will – I’m not going to go back through all of the old episodes.

Bernie
robichau@gmail.com
http://www.computerate.net/chatter

[what]

why don't you post this on the madonna website. I'm sure she'd find it enlightening

[Weeeeeble]

re: Hurley

remember his real name is

Hugo Reyes

also


the corresponding letters to the numbers are

D H A E A F B C D B

[Hurley]

I like the Cain and Abel angle. It feels right. Undeveloped, but right -- which I guess is where we are supposed to be right now.
_________________
4,8,15,16,23 (42)

[Lyrkalas]

I hadn't thought about it til now, but you've triggered an idea. As for the number 23, what about that as a reference to Psalm 23? "The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..."

[brobichau]

FYI - I am not a Kabalist; it's simply that the Kabalist system seemed to shed the most light on the story in lost - and the connections are too abundant to be cooincidental.

Kabalism sees "numbers" in all of the old testament, but Genesis is the key to the Kabalists. Keep looking for the connection - I'm not opposed to linking Psalm 23 to the show ... develop it, and maybe we could get a Kabalist to shed some light on this.

-Bernie
_________________
Bernie
robichau@gmail.com
http://www.computerate.net/chatter

[The_Jedi_Hobbit]

[brobichau]

This is interesting since the Kabalists find Psalm 23 important in meditational settings. Further, we are close to the Month of Nissan - were the focus (for observant Jews and Kabalists) shifts toward Old Testament references to sheep and shepherds - maybe there's a surprise in store for us in April's new episode.

Keep unpacking this one.
_________________
Bernie
robichau@gmail.com
http://www.computerate.net/chatter

[brobichau]

Someone pointed out to me that I state, "Abel killed Cain." I mis-typed - and, yes, Cain was the one who killed Abel. Same point - with a fact in place instead of an error.
_________________
Bernie
robichau@gmail.com
http://www.computerate.net/chatter

[brobichau]

Another note verifying the Kabalist link - I saw that someone quoted Sawyer as saying "That boar gave me the evil eye." This is the Kabalist concept of "ayin harah" - like karma - referenced in the original post.
_________________
Bernie
robichau@gmail.com
http://www.computerate.net/chatter

[Jason Gastrich]

[sdpsylence]

I don't have the research in front of me but there's something (I beleive relating to the talmud) that says there are 42 letters in the hebrew name of the Metatron (the angel that is the voice of God). I'll see if I can dig up the facts but that is weird.

[The_Jedi_Hobbit]

[sdpsylence]

ok this helps but its a bit abstract...I'll keep looking for something clearer.

http://www.psyche.com/psyche/lex/qbl/42letter_name.html

[sdpsylence]

ok this is a bit better but a bit short...

In the Talmud it is written that the divine name of 42 letters is the greatest of the mysteries. These 42 letters contain the names of the ten Sephiroth.

Oddly enough here's what is listed for 23...

The Cabalists affirm that, in the present times, a letter is missing in the Torah. This letter of the alphabet does not appear at all in our "eon" and also is not used in the Torah. The primitive divine alphabet and all the Torah also would base on a series of 23 letters, and not 22, which one is become invisible for us and will reappear only during a next terrestrial period. And it is only because this letter misses now everywhere that we read in the Torah the positive and negative precepts. Each negative aspect is in relation with this missing letter of the primitive alphabet.

these came from http://www.virtuescience.com/conceptnumbers.html