lucky number

Gematria is a mystical system of numerology, one that assigns a numerical value to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet and finds meaning in the results.

The best known example is probably the Hebrew word chai (shown above), which means life or living and whose letters add up to 18. For that reason, 18 is considered a lucky number and, traditionally, gifts of money are given in amounts that are multiples of 18.

Which brings me to the point of this post, which is that not only is today September 18, but also it was exactly 18 years ago (on Yom Kippur, as it happens) that my son Gray was born.