Shelosha Veshishim Umatayim - mi yodeya?

Question

Who knows two hundred sixty-three?

Please cite/link your sources, if possible.

At some point between twenty-four hours and a few days from now, I will:

• Vote up all interesting, relevant answers.

• Accept the "best" answer.

• Move on to the next number.

Shabbat Shalom!

Answer 1

There are 248 words in Shema (however you count them), and the 15 consecutive words beginning with "Veyatziv" are also associated with them, in the sense that they can make up for the missing three words if you're praying privately (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 61:3). So the number of words directly associated with Shema is 263.

Answer 2

............................263 = the word גמטריא

Answer 3

263 is the gematria for the common abbreviation used for Rabbi Saadia Gaon - רס'ג