A lot of the Baal HaTurim's commentary on the Torah relates to how certain words or phrases have the same gematriya as other words or phrases in the Torah, or phrases that relate, in some way, to the topic at hand even if they don't appear anywhere in Tanach. This type of commentary requires not only an incredible knowledge of all of Tanach but also a mathematically-wired understanding that's not necessarily conventional. Did he have a mesorah for the gematriya-indenticalities? Was he able to look at a word or phrase and immediately come up with another word or phrase that had the same gematriya? Also, do we assume that other mefarshim such as Rashi and the Ramban knew these gematriyas or were they the Baal HaTurim's chiddushim (though "chiddush" in this context sometimes implies something that others wouldn't necessarily agree with, whereas gematriyas are indisputable)?
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1If you are talking printed versions, there are some that carry the name but were expanded in later generations. In general, gematria and notarikon are called “parparot l’Torah”. Unless one has a clear tradition (like for example those that appear in the Talmud), they can only be used as supports to accepted teachings found elsewhere in the Torah. This means you cannot establish a relationship because the numbers match for example. The relationship must already be recognized and accepted.– Yaacov DeaneCommented Jun 17 at 22:46
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He was very influenced by Hasidei Ashkenaz who were very occupied with counting the number of letters in prayers/scriptural passages, the significance of their tallies, gematrias, etc. Between direct absorption from others affiliated with the movement, manuscripts likely circulated in those circles, and his own ingenuity, there was clearly enough there for him to generate a commentary.– DeuteronomyCommented Jun 17 at 23:32
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I heard he wrote the entire book in one night– Awtsmoos--עצמותCommented Jun 19 at 21:22
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In the artscroll Baal haturim it brings a source for every gematria/comment. I think it's usually kabbalah books, he hardly ever made up any of them– Awtsmoos--עצמותCommented Jun 19 at 21:32
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related: Source for Baal Haturim Writing Commentary on his Wedding Night!– mblochCommented Jun 20 at 3:22
1 Answer
Not only gematriot but also the interpretation of the meaning of why certain wording is used in seemingly unrelated texts and he finds a way to connect them. The period in which he lived, 1100's into the 1200's, was particularly fertile for learning from great minds and personalities including his father, grandfather, uncles, brothers, Chasidie Ashkenaz etc. He also lived in both Ashkenaz, Germany, and Sefard, Spain, so he drew from the well waters of Torah in both communities. In addition, he was likely a genius with a great memory and spent every waking moment learning, living in poverty and without Rabbinical responsibilities. I remember learning once that anyone who comes up with Chiddushim like he did, (also Rashi, Ramban, and many others), were likely influenced by Ruach Hakodesh. Beyond our mortal understanding.
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re: "why certain wording is used...." - while the Baal HaTurim's short peirush (the one that appears in many Chumashim) is known to many people due to its gematrios, if one looks carefully, he focuses even more on these wording instances and here is relying on the Masora (see he.wikipedia.org/wiki/מסורה ) for the basic facts (eg. such a word only appears in x,y and z). He takes these facts and darshens them to examine deeper meanings that connect the various places the word appears.– EraserXCommented Jun 19 at 20:27
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eg. sefaria.org.il/Ba'al_HaTurim_on_Genesis.1.2.3 where he writes ב' במסורת. הכא, ואידך– EraserXCommented Jun 19 at 20:33