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Who knows seventy-seven?

Please cite/link your sources, if possible. At some point in the next few days, I will:

  • Upvote all interesting answers.

  • Accept the best answer.

  • Go on to the next number.

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5

The (figurative) number of generations that Lemech will be allowed to continue on. Breishis 4:24 based on Rashi and other mephorshim.

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3

77 are the number of sheep offered as korbanos by the returnees of the Babylonian exile. (Ezra 8:35)

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3

77 are the number of contemporary tzaddikim whose merit Moshe invoked to save the Jewish People after the sin of the Golden Calf: Aharon, his four sons, Pinchas, Calev, and the seventy elders. Hashem demanded the merits of eighty tzaddikim, though, and so Moshe filled the bill by invoking also the three Patriarchs. (Devarim Rabbah 3:15)

Incidentally, in another midrash (Shemos Rabbah 44:7) the seventy elders are omitted, and Moshe speaks only of seven contemporary tzaddikim plus the Patriarchs. There is a story in which R' Shneur Zalman of Liadi, questioned on this point by one of his opponents, resolved it by referring to a dispute elsewhere about whether each tribe is considered a separate "community" (in which case each one needs the merits of ten tzaddikim) or not (and then ten suffice for the entire nation).

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  • FYI, that dispute about each Shevet being a separate community is in Horayos, several times throughout the first perek. – DonielF Sep 9 '16 at 3:43
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Genesis 24:14 contains the phrase:

עשית חסד

"You have done kindness"

What's neat about it is that both of those words appears exactly 77 times in Tanach. And the verse concludes with אדוני, which appears 77 times in Chumash (mostly Chol, I assume).

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0

SEVENTY SEVEN are the number of days in a year on which one may not get married (in chutz laaretz).(not including Shabbos- see comment).

2 days of Rosh Hashana

1 day Yom Kippur

9 days of Sukkos

8 days of Pesach

33 days of Sefiras Haomer (According to most opinions only 33 days are forbidden. Those who keep more are doing so because of the different opinions when the 33 days take place-see relevant comment below).

2 days of Shvuos

22 days between 17 of Tamuz and Tishah B'Av (inclusive).

2+1+9+8+33+2+22=77

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7
  • I did not count Shabbos because I do not know the formula for figuring out the amount of days per year which can be Shabbos but not Yom- Tov or any of the other days mentioned. – – RibbisRabbiAndMore May 7 '18 at 12:39
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    Some customs will have an overlap between the 33 days of the sefirah and the last 7 days of pesach. Joel K – RibbisRabbiAndMore May 7 '18 at 12:42
  • You might want to clarify what you mean by "marriage" and what you mean by "forbidden" and who you mean by "one", because otherwise it's not entirely true. – Alex May 7 '18 at 16:33
  • @Alex Can you please elucidate upon the 3 questions which you asked, and especially on your last line " otherwise it's not entirely true". – RibbisRabbiAndMore May 7 '18 at 20:41
  • Are you referring to Kiddushin, Nissuin, or both? Are you referring to biblically forbidden, rabbinically forbidden, customarily forbidden, or something else? Are you referring to all Jews or specific communities? – Alex May 7 '18 at 23:41

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