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Who knows six?

Please cite/link your sources, if possible. In about one business day, I will:

  • Upvote all interesting answers.

  • Accept the best answer.

  • Go on to the next number.

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33 Answers 33

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The Torah is preceded by six things:

  1. Kedem,
  2. me'az,
  3. me'olam,
  4. me'rosh, and
  5. mi'lekadmin (which count as two).
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Per Greg Killian:

There is a proliferation of the number six (and its multiples) in the Megillah of Ruth:

Shuv (return) occurs twelve times in chapter one.

6 times: “Shuv” indicates a return to Beit-Lechem (vv. 6,7,10,21,22,22).

6 times: “Shuv” indicates a return to Moav (vv. 8, 11,12,15,15,16).

M'lak'tot (gleaners) occurs twelve times in chapter two.

In Ruth 3:14 and 3:16 we see six measures of barley.

Midrash Rabbah - Ruth V:6 AND BOAZ SAID UNTO HER AT MEAL TIME: COME HITHER, AND EAT OF THE BREAD, AND DIP THY MORSEL IN THE VINEGAR. AND SHE SAT BESIDE THE REAPERS; AND THEY REACHED HER PARCHED CORN, AND SHE DID EAT AND WAS SATISFIED AND LEFT THEREOF (II, 14). R. Jonathan interpreted this verse in six ways.

Midrash Rabbah - Ruth VII:2 Simon said: The meaning is that as a reward for, AND HE MEASURED SIX BARLEYS AND LAID [THEM] ON HER,1 he was vouchsafed that there should arise from her six righteous men, each one of them possessing six outstanding virtues, viz. David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, Daniel, and the Messiah. David, as it is said, Skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him (I Sam. XVI, 18); Hezekiah, as it is said, That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it, through justice and through righteousness (Isa. IX, 6). And his name is called Pele- joez-el-gibbor-abi-ad-sar-shalom (ib. 5). Some observe that l'marbeh (be increased) is written with a closed mem. Josiah, as it is said, For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out its roots by the river, etc. (Jer. XVII, 8). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, as it is said, Youths in whom there was no blemish, but fair to look on, and skilful in all wisdom, and skilful in knowledge, and discerning in thought, and such as had ability (Dan. I, 4). Daniel, as it is said, A surpassing spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and declaring of riddles, and loosing of knots, were found in the same Daniel (ib. v, 12). The Messiah, as it is said, And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, etc. (Isa. XI, 2).

The name Boaz appears three times six times in sefer Ruth.

The name Ruth appears two times six times in sefer Ruth. (Both of these counts ignore the genealogy at the end of the Megillah which is not, properly, part of the story).

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Six are the number of millennium from creation we must wait before the messianic age.

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  • The last two thousand years of the six millennium are called "the days of Moshiach" – user4523 Jun 15 '14 at 22:34
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    Must?? [15 char] – Double AA♦ Jun 15 '14 at 23:19
  • Must may have been too strong of a word, but yeah, according to some. I'll try to find the source for it. It has something to do with 2K year cycles (2K pre- prophecy, 2K prophecy, 2K present) and the 6th millennium from creation being the equivalent to Friday, which is the 6th day of the week which leads into Shabbat, the ultimate day of rest. Must be some chasidisha thing. – JJLL Jun 16 '14 at 1:24
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