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Seven days days in a week,7 years, 70 years. The number 7 seems to complete many things in history and in the calender.

What is so important with the number 7? WHy is number 7? Why is so many things completed by the number 7?

I would guess some Rabbis have an deeper understanding of this question

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    Possible duplicate of Shiv'a - mi yodeya?
    – mbloch
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 16:17
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    I'm not sure if this is a dupe. I sense that the OP isn't seeking a list, but rather why specifically number 7 was chosen for so many things vs. choosing some other number. E.g. why 7 days in the week and not 6 or 8?
    – DanF
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 16:35
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    @DanF Perfect comment
    – Aigle
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 16:52
  • More specific: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/34013
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 17:04
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    @msh This seems to be asking for a general understanding of what is behind 7 which would include the number of days of Pesach and Succos as a subset.
    – sabbahillel
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 18:55

2 Answers 2

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This question is not asking for a list (as in Shiv'a - mi yodeya?) but rather what is the basic significance to the number 7 that would cause it to be chosen for so many things. Ramban (Nachmanides) says that this is based on the 6+1 (7) days of creation which includes Shabbat. That is, 7 shows the completion of the physical universe and of nature. That is also why the bris (as one example) is on the eighth day as showing that one is going above and beyond the physical universe.

I have seen references to the seven physical dimensions that define the universe, six of space and one of time.

1. forward
2. back
3. right
4. left
5. up
6. down
7. time - connects the other six and allows movement or change (ruach)

Note that within the universe time only goes in one direction. Once something has happened we cannot travel back as we can with the spacial elements. Memory is what allows a human being to connect to the past, but "times arrow" flies in one "direction" only. As I said, the seventh element is shown by Shabbat which completes the universe and allows all the previous (physical) elements to continue to exist.

Some use ruach of neshama as the seventh connecting element. They also use the Maharal's concept that the six are the elements of space (physicality) and that the seventh (symbolised by Shabbat) is the central (spiritual) element that connects them all and allows them to interact. One can see that given a solid shape, such as a cube or a sphere, one can put only six of those objects around it (of the same size) and still allow them all to touch the center and be connected.

Each of the items that use the number seven within Judaism continues from this consideration to show connection to creation and would have a separate analysis extending from this basic concept.

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    Why do the 3 space dimensions get both directions, but time only gets one?
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 20:12
  • @DoubleAA Inside the Universe time only goes in one direction. We can only travel ahead and not back. I will also add another comment about it.
    – sabbahillel
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 20:18
  • Excellent answer,right on brother! But 7 is also seen as judgment,is this false?
    – Aigle
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 21:04
  • @Eagel Since I had not seen that, I do not know. try google
    – sabbahillel
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 21:19
  • According to the Maharal, the 7th is the hidden middle, in contrast to the 6 sides. And as a hidden essence, it is the spiritual inherent in this world. In contrast to 8, which is reaching beyond this world.
    – Micha Berger
    Commented Apr 8, 2016 at 13:10
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In chassidus it is 7 teva and 8 lemaala miteva Elokim is gematria hateva that name of hashem is the one that is involved in the world

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