LOST-Theories.com

Pharisees scorn sinners, Jesus seeks them out. Ben as a Pharisee—rules, laws, fear. The two ways to direct behavior or change the future–fear or love.

— jazprof

Recent posts had gotten me thinking about the numbers and their relation to the Book of Numbers. I think the most interesting thing I came up with has to do not with numbers per se, but with associations with the Levites and then the similarity between the Levites (priests in Judaism) and the Pharisees. That’s the first point below (along with number associations with the Levites). Then I followed with some of the other associations of the numbers with Jewish tradition/holidays. All quotations are from Wikipedia.

1) Levites (Pharisees?): Descendants of the third son of Jacob. Moses and Aaron both are Levites. Perform priestly duties. The main thing I noticed is how often the idea of purifying or purging the Levites comes up. Interesting that the idea of being separated off or purified also applies to the Pharisees. Pharisee means separated for a life of purity. The term “Pharisee” as a derogatory term comes from the Christian idea that the Pharisees were overly concerned with rules concerning purity whereas Jesus is concerned with love. Pharisees scorn sinners, Jesus seeks them out. Ben as a Pharisee—rules, laws, fear. The two ways to direct behavior or change the future–fear or love.

Also has me thinking of an earlier idea of mine that “Lost” might reference the 10 lost tribes of Israel. The 10 tribes were said to be separated from their brethern “by the legendary river Sambation ‘whose flaming waters raise high up into the sky a wall of fire and smoke that is impossible to pass through’.” Smokie?

Chapter 4 from Numbers—Moses and Aaron must establish by age (30-50) those Levites who are suited for service in the Tabernacle.

Chapter 8 from Numbers—the seven lamps and the candle to be lit in the temple (celebrated in Hanukkah), and the cleansing, purifying of the Levites (again by Moses and Aaron).

There is also a reference to purifying or purging the Levites in preparation for God’s messenger made by the prophet Malachi:

Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall clear the way before Me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to His temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in, behold, he cometh, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap; And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver; and there shall be they that shall offer unto the LORD offerings in righteousness. Malachi 3:1-3

“There were 15 steps between the Ezrat Nashim and the Courtyard of the Temple in Jerusalem, on which the Levites stood and sang during the offering of sacrifices. Fifteen Psalms (Chapters 120-134), collectively known as the “Songs of Ascent”, correspond to the 15 steps on which the Levites stood”

2) 4, 15, & 42 are all associated with the name of God in the Torah:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton

“In the Hebrew numbering system, the number 15 is not written according to the usual method, with the letters that represent “10” and “5” (י-ה, yodh and heh), because those spell out one of the Jewish names of God. Instead, the date is written with the letters representing “9” and “6” (ט-ו, teth and vav)”

“In the Kabbalah, the system of cosmology explained the significance of the various divine names and added other divine names. The most significant name is that of the En Sof (also known as “Ein Sof”, “Infinite” or “Endless”), who is above the Sefirot (sometimes spelled “Sephirot”). The Forty-Two-Lettered Name contains four combined names which are spelled in Hebrew letters (spelled in letters = 42 letters), which is the name of Azilut (or “Atziluth” “Animation”). While there are obvious links between the Forty-Two Lettered Name of the Babylonian Talmud (see further up this page) and the Kabbalah’s Forty-Two Lettered Name, they are probably not identical due to the Kabbalah’s emphasis on numbers. The Kabbalah also contains a Forty-Five Lettered Name and a Seventy-Two Lettered Name.”

Also “42 is the number with which God creates the Universe in Kabalistic tradition.”

(Tangent on 42—cause weirdly reminds me of Eko’s rescue by Locke—“ God sends bears to maul 42 of the youths who mock Elisha for his baldness (2 Kings 2:23).”

3)Passover—the first born children of Egypt are killed in the last of the 10 plagues visited on the Pharoah. The children of the Israelites are spared—the houses of the Israelites are marked with the blood of a lamb. Associations of “4” with Passover: The Four Cups of Wine; The Four Questions to be asked; The Four Sons to be dealt with; The Four Expressions of Redemption. Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan

Pregnancy issues.

4)Sukkot is a pilgrimage festival in which temporary huts are built remembering the structures in which the Israelites lived during the flight from Egypt. It’s also known as the Feast of the Tabernacles. Four types of plants are bound together as part of the ritual celebration of Sukkot. Sukkot begins on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei.

The structure Eko was building?

Key characters

Short Name	Full Name	Episodes	Theories
Ben	Benjamin Linus	3.20, 4.9, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13	1733

Comments