Deuteronomy 28: Significance of Seven

Question

Hello Rabbi!

In Deuteronomy 28, verses 7 and 25, Moses writes under Blessings for Obedience and Curses for Disobedience, about fleeing “from you in seven.”

Based on the context, I understand that Moses means “seven directions,” but why the number seven?

As a Christian, we are taught that “seven” is a sacred number.

Still, I’d like to know why Moses specifically chose seven.

Any enlightenment you can care to offer will be appreciated.

Kindest regards

[Name Withheld]

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    In Judaism, the number seven always represents the physical and the spiritual together. The most famous example is the seven days of the week. There are six days of physicality and one day of spirituality, but they require each other, to be able to use the physical to become spiritual.

    In the first verse that you ask about, the Rabbis teach that the number seven represents a sense of panic. That the people run off in “all directions.” Thus, the verse is describing a seemingly natural phenomenon of an organized group of people discarding any sense of collective discipline that they might have had.

    The theme of the number seven repeats itself within the passage of the Curses, and each reference is really returning to the same concept.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team