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Who knows two hundred forty-six?


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What's the point in going through all the numbers? –  Ariel K May 26 '11 at 21:20
@Ariel Some members of the community find it fun and interesting, and it frequently leads to exposure of interesting and unexpected Jewish facts. –  Isaac Moses May 26 '11 at 21:28

5 Answers 5

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The word "Gavriel" is numerically equivalent to 246, which in turn is equivalent to a complex combination of the letters of G-d's name (see Sefer haShem, p. 55) and is hinted to in the verse (Breishis 19 24) and G-d rained on Sodom; some commentaries hold that the angel Gavriel is the one that overturned Sodom; see also the verse (Job 9 5) Asher Hufchum bApo ("that he overturned in His anger", referring to the overturning of Sodom), end-letters of these words spell 246.

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In 1795 there were 246 Jews living in Odessa


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OK, what did you do, just Google 246 and Jewish? ;-) –  Seth J May 31 '11 at 13:34


  • Mitzvos Aseh that do not have a chiyuv Kares.
  • Word in Kerias Shema (if you include "Emes").
  • The Siman in Yoreh Deah that discusses the chiyuv to learn Torah,who is included in the mitzvah, how and what to learn, and the issue of getting paid to learn Torah.
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+1 for mitzvos ase (and I suppose for sh'ma words); not for the siman, as there's no assertion of any thing special about that siman (I mean, every number up to, um, whatever is a siman in one of the turim). –  msh210 May 30 '11 at 18:21
That siman is probaly one of the most relevant and controversial simanim in Shulchan Aruch. Learning Tanach, Learning in Kollel, Women's learning, etc.. –  Ariel K May 30 '11 at 18:37
Aside from the controversy, it's got to be by far the most relevant Siman to Judaism.SE! +1 –  Seth J May 31 '11 at 13:33

In 246 BCE (3515 years after creation), the Torah was translated into Greek by 72 Chachamim for the emperor Ptolmey. (Megilla 9a)

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Off-topic, but: The number of passengers aboard Air France flight 139, June 27, 1976, is given variously as 246 and 248.

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no records??``` –  Baal Shemot Tovot Mar 23 '12 at 4:06

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