07-07-07

Today is the 7th of July 2007. Or 07/07/07. In most of the Western world, the number 7 is considered to be a lucky number. The number of weddings is very high today. Al Gore chose 07-07-07 as the day for the Live Earth Concerts. So why is seven such a special number?

In classical antiquity:

* Seven against Thebes
* Seven hills of Rome
* Seven Liberal Arts
* Seven Sages
* Seven Wonders of the ancient world
* Seven emperors (and period; Rome, history): Julius Caesar, Augustus, Galba, Hadrian, Nerva, Sallust, Vespasian

In Judaism:

* A highly symbolic number in the Torah, alluding to the infusion of spirituality and Godliness into the Creation. For example:1. God rested on and sanctified the seventh day (Shabbat); 2. A seven-day purification period is required for one who has become tamei to become tahor; 3. The Shemittah (Sabbatical) year arrives every seventh year;
4. The Jubilee (Yovel) year comes after 7 times 7 years; 5. The Counting of the Omer leading up to the Giving of the Torah is expressed as "7 times 7 weeks."
* The weekly Torah portion is divided into seven aliyahs, and seven men or boys over the age of 13 are called up for the reading of these aliyahs during Shabbat morning services.
* Seven blessings are recited under the chuppah during a Jewish wedding ceremony.
* David was the seventh son of Jesse.
* A Jewish bride and groom are feted with seven days of festive meals after their wedding, known as Sheva Berachot ("Seven Blessings").
* The number of Ushpizzin (also known as the "Seven Shepherds") who visit the sukkah during the holiday of Sukkot: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David.
* The number of nations God told the Israelites they would displace when they entered the land of Israel (Deut. 7:1): the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

In Christianity:

* The number of churches of Asia to which the "Book of Revelation" is addressed.
* The number of the Seven Virtues: Chastity, Moderation, Liberality, Charity, Meekness, Zeal, and Humility, corresponding to the seven deadly sins.
* Jesus told Peter that he should forgive someone who sinned against him 70 times 7 times.
* The seven terraces of Mount Purgatory (one per deadly sin).
* The number of sacraments in the Roman Catholic faith, and most reformed traditions.
* In the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew 18:21, Jesus says to Peter to forgive seventy times seven times.
* The number of times Cain will be avenged by God if he is murdered (Gen 4:15).
* In the genealogy in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is 77th in a direct line.
* The Isrealites circled Jericho for 7 days and then the wall tumbled down.

In Islam:

* The number of ayat in surat al-Fatiha.
* The number of heavens in Islamic tradition.
* The number of Earths in Islamic tradition.

In Eternalism:
* The number of deities
* The years Godzimir was exiled to Turin, in Savoy
* 1/7 of each of the Deities powers was taken to create the Eternal
* There are seven verses in each of the Septrains of the Prognostications of Godzimir and Invomandus
* Seven universe in each phase toward Edication

Others:
* The number of Archangels according to some systems.
* The minor symbol number of yang from the Taoist yin-yang.
* The number of palms in an Egyptian Sacred Cubit.
* The number of ranks in Mithraism.
* The number seven is of particular significance within Cherokee cosmology.
* In Buddhism, Buddha walked 7 steps at his birth.

In Hinduism:

* The Sanskrit word 'sapta' refers to number seven.
* The Indian Music has 'sapta swaras', means seven octats (sa re ga ma pa dha ni), which are basics of music, using which hundreds of Ragas are composed.
* The Month 'September' is evolved from the word 'septa' meaning seven. September was earlier seventh month before July and August were added to the calendar. Also the sibsequent months names are derived from Sanskrit names 'Ashta' and 'Nava' meaning eight and nine which are now called October and November.
* Celestial group of seven stars are named as 'Sapta Rishi' based on the seven great saints.

And of course James Bond is 007.

So I guess in China 08-08-08 will be the big day?