Is 13 Too Many?

Have you ever gotten into an elevator of a high rise building and noticed that there was no button for the 13th floor? Have you ever been looking for your seat on an airplane and noticed that normal sequence of numbers from 1-24 are missing a certain number? Have you ever wondered why some cities do not have a 13th street, ave, or blvd? Is this just an awful coincidence or is something really up? It is called Triskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13.

"Thomas Fernsler, an associate policy scientist in the Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center at the University of Delaware in Newark, said the number 13 suffers because of its position after 12." (Roach)

The number 12 to most numerologists is said to be a lucky number for several religious, mythological, and legislative reasons. In the Hebrew bible, Jesus Christ appointed 12 apostles to be by his side, spread the gospel (good news) of his death and resurrection, and continue his teachings. "God promises to give the Holy Land to the descendants of Abraham (see Genesis 12-50..." (Just). Abraham's son was Isaac, Isaac's son was Jacob (who later changed his name to Israel), and Jacob's twelve children are said to be the ones who were given the Holy Land. The Heavenly City, which is spoke about in Revelations 21: 10-21, "The city has twelve gates with the names of the twelve tribes on them. Twelve angels stand at the gates, the walls have twelve foundations garnished with twelve precious stones, and in them the names of the twelve apostles. The city is twelve thousand furlongs square, and the twelve gates are twelve pearls." (Harris) Greek and Roman mythology tells of 12 gods of Olympus and 12 labors of Hercules...(Roach) Just keep these things in mind too: 12 hours on a clock, 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, and 12 in a bakers dozen. Ummm doughnuts!!!

So, what's the big deal with 13? "Adding anything to that which is already perfect [the number 12] can only make it imperfect, mar it, corrupt it." (Harris) Dinners and meetings seem to play a large role in why 13 is a bad number. The superstition goes that if you have a dinner party with 13 guests, the first person to rise from the table will be the first to die. Christians believe that there were 13 people present at the Last Supper. Jesus and his 12 disciples all sat down the night before his trial and crucifixion to break bread, drink wine and celebrate Passover. "Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper." (Roach) He also was the first to die after he realized what a terrible mistake he made! It is interesting to know too that the Norse also have a similar story. "...a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. ... From that moment on, the number 13 has been considered ominous and foreboding. " (Roach) A normal number for a covenant of witches was 12, however, the 13th was considered to be the devil! (Sounds like Bobby Boucher's momma from The Waterboy!)



Workes Cited:
Harris, Andrew. "Bible Numeric." 07 Apr 2002. 13 Nov 2008 .
Just, Felix. "An Overview of Israelite and Jewish History ." Catholic Resources for Bible, Liturgy, Art, and Theology. 15 Dec 2007. 13 Nov 2008 .
Roach, John. "Friday the 13th Phobia Rooted in Ancient History." National Geographic News. 12 Aug 2004. 13 Nov 2008 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13.html.