Jake, for Austin's Birthday OMG shared some of the significances of 33, and for your birthday some more, just for you, with a bit more spiritual following Jewish and Buddhist traditions.
"The scriptural reference to female forms of Kuan-yin appears as early as Kumarajiva's recension of Chapter 25 in the Lotus Sutra [which states that] Kuan Yin assumes thirty-three appearances, of which seven are female. The number thirty-three has been associated with Kuan-yin ever since by both devout Chinese and Japanese Buddhists."
The story of "KUKURIPA, the maha-siddha" found in the book, Masters of Enchantment by Keith Dowman, tells of "Gods of the Thirty-Three Sensual Heavens."
In Japan, one of two type of pilgrimages (junrei), is exemplified by the "Pilgrimage to the 33 Holy Places of Kannon in the Western Provinces"...circuits of series of temples or holy places. "The Kamakura Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage of Bando" in Eastern Japan circuits 33 temples Sacred to Kannon, ranging over Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures.
According to the Lotus Sutra, Kannon Bodhisattva (Avilokateshvara) has 33 transformations in order to perform his task of salvation.
One legend says that 33 "Arhats" spread Buddhism.
The period of time between the passing of His Holiness, the Sixteenth Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu lineage, until the enthronement of the (current) Seventeenth - a period prophesied by the Fifth Karmapa to be a dark time for Buddhist Dharma - spanned 33 years.
Required to become a Tibetan lama: solitary retreat of at least 3 years, 3 months, 3 days.
The Kabbalistic/Hebrew significance of the number 33: The number 33 signifies "entry into the mystery" or "the secret levels of creation."
Lag B'Omer occurs thirty-three days after the start of Passover. Its name comes from the Hebrew letters lamed and gimmel, which together equal 33, according to gematriah in the Hebrew numerical system. Lag B'Omer is the thirty-third day of the omer count. It is this day that most Jewish people recognize as the end of the mourning period of the Omer. [Because, on the 33rd day of the Omer, Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying, and he started to reveal the light of the Torah to new students. Also on the 33rd day of the Omer, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the author of the central work of Kabbalah called the Zohar, died. His death is a celebration because on the day of his death he revealed the light of the Torah to his students.]
The "Tree of the Sephiroth" of the Kabbalah has 33 elements, including the whole of it and its constituent parts.
33 is associated with the word, gal, which was used in Psalms in the manner of "asking God to reveal the secrets of the Torah." Also, it suggests "the end of suffering."
And your namesake, Jacob, had 33 children.
Jake we wish you a path that will lead you to a life filled with truth, love and happiness.
Happy 33rd Birthday Jake!!
