The number 40 occurs most conspicuously in connection with the Flood
(40 days), with Moses on Mount Sinai (40 days, during which the Jews
made the Golden Calf), and with the time the Jews spent in the desert
(40 years, in punishment for their listening to the spies who had spent
40 days exploring the Promised Land). Thus 40 seems to be associated
with punishment. Note that for violating a negative commandment the
Torah specifies a punishment of 40 lashes (which the sages interpreted as 39).
Perhaps the association with punishment is related to the fact that 40 is
the numerical value of "yad Ha-Shem" (14+26).
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