|
** Please Note:
This page contains the Sacred Name for purposes of study. If you print this page out please dispose of it respectfully |
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה
אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶך–הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסק בְּדִבְרֵי-תורָה. Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la’asok b’divrei torah. "Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to study words of Torah. |
Video Version
The Most Sacred Name
An Overview
By Rabbi Shlomo Nachman
© December 29, 2010 (last updated July 15, 2018)
A Jew is a member of the Sinai Covenant with its 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) established between the One True G-d and the descendants of Avraham and Sarah through our teacher Moshe, as recorded in the Torah. It is vital to understand this. The Most Sacred Name was revealed to our people to enhance our Covenant's intimacy (Devarim 6:3). The Beloved and the beloved are in a most unique relationship often exampled as a "husband and wife" (Isaiah 54:5, Hosea 2:19, etc.). This "marriage" produced an extended family consisting of people of all racial and ethnic groups.
Everyone not part of this ancient extended family are Gentiles (Hebrew: goyim). This is not a derogatory term, it merely signifies that they are nations other than Israel. HaShem is the God of all people. Like the Jews, Gentiles have a covenant with the Holy One. As the Scriptures urge Jews to observe the 613 mitzvot (commandments), so too Scriptures calls goyim to embrace the Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach (the Covenant of Seven Laws given to Noach and his descendants). The One God fully accepts both Jews and the righteous among the nations as His children. Those Gentiles who embrace these laws are often called Noahidim or Noahides.
The Giver of the Eternal Covenant with humankind has revealed a Personal Name. That Name is utterly sacred and therefore not to be lightly spoken nor written. Those who desire HaShem's blessings will honor His Sacred Name because doing so honors Him. HaShem and His Name are echad (One). The Holy One is to be exalted throughout all existence and throughout all of time and space!
The Torah warns:
Shemot 20:7 "You shall not swear falsely by the name of the LORD your God; for the LORD will not clear one who swears falsely by His Name."
Another translation:
"You are not to use lightly the Name of Adonai your G-d, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who uses His Name lightly."
The word "lightly" here is shav in Hebrew. As used in the Third of the Ten Commandments, it refers to the sense of desolating a thing through an evil intent (falsely in broad terms). It prohibits using the Name with 'ruination' or through moral impurity. Figuratively here, shav also implies the prohibition of idolatry (as applied to a false subject). It also means uselessness, which in this case would include using the Sacred Name as something ordinary, as if it were the name of a mortal being.
The text also prohibits using the Name "in vain," which is to say, uttering the Name pointlessly, without specific and righteous cause (such as using it in everyday speech, posting the Name on website banners, and so on. Likewise, one must never use the Name falsely, such as in swearing by the Name to establish the truth of a thing (who are we to swear by the Name of the Holy One!). Shav is a broad term, and so is this Commandment. We do not use the Sacred Name in ANY UNWORTHY OR DISRESPECTFUL WAY.
More Details
Honoring the Sacred Name includes a stern warning: "The LORD [Sacred Name] will not hold blameless anyone who takes His Name LIGHTLY (shav). Our sages note that merely speaking the Sacred Name without good cause and proper attention and intention brings about the displeasure of HaShem (may it never happen to us!). The uniqueness of the One God is absolute Oneness. In other words, HaShem and His Name are eternally One in ways we can not begin to fathom. To dishonor the Sacred Name is to disrespect the Named. There is no Oneness like His Oneness!
In early biblical history, people spoke the Sacred Name freely. And frequently, they dishonored it. By the Second Temple Period (530 BCE to 70 CE), uttering the Name became much less common as our elders began to grasp its utter holiness. Dishonoring the Sacred Name resulted in severe penalties (Deuteronomy 18:22 for instance). Eventually, only the High Priest was permitted to utter the Sacred Name and that only once a year as he stood before HaShem in the Holy Place begging for the forgiveness of our people on Yom Kippur.
Judaism is not static. It's an ever-evolving Derech or Path. Righteous people realize more light as time passes, and our practices change accordingly. As they came to perceive more of the sacredness of the Name and how important it is to honor it, new traditions developed. Seeing how easily and often the Sacred Name has been abused, the sages passed laws preventing this grave error. After the Second Temple was destroyed and the Jews were dispersed, in 70 CE, the rabbis completely prohibited the utterance of the Name, except in very specific circumstances. This ruling was issued to honor and preserve its sanctity more completely.
In addition, according to the vast majority of Jewish authorities, the correct pronunciation of the Sacred Name has been lost. Some blame this prohibitive protection method, charging that we forgot the correct pronunciation by not using it. Others say this loss was a blessing. HaShem controls all things, so it must have been His will that we lost the pronunciation. Surely, it was because of our collective sinfulness, not our protection of the Sacred Name by this method. We lost the Beit HaMikdash (House of the Holy, the Second Temple) and the Name's correct pronunciation at the same time. We deserve neither nor are we pure enough to properly utilize either.
When HaMashiach ben David arrives, he will restore both the Temple and the knowledge of the Sacred Name. Then the priests of the Third Temple will utter HaShem's praises correctly. Until then, while there are many guesses as to the proper pronunciation, the truth is no one knows for sure. Regardless of intention, all attempts at pronouncing the Name are considered incorrect.
Not everyone agrees with this rabbinic injunction; however, history has shown that when the Sacred Name is commonly spoken, it is seldom handled with the honor it deserves, as many people on Social Media make abundantly clear on their pages! The Second Temple was destroyed for our sins, especially infighting and legalism as the Chofetz Chaim and other authorities explain. Jews today are less observant and less united than they.
Since HaShem and His Sacred Name are One, honoring it is vitally important. The ban seeks to build a fence or hedge around the Sacred Name, reminding us that we should be in awe of the Holy One at all times.
Of course, we need balance in all things. We do not want to view the Sacred Name as something to be feared (awed yes, but not feared), nor consider it superstition, which might make it an idol. HaShem brings life and freedom, not superstition and bondage. At the same time, due to our deep respect for HaShem (literally "The Name"), we must avoid uttering it, acknowledging our unworthiness to do so as we yearn for the coming of Mashiach ben David.
We also do not use the Four Hebrew Letters of the Name individually as a name, as some people do. Doing so is also explicitly forbidden.
The Sacred Name is: יהוה
The Hebrew Name transliterates as the English letters: Yod, Hay, Vav, and Hay or YHVH (or as YHWH, the proper pronunciation of the vav here is uncertain) – blessed be He for all eternity. The proper pronunciation of the four-letter Name is unknown. Volumes exist by Jews and non-Jews alike seeking to support the diverse theories on the correct pronunciation. When HaMashiach ben David comes, he will reveal it. Until then, the debates will continue (although debating this seems disrespectful to the Name as well, in my opinion). Even if we knew for sure how to pronounce the Sacred Name, the rabbinic ban against doing so would still be in place. There would be no practical benefit to this knowledge, only the danger of misuse.
The Sacred Name is Unique
In addition to our desire to show proper respect for the Sacred Name, may He be pleased, there are deeply religious, spiritual, and mystical reasons why we do not utter the Name lightly.
Common names merely identify the named person or thing: "That's Yochanan" (John). The name "John" is the Greek rendition of the Hebrew name Yochanan (ג'ון or יְהוֹחָנָן, meaning "יהוה is Gracious." John (in its various forms) is the second most common name there is (after the name Muhammad). But why "John?" John could just as easily have been named Tom or Bob because John is just a name despite the fascination many people have with them (origins, meanings, etc.). There are many people named John, around 5,117,915 in the US alone! Names are little more than identifiers within the community for created beings living in the duality of time and space.
The point is, we are not our names. People named "John" do not necessarily have anything in common with one another nor with the original meaning of their name. Western cultures usually have a first, middle, and last name. While naming customs have changed since biblical times, the sir name usually identifies our lineage or family name while the first is our place within the lineage. John is of the lineage of the Galt family, for instance. John could change his name if he wanted, but it would not alter who he is.
It's different with the Holy One, blessed be He. God exists without beginning, middle or end. Because the Eternal is echad or utterly One, He is wholly unique and completely independent. The Blessed One is without origin and has no lineage. He is One with His various attributes, unlike us. We "have" love, but He "is" Love. We have names, but He and His name are the same, one, echad. He is One with His Name. In Him, there are no divisions:
Sh'ma Y'israel Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad
"Listen, Israel, Sacred Name is our G-d; Sacred Name is One."
"Listen, Israel the LORD is our G-d; the LORD is One."
If we can get a handle on the immensity of this truth, we can understand that while we have love, HaShem is Love. While we have justice, HaShem is Justice, and so on. HaShem is echad, One. There is no being like Him. And "He" is without gender or other human conceptions of what makes one an individual. The Mystics conceive of Him as Ain Soph, the utterly transcendent One.
It is not that the Sacred Name is G-d's Name like my name is Shlomo; it is that G-d and His Sacred Name are echad, one and the same – Blessed be He for all eternity. In other words, HaShem is non-different from His Name because He alone is genuinely echad or One. When we honor the Sacred Name, we simultaneously honor the Named One. We acknowledge His Oneness even though the comprehension of it surpasses us. Therefore, to "use His Name in vain" is to use HaShem Himself in vain! May G-d protect us from such error!
In Judaism, almost everything is debated. This point is not disputed, however. Jewish authorities sometimes argue why we do not utter the Sacred Name without very good cause and the exceptions when one may, such as for study purposes as I do here, but they are unanimous that we don't do it. One should never utter nor write the Sacred Name without very good cause, and then only with concentrated kavanah and emunah (with full intention, and faith that doing so is proper).
Because the Transcendent Name is so Sacred, we traditionally use one of two titles rather than writing or pronouncing the Name. This tradition intends to honor the Sacred Name not out of superstition against using it as some critics charge.
Adonai
We see the Sacred Name written in Hebrew letters when reading the Holy Scriptures and some traditional prayers. The Sacred Four-Letter Name is mentioned in the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible) more than 7970 times. We read the Sacred Name as Adonai ("LORD") at such places rather than pronounce the letters on the page. This title is commonly pronounced in one of two different ways:
Regardless of pronunciation, Adonai is usually translated as LORD (or L-RD), proclaiming that the Named One is LORD over all so-called lords. In the following verse, note how the Sacred Name has been rendered as "ADONAI."
Shemot 20:7 "You are not to use the name of ADONAI your G-d lightly, because ADONAI will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.
Whereas the Judaica Press Version has it this more common way:
Shemot 20:7 You shall not take the name of the Lord, your G-d, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain.
HaShem
We more frequently employ the title HaShem outside of Scripture reading and specific prayers. The title HaShem affirms that He is "the-Name" – the Name of Four Letters or tetragrammaton in Greek. This ascribed title proclaims that the Named One is KING and MASTER over all so-called kings and masters, the One of Four Letters. For religious Jews (and Noahidim), the Named One is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is eternally echad, the indivisible One known as Ein Soph.
These titles, Adonai and HaShem, are honorable and should be employed when referring to the One True G-d, Who alone is King of kings and Lord of lords. These divine titles are best used when referring to the Holy One, blessed be He.
Some sages maintain that the prohibition against using G-d's Sacred Name in vain found in Third Commandment: "You shall not take His Name in vain" only prohibits taking oaths with the Sacred Name, but that is not what the text nor most sages say. While that certainly is part of it, it is not the complete prohibition as explained above. The great Jewish theologian Rambam (Maimonides) confronted this error:
"It is not only a false oath that is forbidden. Instead, it is forbidden to mention even one of the names designated for G-d in vain, although one does not take an oath. For the verse commands us, saying: "To fear the glorious and awesome name" (Devarim 28:58)... Therefore if because of a slip of the tongue, one mentions [G-d's] name in vain, he should immediately hurry to praise, glorify and venerate it, so that it will not have been mentioned in vain. What is implied? If he mentions G-d's name, he should say: "Blessed be He for all eternity," "He is great and exceedingly praiseworthy," or the like, so that it will not have been [mentioned entirely] in vain (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Vows 12:11).
The frequent biblical command to "Praise His Name" and so on does not direct us to pronounce the Sacred Name as some wrongly believe. Many sincere people inadvertently blaspheme the Sacred Name while intending to honor and praise it. We are to honor the Name by "not using it lightly" (Shemot 20:7) and by holding the glorious and awesome Name with a sense of awe (Devarim 28:58). This way, we are protected from inadvertently dishonoring the Name and violating this serious commandment as a thing of most precious beauty and utter sacredness.
The commandment then, as Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains (see: Likkutei Torah, Behar 41a, et al.), is based on the fact that our praises of G-d arise from our emotional and/or intellectual appreciation of His Greatness. Something so grand and sacred as God's Name should never be used in everyday speech. The Sacred Name should be held close to our hearts and cherished.
How, the honorable Rabbi Schneur Zalman ponders, can finite beings such as we even begin to know about His Glory to offer Him due praise and worship? No one has seen G-d at any time (as we read in passages like Shemot 33:20). HaShem does not incarnate like the Pagan gods, so how can we know Him? How can we honor Him? So that He can be conceived, known, and praised, HaShem reveals His Presence (His Ruach HaKodesh) to us through His Torah and hitbodedut (personal prayer and meditation). His Torah proclaims His various Aspects, Names, and Titles. This Torah knowledge brings us to emunah (active, motivating faith) and bitachon (trust), and these bring us to Torah, whereby we attain levels of devekut or connection to Him.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, therefore, advises us:
1) Through studying Torah, all our prayers and requests are accepted, and the favor and standing of the Jewish people are enhanced materially and spiritually.
2) Studying Torah with all your might gives power to the forces of holiness and strengthens the positive inclination against the negative inclination.
3) If you labor in the study of Torah, you will understand the hints and meanings contained in all the different things in the world and use them as a means of coming closer to God. Even if you find yourself in a place of darkness where you might think it hard to draw close to God, true wisdom will radiate to you, and you will be able to draw near to God even from there.
And also:
"The Mitnagdim (opponents of the Chassidim) say that the main thing is to study Torah. The Chassidim say the main thing is prayer. But I say: Pray and study and pray" – Siach Sarfey Kodesh 1-8
The commandment to praise His Name refers to praising His attributes – His Kindness, His Power, His Mercy, and so on. We praise His Name when we give Him credit and thanks for everything in our lives. We glorify His Name by studying His Torah. We praise His Name through our prayers and our praises in worship.
HaShem's Oneness knows no division. He has no equals nor any partners. Through His various attributes, including His Sacred Name, we are empowered to enter, through the gates of emunah, into His Omnipresence with thanksgiving and joy (Tehillim 69:30, 95:2). With only a slight degree of comprehension of His greatness, we receive everything we need, everything our souls desire. As we do these things, we hold the Sacred Name in ever greater awe as it deserves, as best we can.
Religious Jews and non-Jews who worship the G-d of Israel always seek to honor the Sacred Name as commanded by HaShem carefully. See my Birchat HaShem study.
If one is to err, it is better to err on the side of holiness. To this end, rabbinic authorities "build a fence" or "hedge" around the Sacred Name by also restricting the use of the title Adonai and only using the term HaShem. We are encouraged to write "G-d" or "L-rd" rather than God and Lord for the same reason. Such khumra is like fences one might place around a flower garden to protect the plants from being accidentally trampled:
"Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the men of the Great Synagogue [Ezra et al.]. The latter used to say to make a fence around the Torah." Avot 1.1
A khumra is a requirement that exceeds the actual commandment to protect the initial observance as intended. The rationale is based on this verse:
Devarim 22:8 When you build a new house, you shall make a guard rail for your roof, so that you shall not cause blood [to be spilled] in your house, that the one who falls should fall from it [the roof].
On this important verse, Rashi notes: that the one who falls should fall: tells us that one [who would fall] deserves to fall [to his death on account of his sins]; nevertheless, you should not be the one to bring about his death, for meritorious things are executed through meritorious people, while things of ill-fortune are executed through guilty people. — [Sifrei 22:68]
There are many people today who are treating the Sacred Name of G-d disrespectfully. Many of these people sincerely (albeit wrongly) believe they are honoring the Name by doing so. They utter the Name (or some mispronounced version of it) as though it were any other common name. They scribble it on web pages and blogs with no more thought than when they write "John Galt" or the name of some celebrity. These people do so at their peril, as the above verse from Exodus and the quote from Rambam make clear. If a person chooses to dishonor the Sacred Name, they will do as they please, but HaShem will hold them accountable. However, those who love HaShem want no part of such blasphemy!
In any case, the Sacred Name should only be uttered or written with full intention and emunah and with all due respect. Then only when the alternative forms (Adonai, HaShem, G-d, etc.) do not suffice to convey the intended meaning. It is the most Sacred Name and Sound Vibration in all of existence! If one is to err, as we all do from time to time, it is better to err on the side of holiness. I can not stress this point enough.
A Few Divine Titles
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh
HaShem is not limited by time or space. While the proper pronunciation of the Sacred Name of Four Letters is unknown, His title Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is. It is often referred to as the "Great I Am," affirming that as a Mighty Wind, the Eternal is Omnipresent. The Holy One is the Sole Being of Past, Present, and Future (Hence, "I will be what I will be"). His Presence breaths life into all creation. As the most Mighty Wind, His Spirit Presence 'blows' wherever He chooses to send it. The people will want to know who You are, where You dwell, and what You will do. In reply, HaShem affirms that He is the Holy One and will be and do as He pleases. Our choice is to accept this fact or reject it. Our acceptance or rejection changes absolutely nothing.
Elohim
This is the most common of the early titles of HaShem and the first used in the Torah. Although "Elohim" is plural in form, the title is construed with a singular verb or adjective. This is unusual but not unheard of in Hebrew. It is a plural noun in a singular form. Hebrew scholars debate why this is so. Perhaps the most common explanation is that the plural form of majesty and excellence is used to acknowledge high dignity or greatness in courtly language. For instance, the Queen says, "We are not amused!" about herself as sovereign of her court. This usage in no way implies a plurality of the subject.
This view is supported by the similar use of plurals such as ba'al (master) and adon (lord). In Ethiopic, Amlak (lords) is the common title for the one G-d. The singular Eloah is comparatively rare. It is mainly used in poetry and late prose (such as in Job, which uses it 41 times). The same divine title is found in Arabic as ilah and Aramaic as elah. The singular is used in six places for heathen deities (Divrei Hayamim II 32: 15; Daniel 9: 37, 38; etc.); and the plural also, a few times, either for gods or images (Shemot 9:1, 12:12, 20:3; etc.) or for the One God (Shemot 32:1; Bereishit 31:30, 32; etc.). In most cases, both are used as names/titles of the one God of Israel.
In essence, this divine title identifies the G-d of the Torah as the Majestic God over all the so-called gods. Trying to conceive of the Infinite such terms were often used before the revelation of the Sacred Name. The Tanach is abundantly clear that HaShem is Echad (Indivisibly One).
El
The title El is synonymous with the English word god. Depending on the context, el can refer to any god or the One True G-d. It is used in both singular and plural forms. As a title of the One G-d, El normally combines another word, such as HaShem is "a jealous G-d" and so on. HaShem is El 'Elyon ("Most High G-d"), El Shaddai ("Almighty G-d"), El 'Olam ("Everlasting G-d"), El Ḥai ("Living G-d"), El Ro'i ("G-d of Seeing"), El Elohe Israel ("G-d, the G-d of Israel"), El Gibbor ("Mighty G-d") and so on. Such titles bring glory and recognition to the Holy One, Who transcends all titles.
As for the title itself, its origin and meaning are both uncertain. Some scholars say the Hebrew root of el suggests the idea, "to be strong," but others argue that this is highly doubtful because a similar root means "to be in front," "to be foremost," "to lead," "to rule," which would give El the meaning "leader" or "lord." But this meaning compounded with words commonly appended to El would seem redundant in this case, so it is also questionable. Others note that the "e" in El was originally "short" – as seen in such proper names as Elkanah, Elihu, and in the Assyrian "ilu." This may be strong evidence against this derivation.
As in the case of Elohim, it seems necessary to admit that the original meaning is not known. These words date back to the beginning of human civilization, and while we understand what they mean in usage, their root details, in some cases, are lost.
Shaddai
Aside from its connection as El Shaddai ("G-d Almighty"), Shaddai is also used independently as a name of G-d. It occurs mainly in Sefer Iyov, the Book of Job, and many siddurim.
Shaddai is often translated as "the Almighty." The Hebrew root shadad, from which it is derived, means "to overpower," "to treat with violence," "to lay waste." The title would properly refer to HaShem as the Devastator or Destroyer. While we may prefer to think of HaShem as the "G-d of love," when one is under enemy attack by a strong enemy, as we so often are, there is certainly comfort in knowing that HaShem is also Shaddai! He is our side, and He is the Devastator of all who stand against His people (Bereishit 12:3)!
Elyon
The title Elyon is used in conjunction with El, with יהוה, with Elohim, and also alone. Used in conjunction, it suggests that El is the Most High, the Sacred Name is the Most High, and Elohim is the Most High. In all cases, it refers to HaShem as the Highest G-d. Evidence suggests that the Phoenicians used this same name for God as 'Eλιον.
Adonai and Ba'al
As discussed above, Adonai (the L-rd) is a title used by the Masorites explicitly for the Sacred Name of G-d. The title itself likely derives from Adoni, or "my Lord," and later became the proper title for the Sacred Name. Its simple form Adon means "lord" as in master. It is synonymous with the word ba'al.
Certain Pagans utilized the Ba'al concept to describe their semi-polytheistic belief in a single unknowable god (Ba'al singular) who sends forth demigods (ba'alim) or avatars (and assuras) onto the earth. There are lesser gods/ba'alim in charge of rain, harvest, sexuality, etc. The Pagans sought to appease these gods in diverse ways. According to the Pagans, all areas of life had overseeing spirit beings or masters.
Most ancient Pagans had istadevata, or cherished god that presided over the household. For instance, we know that the family of Muhammad worshiped Hubal-Sin, the moon god of the Sinai, who was later elevated as the monotheistic Allah of Islam.
The word ba'al indicated one's "master," and in such cases, had no connection to the term as used by the Pagans. We find it in proper names, such as Jerubbaal, Ishbaal, Meribaal, etc. As a Chassidic Jew, I seek instruction from Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer, known as the BESHT or the Baal Shem Tov. His title means "Master of the Good Name" and certainly has no connection with Ba'al worship. Context is vital.
Less Well Known Titles
Abir is the "Strong One" of Ya'akov.
Ḳedosh Y'israel is the "Holy One of Israel."
Ẓur is the "Rock," and Ẓur Y'israel is the "Rock of Israel."
Eben Y'israel is the "Stone of Israel."
Ẓeba'ot "of Hosts" is frequently found concerning the Sacred Name and the title Elohim as in Adonai Elohe Ẓeba'ot ("Adonai, G-d of Hosts"), or simply "God of Hosts," or most frequently, "יהוה of Hosts." It is noteworthy that the Name יהוה Ẓeba'ot is more than once directly associated with the Ark, which was the symbol of G-d's presence amid the hosts of His people (see Numbers 10:35,36; I Samuel 4:4; and II Samuel 6: 2). Later, and especially in prophetic usage, this word was transferred to the heavenly hosts, or rather the heavenly hosts were added to the earthly hosts. For this idea of heavenly hosts joining their forces with those of G-d's people, or fighting on behalf of G-d's servants, compare Judges 5:20; II Kings 6:16,17; Psalm. 34:7.
The Seventy Two Hidden Titles of G-d
Everyone not part of this ancient extended family are Gentiles (Hebrew: goyim). This is not a derogatory term, it merely signifies that they are nations other than Israel. HaShem is the God of all people. Like the Jews, Gentiles have a covenant with the Holy One. As the Scriptures urge Jews to observe the 613 mitzvot (commandments), so too Scriptures calls goyim to embrace the Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach (the Covenant of Seven Laws given to Noach and his descendants). The One God fully accepts both Jews and the righteous among the nations as His children. Those Gentiles who embrace these laws are often called Noahidim or Noahides.
The Giver of the Eternal Covenant with humankind has revealed a Personal Name. That Name is utterly sacred and therefore not to be lightly spoken nor written. Those who desire HaShem's blessings will honor His Sacred Name because doing so honors Him. HaShem and His Name are echad (One). The Holy One is to be exalted throughout all existence and throughout all of time and space!
The Torah warns:
Shemot 20:7 "You shall not swear falsely by the name of the LORD your God; for the LORD will not clear one who swears falsely by His Name."
Another translation:
"You are not to use lightly the Name of Adonai your G-d, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who uses His Name lightly."
The word "lightly" here is shav in Hebrew. As used in the Third of the Ten Commandments, it refers to the sense of desolating a thing through an evil intent (falsely in broad terms). It prohibits using the Name with 'ruination' or through moral impurity. Figuratively here, shav also implies the prohibition of idolatry (as applied to a false subject). It also means uselessness, which in this case would include using the Sacred Name as something ordinary, as if it were the name of a mortal being.
The text also prohibits using the Name "in vain," which is to say, uttering the Name pointlessly, without specific and righteous cause (such as using it in everyday speech, posting the Name on website banners, and so on. Likewise, one must never use the Name falsely, such as in swearing by the Name to establish the truth of a thing (who are we to swear by the Name of the Holy One!). Shav is a broad term, and so is this Commandment. We do not use the Sacred Name in ANY UNWORTHY OR DISRESPECTFUL WAY.
More Details
Honoring the Sacred Name includes a stern warning: "The LORD [Sacred Name] will not hold blameless anyone who takes His Name LIGHTLY (shav). Our sages note that merely speaking the Sacred Name without good cause and proper attention and intention brings about the displeasure of HaShem (may it never happen to us!). The uniqueness of the One God is absolute Oneness. In other words, HaShem and His Name are eternally One in ways we can not begin to fathom. To dishonor the Sacred Name is to disrespect the Named. There is no Oneness like His Oneness!
In early biblical history, people spoke the Sacred Name freely. And frequently, they dishonored it. By the Second Temple Period (530 BCE to 70 CE), uttering the Name became much less common as our elders began to grasp its utter holiness. Dishonoring the Sacred Name resulted in severe penalties (Deuteronomy 18:22 for instance). Eventually, only the High Priest was permitted to utter the Sacred Name and that only once a year as he stood before HaShem in the Holy Place begging for the forgiveness of our people on Yom Kippur.
Judaism is not static. It's an ever-evolving Derech or Path. Righteous people realize more light as time passes, and our practices change accordingly. As they came to perceive more of the sacredness of the Name and how important it is to honor it, new traditions developed. Seeing how easily and often the Sacred Name has been abused, the sages passed laws preventing this grave error. After the Second Temple was destroyed and the Jews were dispersed, in 70 CE, the rabbis completely prohibited the utterance of the Name, except in very specific circumstances. This ruling was issued to honor and preserve its sanctity more completely.
In addition, according to the vast majority of Jewish authorities, the correct pronunciation of the Sacred Name has been lost. Some blame this prohibitive protection method, charging that we forgot the correct pronunciation by not using it. Others say this loss was a blessing. HaShem controls all things, so it must have been His will that we lost the pronunciation. Surely, it was because of our collective sinfulness, not our protection of the Sacred Name by this method. We lost the Beit HaMikdash (House of the Holy, the Second Temple) and the Name's correct pronunciation at the same time. We deserve neither nor are we pure enough to properly utilize either.
When HaMashiach ben David arrives, he will restore both the Temple and the knowledge of the Sacred Name. Then the priests of the Third Temple will utter HaShem's praises correctly. Until then, while there are many guesses as to the proper pronunciation, the truth is no one knows for sure. Regardless of intention, all attempts at pronouncing the Name are considered incorrect.
Not everyone agrees with this rabbinic injunction; however, history has shown that when the Sacred Name is commonly spoken, it is seldom handled with the honor it deserves, as many people on Social Media make abundantly clear on their pages! The Second Temple was destroyed for our sins, especially infighting and legalism as the Chofetz Chaim and other authorities explain. Jews today are less observant and less united than they.
Since HaShem and His Sacred Name are One, honoring it is vitally important. The ban seeks to build a fence or hedge around the Sacred Name, reminding us that we should be in awe of the Holy One at all times.
Of course, we need balance in all things. We do not want to view the Sacred Name as something to be feared (awed yes, but not feared), nor consider it superstition, which might make it an idol. HaShem brings life and freedom, not superstition and bondage. At the same time, due to our deep respect for HaShem (literally "The Name"), we must avoid uttering it, acknowledging our unworthiness to do so as we yearn for the coming of Mashiach ben David.
We also do not use the Four Hebrew Letters of the Name individually as a name, as some people do. Doing so is also explicitly forbidden.
The Sacred Name is: יהוה
The Hebrew Name transliterates as the English letters: Yod, Hay, Vav, and Hay or YHVH (or as YHWH, the proper pronunciation of the vav here is uncertain) – blessed be He for all eternity. The proper pronunciation of the four-letter Name is unknown. Volumes exist by Jews and non-Jews alike seeking to support the diverse theories on the correct pronunciation. When HaMashiach ben David comes, he will reveal it. Until then, the debates will continue (although debating this seems disrespectful to the Name as well, in my opinion). Even if we knew for sure how to pronounce the Sacred Name, the rabbinic ban against doing so would still be in place. There would be no practical benefit to this knowledge, only the danger of misuse.
The Sacred Name is Unique
In addition to our desire to show proper respect for the Sacred Name, may He be pleased, there are deeply religious, spiritual, and mystical reasons why we do not utter the Name lightly.
Common names merely identify the named person or thing: "That's Yochanan" (John). The name "John" is the Greek rendition of the Hebrew name Yochanan (ג'ון or יְהוֹחָנָן, meaning "יהוה is Gracious." John (in its various forms) is the second most common name there is (after the name Muhammad). But why "John?" John could just as easily have been named Tom or Bob because John is just a name despite the fascination many people have with them (origins, meanings, etc.). There are many people named John, around 5,117,915 in the US alone! Names are little more than identifiers within the community for created beings living in the duality of time and space.
The point is, we are not our names. People named "John" do not necessarily have anything in common with one another nor with the original meaning of their name. Western cultures usually have a first, middle, and last name. While naming customs have changed since biblical times, the sir name usually identifies our lineage or family name while the first is our place within the lineage. John is of the lineage of the Galt family, for instance. John could change his name if he wanted, but it would not alter who he is.
It's different with the Holy One, blessed be He. God exists without beginning, middle or end. Because the Eternal is echad or utterly One, He is wholly unique and completely independent. The Blessed One is without origin and has no lineage. He is One with His various attributes, unlike us. We "have" love, but He "is" Love. We have names, but He and His name are the same, one, echad. He is One with His Name. In Him, there are no divisions:
Sh'ma Y'israel Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad
"Listen, Israel, Sacred Name is our G-d; Sacred Name is One."
"Listen, Israel the LORD is our G-d; the LORD is One."
If we can get a handle on the immensity of this truth, we can understand that while we have love, HaShem is Love. While we have justice, HaShem is Justice, and so on. HaShem is echad, One. There is no being like Him. And "He" is without gender or other human conceptions of what makes one an individual. The Mystics conceive of Him as Ain Soph, the utterly transcendent One.
It is not that the Sacred Name is G-d's Name like my name is Shlomo; it is that G-d and His Sacred Name are echad, one and the same – Blessed be He for all eternity. In other words, HaShem is non-different from His Name because He alone is genuinely echad or One. When we honor the Sacred Name, we simultaneously honor the Named One. We acknowledge His Oneness even though the comprehension of it surpasses us. Therefore, to "use His Name in vain" is to use HaShem Himself in vain! May G-d protect us from such error!
In Judaism, almost everything is debated. This point is not disputed, however. Jewish authorities sometimes argue why we do not utter the Sacred Name without very good cause and the exceptions when one may, such as for study purposes as I do here, but they are unanimous that we don't do it. One should never utter nor write the Sacred Name without very good cause, and then only with concentrated kavanah and emunah (with full intention, and faith that doing so is proper).
Because the Transcendent Name is so Sacred, we traditionally use one of two titles rather than writing or pronouncing the Name. This tradition intends to honor the Sacred Name not out of superstition against using it as some critics charge.
Adonai
We see the Sacred Name written in Hebrew letters when reading the Holy Scriptures and some traditional prayers. The Sacred Four-Letter Name is mentioned in the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible) more than 7970 times. We read the Sacred Name as Adonai ("LORD") at such places rather than pronounce the letters on the page. This title is commonly pronounced in one of two different ways:
- As "Adoh-noy" by Ashkenazi Jews
- As "Adoh-nigh" by the Sephardim (Hispanic and Middle Eastern Jews) and others.
Regardless of pronunciation, Adonai is usually translated as LORD (or L-RD), proclaiming that the Named One is LORD over all so-called lords. In the following verse, note how the Sacred Name has been rendered as "ADONAI."
Shemot 20:7 "You are not to use the name of ADONAI your G-d lightly, because ADONAI will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.
Whereas the Judaica Press Version has it this more common way:
Shemot 20:7 You shall not take the name of the Lord, your G-d, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain.
HaShem
We more frequently employ the title HaShem outside of Scripture reading and specific prayers. The title HaShem affirms that He is "the-Name" – the Name of Four Letters or tetragrammaton in Greek. This ascribed title proclaims that the Named One is KING and MASTER over all so-called kings and masters, the One of Four Letters. For religious Jews (and Noahidim), the Named One is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is eternally echad, the indivisible One known as Ein Soph.
These titles, Adonai and HaShem, are honorable and should be employed when referring to the One True G-d, Who alone is King of kings and Lord of lords. These divine titles are best used when referring to the Holy One, blessed be He.
Some sages maintain that the prohibition against using G-d's Sacred Name in vain found in Third Commandment: "You shall not take His Name in vain" only prohibits taking oaths with the Sacred Name, but that is not what the text nor most sages say. While that certainly is part of it, it is not the complete prohibition as explained above. The great Jewish theologian Rambam (Maimonides) confronted this error:
"It is not only a false oath that is forbidden. Instead, it is forbidden to mention even one of the names designated for G-d in vain, although one does not take an oath. For the verse commands us, saying: "To fear the glorious and awesome name" (Devarim 28:58)... Therefore if because of a slip of the tongue, one mentions [G-d's] name in vain, he should immediately hurry to praise, glorify and venerate it, so that it will not have been mentioned in vain. What is implied? If he mentions G-d's name, he should say: "Blessed be He for all eternity," "He is great and exceedingly praiseworthy," or the like, so that it will not have been [mentioned entirely] in vain (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Vows 12:11).
The frequent biblical command to "Praise His Name" and so on does not direct us to pronounce the Sacred Name as some wrongly believe. Many sincere people inadvertently blaspheme the Sacred Name while intending to honor and praise it. We are to honor the Name by "not using it lightly" (Shemot 20:7) and by holding the glorious and awesome Name with a sense of awe (Devarim 28:58). This way, we are protected from inadvertently dishonoring the Name and violating this serious commandment as a thing of most precious beauty and utter sacredness.
The commandment then, as Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains (see: Likkutei Torah, Behar 41a, et al.), is based on the fact that our praises of G-d arise from our emotional and/or intellectual appreciation of His Greatness. Something so grand and sacred as God's Name should never be used in everyday speech. The Sacred Name should be held close to our hearts and cherished.
How, the honorable Rabbi Schneur Zalman ponders, can finite beings such as we even begin to know about His Glory to offer Him due praise and worship? No one has seen G-d at any time (as we read in passages like Shemot 33:20). HaShem does not incarnate like the Pagan gods, so how can we know Him? How can we honor Him? So that He can be conceived, known, and praised, HaShem reveals His Presence (His Ruach HaKodesh) to us through His Torah and hitbodedut (personal prayer and meditation). His Torah proclaims His various Aspects, Names, and Titles. This Torah knowledge brings us to emunah (active, motivating faith) and bitachon (trust), and these bring us to Torah, whereby we attain levels of devekut or connection to Him.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, therefore, advises us:
1) Through studying Torah, all our prayers and requests are accepted, and the favor and standing of the Jewish people are enhanced materially and spiritually.
2) Studying Torah with all your might gives power to the forces of holiness and strengthens the positive inclination against the negative inclination.
3) If you labor in the study of Torah, you will understand the hints and meanings contained in all the different things in the world and use them as a means of coming closer to God. Even if you find yourself in a place of darkness where you might think it hard to draw close to God, true wisdom will radiate to you, and you will be able to draw near to God even from there.
And also:
"The Mitnagdim (opponents of the Chassidim) say that the main thing is to study Torah. The Chassidim say the main thing is prayer. But I say: Pray and study and pray" – Siach Sarfey Kodesh 1-8
The commandment to praise His Name refers to praising His attributes – His Kindness, His Power, His Mercy, and so on. We praise His Name when we give Him credit and thanks for everything in our lives. We glorify His Name by studying His Torah. We praise His Name through our prayers and our praises in worship.
HaShem's Oneness knows no division. He has no equals nor any partners. Through His various attributes, including His Sacred Name, we are empowered to enter, through the gates of emunah, into His Omnipresence with thanksgiving and joy (Tehillim 69:30, 95:2). With only a slight degree of comprehension of His greatness, we receive everything we need, everything our souls desire. As we do these things, we hold the Sacred Name in ever greater awe as it deserves, as best we can.
Religious Jews and non-Jews who worship the G-d of Israel always seek to honor the Sacred Name as commanded by HaShem carefully. See my Birchat HaShem study.
If one is to err, it is better to err on the side of holiness. To this end, rabbinic authorities "build a fence" or "hedge" around the Sacred Name by also restricting the use of the title Adonai and only using the term HaShem. We are encouraged to write "G-d" or "L-rd" rather than God and Lord for the same reason. Such khumra is like fences one might place around a flower garden to protect the plants from being accidentally trampled:
"Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the men of the Great Synagogue [Ezra et al.]. The latter used to say to make a fence around the Torah." Avot 1.1
A khumra is a requirement that exceeds the actual commandment to protect the initial observance as intended. The rationale is based on this verse:
Devarim 22:8 When you build a new house, you shall make a guard rail for your roof, so that you shall not cause blood [to be spilled] in your house, that the one who falls should fall from it [the roof].
On this important verse, Rashi notes: that the one who falls should fall: tells us that one [who would fall] deserves to fall [to his death on account of his sins]; nevertheless, you should not be the one to bring about his death, for meritorious things are executed through meritorious people, while things of ill-fortune are executed through guilty people. — [Sifrei 22:68]
There are many people today who are treating the Sacred Name of G-d disrespectfully. Many of these people sincerely (albeit wrongly) believe they are honoring the Name by doing so. They utter the Name (or some mispronounced version of it) as though it were any other common name. They scribble it on web pages and blogs with no more thought than when they write "John Galt" or the name of some celebrity. These people do so at their peril, as the above verse from Exodus and the quote from Rambam make clear. If a person chooses to dishonor the Sacred Name, they will do as they please, but HaShem will hold them accountable. However, those who love HaShem want no part of such blasphemy!
In any case, the Sacred Name should only be uttered or written with full intention and emunah and with all due respect. Then only when the alternative forms (Adonai, HaShem, G-d, etc.) do not suffice to convey the intended meaning. It is the most Sacred Name and Sound Vibration in all of existence! If one is to err, as we all do from time to time, it is better to err on the side of holiness. I can not stress this point enough.
A Few Divine Titles
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh
HaShem is not limited by time or space. While the proper pronunciation of the Sacred Name of Four Letters is unknown, His title Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is. It is often referred to as the "Great I Am," affirming that as a Mighty Wind, the Eternal is Omnipresent. The Holy One is the Sole Being of Past, Present, and Future (Hence, "I will be what I will be"). His Presence breaths life into all creation. As the most Mighty Wind, His Spirit Presence 'blows' wherever He chooses to send it. The people will want to know who You are, where You dwell, and what You will do. In reply, HaShem affirms that He is the Holy One and will be and do as He pleases. Our choice is to accept this fact or reject it. Our acceptance or rejection changes absolutely nothing.
Elohim
This is the most common of the early titles of HaShem and the first used in the Torah. Although "Elohim" is plural in form, the title is construed with a singular verb or adjective. This is unusual but not unheard of in Hebrew. It is a plural noun in a singular form. Hebrew scholars debate why this is so. Perhaps the most common explanation is that the plural form of majesty and excellence is used to acknowledge high dignity or greatness in courtly language. For instance, the Queen says, "We are not amused!" about herself as sovereign of her court. This usage in no way implies a plurality of the subject.
This view is supported by the similar use of plurals such as ba'al (master) and adon (lord). In Ethiopic, Amlak (lords) is the common title for the one G-d. The singular Eloah is comparatively rare. It is mainly used in poetry and late prose (such as in Job, which uses it 41 times). The same divine title is found in Arabic as ilah and Aramaic as elah. The singular is used in six places for heathen deities (Divrei Hayamim II 32: 15; Daniel 9: 37, 38; etc.); and the plural also, a few times, either for gods or images (Shemot 9:1, 12:12, 20:3; etc.) or for the One God (Shemot 32:1; Bereishit 31:30, 32; etc.). In most cases, both are used as names/titles of the one God of Israel.
In essence, this divine title identifies the G-d of the Torah as the Majestic God over all the so-called gods. Trying to conceive of the Infinite such terms were often used before the revelation of the Sacred Name. The Tanach is abundantly clear that HaShem is Echad (Indivisibly One).
El
The title El is synonymous with the English word god. Depending on the context, el can refer to any god or the One True G-d. It is used in both singular and plural forms. As a title of the One G-d, El normally combines another word, such as HaShem is "a jealous G-d" and so on. HaShem is El 'Elyon ("Most High G-d"), El Shaddai ("Almighty G-d"), El 'Olam ("Everlasting G-d"), El Ḥai ("Living G-d"), El Ro'i ("G-d of Seeing"), El Elohe Israel ("G-d, the G-d of Israel"), El Gibbor ("Mighty G-d") and so on. Such titles bring glory and recognition to the Holy One, Who transcends all titles.
As for the title itself, its origin and meaning are both uncertain. Some scholars say the Hebrew root of el suggests the idea, "to be strong," but others argue that this is highly doubtful because a similar root means "to be in front," "to be foremost," "to lead," "to rule," which would give El the meaning "leader" or "lord." But this meaning compounded with words commonly appended to El would seem redundant in this case, so it is also questionable. Others note that the "e" in El was originally "short" – as seen in such proper names as Elkanah, Elihu, and in the Assyrian "ilu." This may be strong evidence against this derivation.
As in the case of Elohim, it seems necessary to admit that the original meaning is not known. These words date back to the beginning of human civilization, and while we understand what they mean in usage, their root details, in some cases, are lost.
Shaddai
Aside from its connection as El Shaddai ("G-d Almighty"), Shaddai is also used independently as a name of G-d. It occurs mainly in Sefer Iyov, the Book of Job, and many siddurim.
Shaddai is often translated as "the Almighty." The Hebrew root shadad, from which it is derived, means "to overpower," "to treat with violence," "to lay waste." The title would properly refer to HaShem as the Devastator or Destroyer. While we may prefer to think of HaShem as the "G-d of love," when one is under enemy attack by a strong enemy, as we so often are, there is certainly comfort in knowing that HaShem is also Shaddai! He is our side, and He is the Devastator of all who stand against His people (Bereishit 12:3)!
Elyon
The title Elyon is used in conjunction with El, with יהוה, with Elohim, and also alone. Used in conjunction, it suggests that El is the Most High, the Sacred Name is the Most High, and Elohim is the Most High. In all cases, it refers to HaShem as the Highest G-d. Evidence suggests that the Phoenicians used this same name for God as 'Eλιον.
Adonai and Ba'al
As discussed above, Adonai (the L-rd) is a title used by the Masorites explicitly for the Sacred Name of G-d. The title itself likely derives from Adoni, or "my Lord," and later became the proper title for the Sacred Name. Its simple form Adon means "lord" as in master. It is synonymous with the word ba'al.
Certain Pagans utilized the Ba'al concept to describe their semi-polytheistic belief in a single unknowable god (Ba'al singular) who sends forth demigods (ba'alim) or avatars (and assuras) onto the earth. There are lesser gods/ba'alim in charge of rain, harvest, sexuality, etc. The Pagans sought to appease these gods in diverse ways. According to the Pagans, all areas of life had overseeing spirit beings or masters.
Most ancient Pagans had istadevata, or cherished god that presided over the household. For instance, we know that the family of Muhammad worshiped Hubal-Sin, the moon god of the Sinai, who was later elevated as the monotheistic Allah of Islam.
The word ba'al indicated one's "master," and in such cases, had no connection to the term as used by the Pagans. We find it in proper names, such as Jerubbaal, Ishbaal, Meribaal, etc. As a Chassidic Jew, I seek instruction from Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer, known as the BESHT or the Baal Shem Tov. His title means "Master of the Good Name" and certainly has no connection with Ba'al worship. Context is vital.
Less Well Known Titles
Abir is the "Strong One" of Ya'akov.
Ḳedosh Y'israel is the "Holy One of Israel."
Ẓur is the "Rock," and Ẓur Y'israel is the "Rock of Israel."
Eben Y'israel is the "Stone of Israel."
Ẓeba'ot "of Hosts" is frequently found concerning the Sacred Name and the title Elohim as in Adonai Elohe Ẓeba'ot ("Adonai, G-d of Hosts"), or simply "God of Hosts," or most frequently, "יהוה of Hosts." It is noteworthy that the Name יהוה Ẓeba'ot is more than once directly associated with the Ark, which was the symbol of G-d's presence amid the hosts of His people (see Numbers 10:35,36; I Samuel 4:4; and II Samuel 6: 2). Later, and especially in prophetic usage, this word was transferred to the heavenly hosts, or rather the heavenly hosts were added to the earthly hosts. For this idea of heavenly hosts joining their forces with those of G-d's people, or fighting on behalf of G-d's servants, compare Judges 5:20; II Kings 6:16,17; Psalm. 34:7.
The Seventy Two Hidden Titles of G-d
Borrowed from CHABAD
According to the Jewish mystical traditions hidden within the following verses are seventy-two Titles of G-d:
Then the angel of G-d, who had been going in front of the Israelite camp, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them.
And he came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, and there were the cloud and the darkness, and it illuminated the night, and one did not draw near the other all night long.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the L-rd led the sea with the strong east wind all night, and He made the sea into dry land and the waters split -- Exodus 14:19
Each of these verses, in Hebrew, contains exactly 72 letters. As Rabbi Moshe Ya'akov Wisnefsky explains:
The letters of these three verses can be arranged as 72 triplets of letters. But we are taught in Kabbalah that if we reverse the order of the letters in the middle set, the 72 triplets become 72 "names" of God.
In the Zohar (II:51b), these three verses refer in sequence to the divine attributes of chesed, gevura, and tiferet. The harmonious blending of these three principle emotive attributes forms the basic paradigm of how G-d relates to the world. Thus, combined, they form a composite Name of G-d since a name is a means by which one is made known to others, i.e., manifests His attributes.
Each verse contains 72 letters, meaning that they can be aligned in parallel, forming 72 triplets of letters. In this configuration, the Zohar states, the first verse is to be written in its proper order since it represents G-d's loving-kindness or a direct revelation of G-d's goodness.
The second verse must be written in reverse order, from the last letter to the first, since it represents G-d's severity, an indirect revelation of His goodness. Although tiferet is a blend of both chesed and gevura the third verse is not to be written half in the proper order and half in reverse order, as one might expect. There are two reasons for this: (1) in tiferet, chesed dominates over gevura, and (2) as the ideal blend of chesed and gevura, tiferet is a direct revelation of G-d's goodness and glory rather than an indirect one.
(This array may be seen, among other things, in the standard editions of the Zohar, volume 2, p. 270a.)
While I discourage delving into Jewish mysticism unless one is well educated in, and observant of, both the Written and Oral Torah, and one has acquired a "face to face" teacher of authentic Jewish mysticism – something quite difficult to find these days – it seems appropriate to share this bit of information here since no consideration of the Sacred Name in Judaism would be complete without it.
Here is the point, friends: The Holy One, the G-d of Israel and all the Universes, HaShem Yitborach, the Blessed G-d, has entrusted humanity with specific knowledge so we will be able to draw ever closer to Him. Among these designated treasures is the Sacred Name of Four Letters. May all who cherish His Most Sacred Name be blessed for all their generations and on into the Olam Haba, may it soon arrive!.
Shalom
References
ADVICE from RABBI NACHMAN, Online English translation of Likutey Etzot A compendium of Rabbi Nachman's practical teachings on spiritual growth and devotion. © AZAMRA INSTITUTE 5766 / 2006
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11305-names-of-god
http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/1388270/jewish/72-Names-of-G-d.htm
http://howmanypeople.linkvier.com
Then the angel of G-d, who had been going in front of the Israelite camp, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them.
And he came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, and there were the cloud and the darkness, and it illuminated the night, and one did not draw near the other all night long.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the L-rd led the sea with the strong east wind all night, and He made the sea into dry land and the waters split -- Exodus 14:19
Each of these verses, in Hebrew, contains exactly 72 letters. As Rabbi Moshe Ya'akov Wisnefsky explains:
The letters of these three verses can be arranged as 72 triplets of letters. But we are taught in Kabbalah that if we reverse the order of the letters in the middle set, the 72 triplets become 72 "names" of God.
In the Zohar (II:51b), these three verses refer in sequence to the divine attributes of chesed, gevura, and tiferet. The harmonious blending of these three principle emotive attributes forms the basic paradigm of how G-d relates to the world. Thus, combined, they form a composite Name of G-d since a name is a means by which one is made known to others, i.e., manifests His attributes.
Each verse contains 72 letters, meaning that they can be aligned in parallel, forming 72 triplets of letters. In this configuration, the Zohar states, the first verse is to be written in its proper order since it represents G-d's loving-kindness or a direct revelation of G-d's goodness.
The second verse must be written in reverse order, from the last letter to the first, since it represents G-d's severity, an indirect revelation of His goodness. Although tiferet is a blend of both chesed and gevura the third verse is not to be written half in the proper order and half in reverse order, as one might expect. There are two reasons for this: (1) in tiferet, chesed dominates over gevura, and (2) as the ideal blend of chesed and gevura, tiferet is a direct revelation of G-d's goodness and glory rather than an indirect one.
(This array may be seen, among other things, in the standard editions of the Zohar, volume 2, p. 270a.)
While I discourage delving into Jewish mysticism unless one is well educated in, and observant of, both the Written and Oral Torah, and one has acquired a "face to face" teacher of authentic Jewish mysticism – something quite difficult to find these days – it seems appropriate to share this bit of information here since no consideration of the Sacred Name in Judaism would be complete without it.
Here is the point, friends: The Holy One, the G-d of Israel and all the Universes, HaShem Yitborach, the Blessed G-d, has entrusted humanity with specific knowledge so we will be able to draw ever closer to Him. Among these designated treasures is the Sacred Name of Four Letters. May all who cherish His Most Sacred Name be blessed for all their generations and on into the Olam Haba, may it soon arrive!.
Shalom
References
ADVICE from RABBI NACHMAN, Online English translation of Likutey Etzot A compendium of Rabbi Nachman's practical teachings on spiritual growth and devotion. © AZAMRA INSTITUTE 5766 / 2006
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11305-names-of-god
http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/1388270/jewish/72-Names-of-G-d.htm
http://howmanypeople.linkvier.com
Got Questions or Comments?
Let us know
Be the Blessing you were created to be
And
Don't let the perfect defeat the good