The Names of G-d
The Names of G-d
Moses: “Behold, I will come to the children of Israel and say to them, The G-d of your fathers has sent me to you, and they will say, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say to them?”
G-d replied: “I am who I am… Tell the children of Israel, I Shall Be (Eh-he-keh) has sent me to you.”
I am with you in your present distress, and I will be with you in future exiles and persecution. (Rashi)
To name something is to describe and define it. So G-d cannot be named.
In the words of the Midrash: G-d said to Moses, “You want to know My name? I am called by My deeds. When I judge My creatures, I am called Elokim. When I wage war on the wicked, I am called Tzevakot. When I tolerate the sins of man, I am called E-l Sha-dai. When I have compassion on My world, I am called Ha-Va-Yah…”
Thus G-d has no name, only names - descriptions of the various behavior patterns that can be ascribed to His influence on our lives.
Text: “Ve’amru li mah shemo-they will tell me what is His name.” Moses should have said, “They will ask me…?”
Why “Ehekeh” and not one of the more familiar names? Why “Ehekeh” only once?
What then is the difference between His Name(s) and the Sefiros?
Names are like proper nouns, Sefiros are tools.
Four categories of names.
1. - Havayeh: G-d’s Essential Name
“He who continuously brings all reality into existence.” Represents (A) basic model of creative process
(B) the sefiros
(C) the human body
(D) Ezekiel’s vision
(tip of the yud) kesser-crown G-d spirit of life
(yud) contraction chochmah-wisdom father bones
(hei) expansion binah-understanding mother blood vessels
(vov) extension middos-emotions sons flesh
(hei) expansion malchus-kingdom daughter skin
Havayeh is the soul of all the sefiros.
2. The sanctified names: are the essence of a particular sefirah.
Eh-he-keh Asher Eh-he-keh .... I shall be who I shall be … (Kesser, Chochmah, Binah)
Kah …. (spelled yud and hei)… (chochmah)
Elokim ….(spelled yud, hei, vov, hei)…(binah)
Akvah…. (spelled spelled aleph, hei, vov, hei)…(da’as)
Kel ….(spelled with an aleph instead of a koof)…(chessed)
Elokim ….(spelled aleph, lamed, hei, yud, mem)…(gevurah)
Ado-noy ….(spelled yud, hei, vov, hei)…(tiferes)
Hashem Tze’vakos….(spelled with an aleph instead of a koof)…(netzach)
Elokim Tze’vakos….(spelled with an aleph instead of a koof)…(hod)
Shakai ….(spelled shin, koof, yud)…(yesod)
Ado-noy …(spelled aleph,daled, nun, yud)…(malchus)
Why does Israel pray and the Almighty does not respond? Because they do not know how to have intent on the Name” As the verse says, “He knows My Name, he will call Me and I shall respond.” (Pesikta Rabasi)
3. The kinnuim: are anthropomorphic connotations
i.e. the thirteen attributes; merciful, gracious, etc.
4. Every word in Torah is the name of G-d. (Ramban)
Text: “They will tell me what is His name,” instead of, “They will ask me…”
ANSWER: If the buyer knows more than the seller about the product, it’s a difficult sale.
So Hashem answered, “Ehekeh” has the numerical value of 21, and “ehekeh asher ehekeh” is 21x21= 441.
Emes (truth) also adds up to 441. Just tell them the truth and they will listen.
“Truth is the seal/signature of G-d.” (Sages)
The Mispar Katan of Emes is 4+4+1=9; the number of (unchanging) truth.
9x2=18=1+8=9, 9x3=27=2+7=9, 9x1234=11106=1+1+1+0+6=9
Every word in Torah is the name of G-d. (Ramban)
B’reishis = beis(2)+reish(200)+aleph(1)+shin(300)+yud(10)+tof(400)= 913
minus the mispar katan (9+1+3=) 13
900 (9+0+0)=9
Avraham = aleph(1)+veis(2)+reish(200)+hey(5)+mem(40)=248
minus the mispar katan (2+4+8=) 14
234 (2+3+4)=9
Every word we speak (think or write) when attuned to G-d (in Hebrew or any other language) is a Divine Name.
Rebbe explained the English word Now (We want Moshiach now!).
In Hebrew now is =57, which is the gematria of Kel (31)+Havayah(26)+ 57, as in the verse, “Kel Havayah shall enlighten us.” (Psalms118:27)
The Rebbe taught: (Kel) Divine Love and (Havayah) compassion are the source of enlightenment and immediate salvation – NOW! Story: Kuku-rikou.
Deeper significance of the question: What is His name? What behavior are we seeing on the part of G-d in these times? You say that G-d has seen the suffering of His people in Egypt. Where was He until now? And what name is He now assuming having been apparently “nameless” and aloof from our lives?
The holy names each describe a divine intervention in reality (G-d as ruler, as judge, as provider, as savior).
On the other hand, Eh-he-keh (I am) is G-d as being—G-d as the essence of reality, beyond holiness.
Holiness is a feature of G-d’s transcendence; the being-ness of G-d transcends holiness itself. It pervades every existence even as it transcends it.
Tell the children of Israel that My name is Eh-he-keh. Where was I all these years? With you. I am in the groan of a beaten slave, in the spilled blood of a murdered child. I did not orchestrate the slavery from some distant heaven, holy and removed from your existential pain. I am there with you, suffering with you (“All their pain is pain for Him too.” Isaiah 63:9), praying for both of our redemptions.