Unsure about whether the enslaved Israelites will follow him to rebel against Pharaoh and trust in the God of Israel, Moses asks God: ‘When they ask me what is Your name, what shall I tell them?’
Godās answer is extremely cryptic: āEhyeh Asher Ehyehā which means, āI will be what I will be,ā implying that He is eternal and not really knowable except through His creations and deeds, as seen through His various names.
In fact, throughout the Hebrew Bible, God has numerous names. In the first verse of Genesis, God is referred to as Eloheem (×Ö±×Ö¹×Ö“××). Yet in Genesis 12:7, God introduces himself to Abraham as ×Ö°-××Öø× (we do not know how to pronounce this name, which is described as the āIneffable Nameā). And, just a bit later, in Genesis 17:1, God reintroduces Himself to Abraham as El Shadai (×Öµ-× ×©Ö·××Ö·Ö¼×). What do all of Godās names in the Bible teach us about Him?
Godās essence is eternal and unchanging. However, in order for man to gain a clearer understanding of his relationship to God, He changes His name.
The importance of names is established early on in the Bible. In Genesis, after God creates āevery beast of the field, and every fowl of the airā, the animals are brought to the first man, Adam, to be named. Adam calls each animal by its essence.
From here, we understand that, in Jewish thought, a Hebrew name is not an arbitrary designation but rather more of a definition. In fact, the Talmud states that, in todayās world, the only prophecy left is when a parent names a child. Naming a child is considered one-sixtieth of prophecy and called Ruach HaKodesh (×Ø×Ö¼×Ö· ×ַקֹּ×ֶש×). Ruach HaKodesh comes to parents in the form of an angel who whispers into their ears what Hebrew name to give.
Therefore, our first Biblical introduction to God is as Eloheem (×Ö±×Ö¹×Ö“××). This is actually a plural word, yet we know that God is only one. Eloheem encompases the idea that God contains all powers and essences of the world, especially as The Creator, The Mightiest, The Ruler and The True Judge.
Godās Ineffable Name (Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay) reflects that His existence is eternal. Contained in these four Hebrew letters is the idea of past (×Öø×Öø×- hah-ya), present (×Ö¹×Ö¶×- hoh-veh) and future (×Ö“×Ö°×Ö¶×- yih-hee-yeh). This name also is used when discussing Godās relationship with man through His qualities of loving kindness and mercy.
El Shaddai usually translates as āGod Almightyā. āDaiā in Hebrew means enough or sufficient. As Godās strength is endlessly mighty, when creating the world, in essence, His creation would have gone on forever had He not said, āDaiā.
Shaddai is the name of God which is written on the outside of mezuzah scrolls placed on the doorposts of Jewish homes. The letters shin dalet yud (ש××) stand for the acronym, āShomer Daltot Yisraelā which means, āGuardian of the doors of Israelā.
Learning Biblical Hebrew can transform the way one reads and understands the Bible,ā explains Rabbi Tuly Weisz, editor of The Israel Bible. āHebrew is Godās holy language. Shouldnāt we know the names of its creator?ā
Readers of The Israel Bible will notice that Godās name is often translated as āHashem.ā Out of respect, Orthodox Jews generally refer to the Lord as Hashem, which literally means āthe Name.ā Referring to God as Hashem reminds us that we feel close to Him but also recognize our distance at the same time. To stress this moniker, The Israel Bible transliterates both the Tetragrammaton and the name Elohim as Hashem.
āAlthough all Bible study is a blessing, the importance of studying it in Hebrew cannot be stressed enough,ā Weisz explained. āThe sacred Hebrew language contains many levels of understanding which gets lost in translation, and especially when we understand the meaning of Godās name, our appreciation of Him is so much deeper.ā