My brother guest posts by-proxy today, as he sends from the deserts of Israel his thoughts and his interpretations and traditions (halacha), on using the name of God.
"You shall not take the name of YHVH Eloheicha in vain, for YHVH will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain."
-Shemot 20:7=D'varim 5:11
In a world where some use The Name regularly, in regular speech at any given time, and others who strictly forbid the utterance of the Name - where is the truth? What is the right halacha for this issue? Should one use The Name? If so, when?
Take a closer look at the mitzvah here, to read and understand the Hebrew and sense that is given in the text.
It reads in Hebrew: '"Lo tisa et-Shem-YHVH Eloheicha lashav'..."
Literally: "No raise~you et-Name-YHVH your El for/to-desolation/uselessness/(figuratively:)idolatry..."
So we should not raise/use the Name for/to desolation and/or idolatry. Anyone who breaks this mitzvah will not go guiltless from it, it is a very serious thing. So, here are most of the possible ways this verse could be taken to mean:
- Do not misuse the Name.
- Do not use The Name uselessly or without reason.
- Do not bring the Name to desolation/destruction.
- Do not bring the Name to non-existence.
- Do not swear falsely by the Name.
- Do not loosely use the Name.
- Do not use the Name for idolatry.
There are a few ways to read this, a few valid ways. Therefore, every one of them should be taken with caution. Many Rabbis have banned the use of the Name entirely. This is good and bad, and so is the choice to use the Name commonly.
There are pros and cons to each side.
First, what is done by censoring the Name entirely? (Except some Orthodox and especially Chasidim who study Kabbalah utter the Name).
- The Name is protected from misuse, from the common knowledge of the goyim [gentiles] who might blaspheme it regularly.
- The Name is kept very set apart, not made common in the least way.
- The pronunciation of the Name may be lost.
- The authority and power of this Most High Name is not used.
Second, what is done by using the Name freely?
- The Name is prone to being misused.
- The Name is made common when used in every-day speech.
- The Name may not be pronounced correctly, although the pronunciation with vowels can vary with the same Power invoked because of the consonants are the same.
- The authority and power of the Most High Name is utilized - hopefully for the good.
Here, one should see a problem with each. On one hand, the counterparts to us Netzarim, our modern Pharisaic brothers' restricting of the Name is not of the Tanakh, since it is used throughout in the speech of many individuals. Also, the restricting of the Name for the use of the Hebrew/Israelite people is fairly plainly not the desired outcome for the Name.
On the other hand, using the Name freely gives way to the possibility of sinning against YHVH. It gives way to making common the Name, which does not maintain its sanctity. One who freely uses to Name to and fro does not recognize its power and the extreme caution one must take when uttering it.
What is the right way to utilize the Name? What should the halacha be? The list above of most/all possibilities to interpret the verse should all be included in the safeguards around this mitzvah - this includes the Yehudim Netzarim to not censor the Name and to not use it in a common, every-day manner. So here is the halacha:
- One can use the Name in caution during personal prayer, pronouncing it to the best of his ability, taking in mind that the Hebrew letter combination Y-H-V-H, despite what vowels may be included under each consonant, is a powerful Name not to be said lightly or said at any given time for any given reason. One should know under what context he is using the Name and make sure he is not using it wrongly, for any wrong purpose.
- In the Netzari synagogue, the Name should be utilized at the ending parts of the prayers, when the service figuratively enters the Most Holy Place, as if the prayer service leads from the outer courts to deep inside (as exists in the modern Pharisaic siddurim, as with P'sukei D'Zimrah, the Psalms of praise that are recited before one recites the Shema and then the Amidah).
- The Name should be discouraged to be taken place in common speech, when one flippantly utters the Name - especially when it is not appropriate or especially necessary to do so.
- In the event that one does use the Name, in any circumstance, inside or outside prayer, he/she must be very careful in what context he/she is speaking it in. And must be careful that it is not for a vain cause, reason, for any false or evil motive.
Titles for Elohim
Throughout the Tanakh, titles are used for the One True El, YHVH. Their use is not restricted, their use is not condemned anywhere in the Torah. There are some in the "sacred-Name" movement who are hostile toward the use of titles.
This kind of restriction and prohibition is wrong. All titles used in the Tanakh for YHVH are free to be utilized, and have different meanings based on certain emanations/spirits of Elohim which are revealed to the user. For example, we see the Patriarchs sometimes use "El Shaddai" which basically means El of Breasts, or Many Breasted El.
[Judah's insertion: some interpret Shaddai to mean "almighty", but an alternative theory is that name is connected to shadayim which means "breasts" in Hebrew. It may thus be connected to the notion of God’s fertility and blessings of the human race. In several instances it is connected with fruitfulness: "May God Almighty [El Shaddai] bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers…" (Gen. 28:3). "I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]: be fruitful and increase in number" (Gen. 35:11). "By the Almighty [El Shaddai] who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts [shadayim] and of the womb [racham]" (Gen. 49:25). ^
No, it doesn't mean YHVH is a female fertility goddess (although he is neither solely masculine or solely feminine), it means he is a provider as a mother provides life-building milk for her child. And it was a form of praise for these Patriarchs to call YHVH by this title, and it was for very good reasons - because he had provided for them.
Here are some of the Names and Titles used in the Tanakh:
- Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh
- El/Eloah
- El Shaddai
- El Gibbor
- El Elyon
- El Chai
- Elohim
- Eloah
- Elohei Yisrael
- Adonai
- Boreh
- " " Tz'vaot
These are just among some of the most common titles used for the One True El used in the Tanakh. Most of these have varying significance and are reflective of different personalities, manifestations, Emanations, and/or Spirits of YHVH.
It should be established for all Yehudim Netzarim that these titles should be utilized, and used appropriately in the right context. We see use of different Names/Titles for HaShem used by some in the Tanakh for reasons - they usually do not just use a certain title for no reason. Although, in different time periods, certain Names are used for basic mention of the Most High.
In Kabbalah [mystical Judaism], different Names/Titles for YHVH are assigned to each of the Sephirot (Emanations) of the Etz Chayim (i.e. the different Spirits of Elohim). The list, accordingly, from upper Sephirot to lower Sephirot:
- Keter/Da'at (Crown/Divine Knowledge): Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh
- Chochmah (Divine Wisdom): YHVH
- Binah (Divine Understanding): Elohim
- Chesed (Mercy): El or El Chai
- Gevurah (Judgment): Yah
- Tipheret (Harmony/Beauty): Adonai
- Netzach (Victorious Eternity): YHVH Tz'vaot
- Hod (Majestic Splendor): Elohim Tz'vaot
- Yesod (Foundation): El Shaddai
- Malkhut (Kingdom): Adonai
In Kabbalah, it would be beneficial to the pray-er that whenever he prays for something in particular, or prays and needs to be endowed with a certain Spirit of Elohim (such as Wisdom, or Understanding), then ideally, calling on one of the assigned Names has an impact.
The Kabbalist Rabbis have assigned the Name Y-H-V-H to each of these Sephirot, with a different vowel structure (attached to the same consonants Y-H-V-H) for each one. Unfortunately, I don't have the knowledge for all these, but for Chesed/Mercy, if I am not mistaken, they pronounce the Name as "Yih'vih", assigning a chirik ("ee" vowel in Hebrew) to Y-H-V-H.
In summation, the halacha should be to use these Names and Titles when appropriate.