Names are powerful–the first human being Adam was able to look into the essence of each creature and from that, choose their name. Your name holds the key to your spiritual identity, it represents your essence, too. Although names in Hebrew, the Holy Tongue, contain many levels of meaning, and are expressions of a person’s soul, names in other languages are meaningful, too.
The Creator’s names are different. It is impossible for us to represent His entire essence in a name that is pronounceable by us. In fact, God has many names which contain great mysteries, but for us, they offer insights into various ways of understanding Him. Jews often simply refer to God as “Hashem” which means “The Name”. Although Hashem has many other names, in casual conversation we don’t use those names are they are sacred, and there is great power in them. We reserve their use for prayer, sacred texts, and other special services.
What is your name? What does it mean to you?
Chaya Rivka Zwolinski, is the author of May You Have a Day: Making Your Life Better with the Teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. She’s the Director of Breslov Woman, teaches Rebbe Nachman’s wisdom to English speakers around the world, emphasizing a psychospiritual approach. She leads trips for women to Uman and Jewish Ukraine and teaches in NYC and other locations. Find her video classes, articles, and podcasts at BRI Breslov.org and BreslovWoman.org.SHOW LESS
