I’ve been blogging a lot about current events lately (Mumbai terror attacks, Athens riots, War in Gaza) and have left aside a little bit the Shabbat reports. So here I’m back, with last week’s edition: all about names…
The Parasha of the week warranted this topic. In Hebrew the book of Exodus is actually called “Shemot”, “Names”, because it opens with the names of the Israelites who descended to Egypt. It became the title of the whole book to stress the importance of a name: the Israelites kept their names, clothes and language, even in Egypt, and preserving their identity was the key to their redemption. That’s how we got started on the stories of the names of each of our guests...
Hadar told us that many people mistake him for a female when communicating via email (since Hadar is a popular female name in Israel), even thought the first Hadar in the Bible was a male. I myself made the mistake and was quite surprised when he first showed up after our email communications J…
Daniel’s parents just liked this name…. (and I agree with them!). Ronen told us that some of his relatives actually changed their name according to Kabbalah. The name of a person is connected to its essence, and that’s why we sometimes add the name “Rafael” (G-d will Heal) or “Chaim” (Life) to seriously ill persons.
For Jordan, his name reminds him of the strength of the Jordan River… The Jordan River receives its water from the Hermon Mountain, and gives it over to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea, on the contrary, just keeps all the water to itself, that’s why it is called “Dead”… When you receive without giving, there is no life...
Itschak from Argentina, acted out the meaning of his name, which means laughing in Hebrew, and told us some good jokes… Shulamit, his wife, carries the name of her grandmother, who perished in the concentration camps. Shulamit’s mother was saved in an extraordinary story: She and her family were brought from the Lodz ghetto to Auschwitz, and, being a weak young girl, she was put in the line going to the gas chambers (of course, she did not know it at the time). Suddenly, a German soldier approached her and told her to stay close to him and follow him: he brought her to the other line of people who were eventually brought to Bergen-Belsen to work. This German soldier had come to Poland before the war and ordered clothes from her father, who was a tailor, and he recognized her, and actually saved her life.
Jessica Rose, from Chicago, is named after her grandmothers, both named Rose. It seems that Rose was a popular name in the 30’s, while Jessica became a popular name in the 90’s: she was one of 4 Jessica’s in her class! This reminded me of a story: a couple came to a Rabbi, arguing about the name of their son, each one wanting to give the name of his own father. “What is your father’s name?” inquired the rabbi. “Chaim” answered the man. “What was your father’s name?” the rabbi asked the woman. “Chaim!” she answered. “Well, what’s the problem, then?” the Rabbi asked puzzled. “I want the boy to be named after MY father!” cried the man. “And I want to name him after MY father!” the woman replied. “What was your father’s job?” the rabbi asked the man. “He was a wagon driver”. “What about your father?” the rabbi turned to the woman. “He was a Rabbi”. “Ok,” said the rabbi, “We will call him Chaim. Then he will decide after which grandfather he will be named. If he grows up to be a wagon driver, he will be named after your father, and if he becomes a rabbi, it will be after your father!!!” J
This actually brings out a deep truth: while the name of a person is given at birth by his parents, each one acquires for himself his or her own name, his reputation and the way he is known in the world. As is said in the Mishna (Avot 4:13): “There are 3 crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of Kehuna (priesthood) and the crown of Royalty, but the crown of a good name is more important than all of them”.
Shabbat guest wrote...