God's name

Found 11 Search results

1. The Appointment of Moshe

   Parashat Va'era

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman

   Early in Parashat Va’era God commands Moshe to rescue Bnei Yisrael from Egypt. However, Moshe was already consecrated for this mission once, by the Burning Bush. What is the significance of this duality? Why is there a need for two consecrations? An analysis of each episode reveals the different reasons for saving the Children of Israel; each consecration focuses on another aspect of redemption.

2. "I Will Be What I Will Be"

   Rabbi Itai Elitzur

3. Rabbi David Tzvi Hoffman's Commentary and Methodology

   Dr. Avigail Rock | Hour and 2 minutes

   This shiur examines the commentary of Rabbi David Tzvi Hoffman. While responding to the Biblical critics of his time in his commentary, Rabbi Hoffman explores the text of Tanakh utilizing innovative and creative interpretations to help the readers gain a greater understanding and appreciation of pshat. 

4. Revealing the Tetragrammaton- The Problem of a New Divine Name

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | Hour and 7 minutes

   Why does God tell Moshe that He never revealed the Tetragrammaton to our forefathers, when it was in fact revealed to them? How do we resolve this contradiction between Sefer Bereishit and Sefer Shemot? This shiur explores the various answers given by the commentaries, and also utilizes a literary approach of textual parallels in order to answer this question and also learn about the nature of divine promises.

5. Two Promises: One Fulfilled, One Not Yet Fulfilled (6:3)

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Endless commentaries have attempted to explain the verse “And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov as Kel-Shakkai, but My name YKVK I did not make known to them.", but its mystery has not yet been solved. A "simple" reading would seem to suggest that this Divine statement reveals some of God's different names, with a distinction being made between two periods: to the forefathers God revealed Himself by the name "Kel-Shakkai," but He was not known to them as YKVK. Now, on the other hand, with the time drawing close for redemption, God reveals Himself to Moshe with this latter name – as we see at the beginning of the utterance, in verse 2: "I am YKVK."

   This explanation presents a great difficulty: the name YKVK (the "Tetragrammaton,") appears more than a hundred times in Sefer Bereishit, The name is used not only in the narrative, but also in the language of various speakers – including God's own utterances to both Avraham and Yaakov. 

   A close analysis of the text leads to the understading that there is a connection between each of these names and the nature of the promise that is associated specifically with that name. What God promised to the forefathers when He appeared to them as Kel-Shakkai – that He would multiply their seed greatly – He has already fulfilled; what remains now to be fulfilled is the other aspect of the promise to the forefathers, and the fulfillment of that aspect – the promise of the land – is the main subject of the rest of the speech.

6. Knowing the Name of God

   Rabbi Yehuda Rock

   The opening verse of our parasha is opaque and difficult to understand. The commentators have trouble with the factual assertion that "My Name Y-H-V-H I did not make known to them." A cursory review of Sefer Bereishit shows this not to be true: Avraham is told, "I am Y-H-V-H Who took you out of Ur Kasdim" (Bereishit 15:7), and Yaakov is told, "I am Y-H-V-H, the God of Avraham your father"

   Unquestionably, though, the simple meaning of the verse is that God did not reveal the Name Y-H-V-H to the forefathers. As noted above, this clearly contradicts the verses in Sefer Bereishit that tell us that God explicitly told the forefathers, "I am Y-H-V-H."

    This article will shed some light on the verse, both locally and in its broader context.

7. “Why Do You Ask My Name?”

   Rabbi Gad Eldad

   Commentators throughout the ages have struggled to understand the meaning of the exchange of Divine Names at the beginning of parshat Vaera, and the significance of God’s choice to use one Name rather than another during the period of the forefathers. Another difficulty pertains to the content of this declaration, since the same message had already been conveyed to Moshe at the burning bush. What new message is God telling him now?

   A close examination of the text reveals a deeper understanding of the Divine names, indicating a new concept of the relations between God and His creatures. As Am Yisrael take their first steps as a nation, God takes the opportunity to direct and guide His world in this special relationship.

8. “And We Shall Make for Ourselves a Name” – Why Not?

   Rabbi Gad Eldad

   The story of the Tower of Bavel is one of the great mysteries of the Torah. The initiative of the human race at the time seems, on the face of it, innocuous enough, and the reader finds it difficult to understand why God viewed it as so evil that He saw fit to thwart their plan.

   We examine some commentators and analyze the tet itself to find insights into what is happening here. 

   Ultimately, the name of the place will commemorate for all time what God did there, rather than the initiative of the builders, such that the quest of the human race to “make for themselves a name” by building the tower and the city fails entirely.

9. Vayishlach: “I Am God Almighty” – How God Introduces Himself

   Rabbi Gad Eldad

   Yaakov was the first of the patriarchs to whom God introduces Himself immediately whenHe first speaks with him, as is customary among people. Why is it that the expected behavior becomes, in our case, the exception?  And why is it that the multiple times that God introduces Himself to Yaakov occur in the context of Yaakov's journeys?

   We will see that these two points are intertwined.

10. Parshat Vaera - Redemption, Knowledge, and the Name of the Lord

    Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 35 minutes

    We will discuss the speech by God in Chapter 6. God tells Moshe that He appeared to the forefathers with a certain name  and has heard the cries of Israel. He then gives Moshe instructions of what to say and do.

    Did the forefathers not know God's name? What does it mean that it was not "made known to them" - and is it important for it to be "made known" to them or to others?
     

11. Revealing the Tetragrammaton: The Problem of a New Divine Name

    Rabbi Chanoch Waxman

    תאריך פרסום: 2023 | | Hour and 5 minutes

    The lecture begins in discussing the sixth chapter of Sefer Shemot and explores the revelation of God's proper name to Moshe throughout the sefer. The shiur attempts to demonstrate how current literary methodology can contribute to the resolution of the problem of a new Divine Name. In addition, the shiur attempts to provide insight into the meaning of "knowing God" and to generate a coherent reading of the first six chapters of Shemot.