What is Your Name? A Video Podcast on the Nature of God

The Israeli poet Zelda said that we are each known by three names: the name our parents give us, the name others call us and the name we make for ourselves. But what is God’s name?

This week’s Torah portion brings some warmth during these exceedingly cold days with the story of “The Burning Bush.”

This is my very first video podcast. I am honored to be part of Shmuel Rosner’s ‘Rosner’s Domain Torah Talks’ for the Jewish Journal.

Shmuel is a highly esteemed journalist (NYTimes, Ha’aretz, Ma’ariv and the political editor of the Jewish Journal). For the past five years he has interviewed rabbis of all denominations every week about the weekly Torah portion over Skype for a seven-minute video podcast.

This week we begin reading the book of Exodus (the book of Shemot in Hebrew). The word “shemot” in Hebrew does not mean “exodus” – it means “names.” And this Torah portion has a lot to teach about the importance of names.

We cannot be truly engaged in a relationship with someone unless we know his or her name. For some of us, that includes our relationship with God.

The Israeli poet Zelda says that each of us has three names: the name our parents give us, the name others call us, and the name we make for ourselves.

Zelda

Everyone Has a Name

Everyone has a name
given to him by God
and given to him by his parents

Everyone has a name
given to him by his stature
and the way he smiles
and given to him by his clothing

Everyone has a name
given to him by the mountains
and given to him by his walls

Everyone has a name
given to him by the stars
and given to him by his neighbors

Everyone has a name
given to him by his sins
and given to him by his longing

Everyone has a name
given to him by his enemies
and given to him by his love

Everyone has a name
given to him by his feasts
and given to him by his work

Everyone has a name
given to him by the seasons
and given to him by his blindness

Everyone has a name
given to him by the sea and
given to him
by his death.

(Translated from Hebrew by Marcia Falk, quoted from “Generations of the Holocaust” by Bergmann and Jugovy)

זלדה

 

לכל איש יש שם

 

לכל איש יש שם
שנתן לו אלוהים
ונתנו לו אביו ואמו

לכל איש יש שם
שנתנו לו קומתו ואופן חיוכו
ונתן לו האריג

לכל איש יש שם
שנתנו לו ההרים
ונתנו לו כתליו

לכל איש יש שם
שנתנו לו המזלות
ונתנו לו שכניו

לכל איש יש שם
שנתנו לו חטאיו
ונתנה לו כמיהתו

לכל איש יש שם
שנתנו לו שונאיו
ונתנה לו אהבתו

לכל איש יש שם
שנתנו לו חגיו
ונתנה לו מלאכתו

לכל איש יש שם
שנתנו לו עונות השנה
ונתן לו עיוורונו

לכל איש יש שם
שנתן לו הים
ונתן לו
מותו.

But what do we call God? How do we come to know God? Let’s explore the Torah portion for this week in more depth to learn more.

Click the link below to view my podcast for Parshat Shemot on Rosners Domain. Shabbat Shalom!

http://jewishjournal.com/rosnersdomain/rosner-video/229386/torah-talk-parashat-shemot-rabbi-sharon-sobel/