The Significance of Names in Jewish Thought
glossary contents| Author: | Daniel Miller |
|---|---|
| Date: | 6 July, 2006 |
What's in a name?
Juliet's question [1] finds a number of answers in Jewish thought. In this article we will look at traditional sources that raise the question, and we will try to understand the influence, if any, that a name has on an individual.
Names in the Bible
The concept of names first arises in the Biblical cosmogony. God names the elements of creation - day and night; heavens, earth and seas - as they are created. Man continues this activity, naming the birds and beasts, and God appears to take an interest in this process. [2]
The names of Biblical characters are often overtly meaningful, reflecting the nature of the individual or historical events during the character's lifetime. Adam is created from the "dust of the earth (adama)"; Eve (Chava) is the "mother of all life (chai)"; Noah (No'ach) is to "comfort (ye'nachamenu)" his generation; in Peleg's days the whole land is divided (niflega, the root being PLG).
More significantly, when the name of a Biblical character is changed it signifies a change in the character's status. God changes the names of Avram and Sarai to Avraham and Sarah before they produce Isaac. Jacob receives the name Israel after his mysterious wrestling match since he has "struggled with God and man, and prevailed." Moses renames "Hoshea" to "Yehoshua," who later leads the nation into the Land of Canaan.
Names in the Talmud
Some Talmudic sages were in the habit of drawing inferences about a person's nature from the person's name.
In one instance, Rabbi Meir predicted while travelling with Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yossi that their innkeeper was an evil man by "expounding" his name, Kidor. The other two rabbis ignored Rabbi Meir's warning but regretted it when the innkeeper attempted to steal their valuables. [3]
Furthermore, Rabbi Isaac teaches that: [4]
four things tear up an evil [heavenly] decree. They are: charity, prayer, a change of name and a change of action.
This appears to be the source of the custom of changing or adding to the name of a severely ill person.
From all of the above it is obvious that names have some significance but what is the nature of this "significance"? Does a name merely reflect some quality about its bearer or is there a more active influence?
Clock or traffic light?
To illustrate this point, let's make an unlikely comparison between a clock and a traffic light. A clock tells the time. However, moving the hands of the clock will not cause time to flow any differently. Clocks do not influence time.
A traffic light, on the other hand, not only indicates whether traffic is flowing or not; it controls it. If you could switch the colors of traffic lights at an intersection at will, you could effectively control the flow of traffic.
So our question here becomes: do names fit the model of a clock or that of a traffic light?
Names as traffic lights
One Talmudic source tackles the topic head-on: [5]
From where do we know that a name has a causal effect ("shama garim"). Says Rabbi Elazar: the verse says, (Psalms 46:9) "Go see the works of God, who puts desolation (shamot) in the earth." Read not "desolation" but "names" (shemot).
What then is the nature of this effect?
Name and essence
How does a change of name avert an evil decree?
The Ritva and Maharal [6] attribute this to a connection between name and essence. An individual's name is connected to his essence by spiritual channels. Manipulate the name and you manipulate the essence as well. An evil decree addressed to the old name and essence does not apply to the new name and essence.
A kabbalistic source, Sha'ar Hagilgulim, [7] also associates name with essence but here the connection is merely relational. According to this, parents are gifted with a level of prophecy when they name their children, allowing them to choose a name that reflects the essence of the child. However, if the name is changed later, the essence remains the same.
Name and Self-Concept
In contrast, other early commentators, notably Meiri and Rabenu Nissim, [8] claim that the name change effect is purely psychological. The adoption of a new name demonstrates that the penitent sees himself as a "new person" and severs his connection with an earlier sinful life. The name helps break his old behavior patterns and thus penitence is complete and the is evil decree torn up.
This effect has not escaped the attention of modern psychology. Research has established the powerful effect a name has on self-concept. [9]
Self-concept is the mental idea that people have of themselves. It indicates what kind of person they are - whether they are good or bad, what their talents and weaknesses are. People tend to behave in ways that validate their self-concept.
Self-concept develops in response to the verbal and non-verbal messages children receive from significant people in their lives, particularly their parents.
A child's name influences the messages that others send him. Certain names are considered desirable or undesirable in a given culture and are associated with positive and negative feelings and influences a person's attitude toward the child and effectively moulds the child's developing self-concept.
Summing it up
Traditional Jewish sources place great significance on names.
This significance is seen as a causal effect by means of either mystical or psychological mechanisms.
On a mystical level, the name reflects the essence of the individual, if not actively influencing it.
Interestingly, the Gemarah states: [10]
All who descend to Gehenom will ascend, except for three... he who calls another by a derisive nickname.
Since names have such power, they should be used responsibly and with sensitivity.
- 1
- Romeo and Juliet, 2:2.
- 2
- Genesis 1:5, 8, 10; 2:7, 19-20, 23; 3:20; 5:29; 10:25; 17:5, 15; 32:29; Numbers 13:16.
- 3
- B.T. Yoma 83b and J.T. Rosh Hashana 3:9; Rabbi Meir "expounds upon names"; B.T. Yoma 38a, regarding a child named Do'eg.
- 4
- B.T. Rosh Hashana 16b; See also, Rashi on Genesis 15:5.
- 5
- B.T. Berachot 7b.
- 6
- Ritva on B.T. Rosh Hashana 16b.
- 7
- Sha'ar Hagilgulim, Introduction 24b.
- 8
- Meiri, Rabenu Nissim on B.T. Rosh Hashana 16b. See also Ritva, Ibid.
- 9
- For examples of study cases, see this article.
- 10
- B.T. Bava Metzia 58a.
