Shemot Ba’aretz 1

‫בס"ד‬

SHEMOT BA’ARETZ
‫ֵשׁמוֹת בארץ – פסוקים וגמטריוֹת בתנ"ך‬
A person’s name is an expression of his or her soul or soul-root. As much as the parents’
naming of a child might seem like a well-thought-out, rational process, a hidden element of
divine providence is present. This applies in all cases, whether a name just seems to pop out
of thin air, or whether it has already been decided upon long before the birth (such as when a
child is to carry the name of some relative or sage who once lived). No matter what the
circumstances or the considerations involved in the naming, the name itself (and its gematria
or numerical equivalent) is like a secret formula concerning a person’s life mission waiting to
be decoded.

A simple decoding is performed by finding those verses in the Tanach in which that name
appears, or at least that begin and end with the same letters as that name. Through these
verses, we literally “plug” ourselves into our power-socket in the Torah. While either of these
methods gives us powerful insight into the dynamics of our lives, fulfilling both conditions is
optimal (i.e. finding verses with the same first and final letters, as well as verses in which the
name itself appears).

In certain cases, numerous verses will be found, and although one may tend to want to choose
one’s favorites, the sum total of all of them is what gives us this deep insight. Even the
seemingly “negative” verses are instructive, for they indicate the various tests that we must
face in this lifetime. The point is always to learn as much as we can about ourselves in order
to perfect any outstanding flaws.

Along with this, it is recommended to meditate on the letters of our name when it is
intertwined with Hashem’s Name (YHVH), or with the word Neshamah. For instance:

(‫י י ה צ ו ח ה ק )יצחק יקוק‬

(‫י נ צ ש ח מ ק ה )יצחק נשמה‬
(‫א י ב ה ר ו ה ה ם )אברהם יקוק‬
(‫א נ ב ש ר מ ה ה ם )אברהם נשמה‬
(‫י נ ה ע ו מ ה י )נעמי יקוק‬

Another, more advanced method, involves calculating the gematria of the name or names, and
finding the Divine Name or Names that share the same gematria. Some simple examples of
this are:

‫יוסף‬
Yoseph (26 x 6 = 156)
 Shemot Ba’aretz 2

‫יעקב‬
Yaacov (26 x 7 = 182)
‫יצחק‬
Yitzhak (26 x 8 = 208)
‫אברהם‬
Avraham (31 x 8 = 248)

Another advanced method of “plugging” ourselves into the Torah involves finding words,
phrases or sentences in the Torah that share the simple gematria as our name.

A more complete decoding is performed by combining the gematria of the name with the
gematriot of the parents’ and grandparents’ names. Each different combination reflects a
different innate potential. All together, these combinations form a single complex picture of
the total mission of a person on this earth. Again, this is only true when they are “plugged”
into the Divine Torah (which includes the entire written Torah, Prophets and Sacred
Writings, as well as the revealed and esoteric portions of the oral Torah). For example:

1. Name (Yoseph)
2. Name and family name (Yoseph Levi)
3. Name, son/daughter of father (Yoseph ben Yaacov)
4. Name, son/daughter of mother (Yoseph ben Rahel)
5. Name, son/daughter of father and mother (Yoseph ben Yaacov v’Rahel)
6. Name, son/daughter of father, son/daughter of grandfather (Yoseph ben Yaacov ben
Yitzhak)
7. Name, son/daughter of father, son/daughter of grandfather, son/daughter of great
grandfather (Yoseph ben Yaacov ben Yitzhak ben Avraham)
8. Name, son/daughter of mother, son/daughter of grandfather (Yoseph ben Rahel bat
Bethuel)
9. Name and vocation
10. Nicknames
11. Birthdate, etc.

***

The following source material about names is provided for further study. In almost every
case, I have provided the original Hebrew text, followed by an exact English translation [with
brief explanations enclosed in brackets]. Although these are not simple or easy texts to read,
they are extremely valuable, and the reward is well worth the effort.
 Shemot Ba’aretz 3

Shemot Ba’aretz
Sources
‫השׁל"ה‬
‫ שׁיאמר בחייו בכל יוֹם בסוֹף שׁמוֹנה עשׂרה קוֹדם יהיוּ לרצוֹן פסוּק אחד‬,‫סגוּלה שׁלא ישׁכח שׁמוֹ ליוֹם הדין‬
‫ דהיינוּ אוֹתוֹ השׁם שׁנקרא בוֹ לספר תוֹרה‬.‫מהתנ"ך המתחיל מאוֹת ראשׁוֹן משׁמוֹ וּמסיים באוֹת אחרוֹן משׁמוֹ‬
.‫ וכן כוּלם‬.‫כגוֹן למי שׁנקרא איציק וקוֹרין אוֹתוֹ לספר תוֹרה יצחק צריך להתחיל הפסוּק ביוֹד וּלסיים בקוּף‬
‫מכל שׁכן למי שׁשׁמוֹ נמצא בפסוּק עצמוֹ כגוֹן שׁלוֹם או דן אוֹ ראוּבן שׁאין צריך לסיים בסוֹף שׁמוֹ )ר' ישעיה‬
.(‫ מתוֹך סידוּר תפילת כל פה‬,‫הורוויץ ז"ל‬
Shlah HaKodesh
An aid to not forgetting one’s name on the Day of Judgment (i.e. when one passes on from
this world): Every day, at the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esreh (Amidah), before the verse
“Yihiyu le’ratzon – May it be Your will…” say a verse from the Tanach that begins with the
first letter of your name and ends with the final letter of your name. I refer to the name with
which one is called to the Sefer Torah. For instance, if one is called Itzik (which begins with
the letter Aleph), but is called to the Torah as Yitzhak (which begins with the letter Yod), the
verse must begin with a Yod and conclude with a Kof. This rule applies to all nicknames. It is
even better if the actual name appears in the verse. In the case of such names as Shalom or
Dan or Reuven [which actually appear in the Tanach], it is not necessary that the verse begin
and end with the first and final letters of the name (R. Yeshaya Horowitz, cited in Siddur
Tefillat Kol Peh).

*
‫ט‬-‫מיכה ו' ח‬
'‫ קוֹל ה‬.‫יך‬
ָ ‫ֵע ֶל ֶכת ִעם ֱאל ֶֹה‬
ַ ‫אַה ַבת ֶח ֶסד וְ ַה ְצנ‬
ַ ְ‫דּוֹרשׁ ִמ ְמּ ָך ִכּי ִאם ֲעשׂוֹת ִמ ְשׁפטּ ו‬
ֵ '‫ה‬-‫וּמה‬ ָ ‫טּוֹב‬-‫אָדם ַמה‬ ָ ‫ִה ִגּיד ְל ָך‬
.‫תוּשׁיָה יִ ְר ֶאה ְשׁ ֶמ ָך‬
ִ ְ‫ָל ִעיר יִ ְק ָרא ו‬
Micah 6:8-9
“O Man, you have been told what is good and what Hashem demands of you – only to act
justly, love kindness, and to walk modestly with your God! This is the call of [the prophet of]
Hashem to the city; the advice of the one who perceives Your Name…”

*
‫רשׁ"י‬
‫תוּשׁיָה יִ ְר ֶאה ְשׁ ֶמ ָך" – ותוּשׁיה קוֹרא‬
ִ ְ‫ "ו‬.‫"קוֹל ה' ָל ִעיר יִ ְק ָרא" – קוֹל נביאיי ה' על קרתא מכריזין להם תשׁוּבה‬
‫ ותוּשׁיה מוּסב על מקרא שׁלמעלה‬.‫להם הנביא אשׁר רוֹאה את שׁמך אשׁר נוֹתן לב להתבוֹנן ולראוֹת דרכיך‬
‫תוּשׁיָה יִ ְר ֶאה ְשׁ ֶמ ָך" – מכאן שׁכל מי שׁאוֹמר בכל יוֹם מקרא המתחיל וּמסיים‬ ִ ְ‫ "ו‬...[‫טּוֹב‬-‫אָדם ַמה‬ ָ ‫] ִה ִגּיד ְל ָך‬
.[‫ התוֹרה ]שׁהיא נקראת תוּשׁיה[ מצילוֹ מגיהנם ]ביוֹם הדין‬,‫כמוֹ שׁמתחיל וּמסיים שׁמוֹ‬
Rashi on Micah 6:9
“Kol Hashem la’ir yikra – This is the call of Hashem to the city” – the voice of the prophet of
Hashem calling them to teshuvah. “Ve’tushiyah yir’eh sh’mecha – the advice of the one who
perceives Your Name” – the advice of the prophet who sets his heart to contemplate and
perceive Hashem’s ways. Here, the word tushiyah-advice refers to the advice given in the
verse above, “O Man, you have been told what is good…” “Ve’tushiyah yir’eh sh’mecha – the
advice of the one who perceives Your Name” – [Although the words “Your Name” refer to
Hashem’s Name and the way He governs His Universe, still, in addition to this,] we learn
 Shemot Ba’aretz 4

from here that if one says a verse every day that begins and concludes with the first and final
letter of his name, the Torah [which is called tushiyah because it contains “advice” for living
in this-world and in the world-to-come] will rescue him from Gehinam [on the Day of
Judgment]. [That is, we can re-read ve’tushiyah yir’eh sh’mecha as “advice emerges by
beholding (i.e. looking deeply into, contemplating) your own name.”]

‫תיקוּני זוֹהר חדשׁ‬

‫ כמה דאוּקמוּה במדרשׁ ]על‬,‫ עתיד לנחתא לשׁאוֹל‬,‫אתמר דמאן דלא ידע בגימטריאוֹת וחשׁבוֹנוֹת דיליה‬
ָ ‫הפסוּק[ "כֹּל ֲא ֶשׁר ִתּ ְמ ָצא ָי ְד ָך ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ְבּכ ֲֹח ָך ֲע ֵשׂה ִכּי ֵאין ַמ ֲע ֶשׂה וְ ֶח ְשׁבּוֹן וְ ַד ַעת וְ ָח ְכ ָמה ִבּ ְשׁאוֹל ֲא ֶשׁר‬
‫אַתּה הֹ ֵל ְך‬
‫ עיין אוֹר תוֹרה לר' משׁה‬.'‫ מובא בקול התור פרק ג' אות ג‬,'‫ָשׁ ָמּה" )קהלת ט' י'( )תיקוּני זוֹהר חדשׁ ע' י‬
.(76 '‫ ע‬,‫צוּריאל שׁליט"א‬
Tikuney Zohar Hadash
We have learned that one who does not know the gematriot and [other] calculations of his
name will in the future descend to She’ol, as it has been established in the Midrash on the
verse, “Whatever your hand can find to do [i.e. to whatever extent you are able to do God’s
Will while you are alive], do it with all your power. For there is neither maaseh-deed, nor
heshbon-calculation, nor daat-knowledge, nor hochmah-wisdom, in She’ol where you are
going” (Kohelet 9:10) [She’ol is always understood to refer to “the grave” or “the
underworld”; it is essentially a static dimension where a soul is sent to suffer the
consequences of its wrong actions. It is interesting that it shares the same root letters as
Sha’ul, “Borrowed,” and She’elah, “Question!”] (Tikuney Zohar Hadash, p. 5b (10); see
below, Kol HaTor, Chapter 3, Paragraph 3; see also Torah Or by R. Moshe Tzuriel, p. 76).

‫הגר"א‬
‫ וכל אחד מישׂראל ישׁ לוֹ שׁוֹרשׁ למעלה באוֹתן‬,‫ כי כל חשׁבוֹנוֹת הן תלוּים בהאי כח‬.‫וחשׁבוֹנוֹת דיליה‬
'‫ וזה ]פירוּשׁ מאמרם ז"ל[ שׁשׁוֹאלין את הרשׁע את שׁמוֹ ומשיבו "גלוי וידוע לפניו ית‬.‫החשׁבוֹנוֹת בשׁמוֹ‬
‫ וזה "כֹּל ֲא ֶשׁר ִתּ ְמ ָצא ָי ְד ָך ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ְבּכ ֲֹח ָך ֲע ֵשׂה" שׁאמרוּ בשׁאוֹל אין שׁם אוֹתן בני אדם‬."'‫שאיני יודע שמי וכו‬
.(‫שׁהיה להם בעוֹה"ז מעשׂה )פירוּשׁ הגר"א לנ"ל; מוּבא באוֹר תוֹרה לר' משׁה צוּריאל שׁליט"א‬
GRA’s Commentary on Tikuney Zohar Hadash
“One who does not know the gematriot and [other] calculations of his name will in the future
descend to She’ol…” For all calculations depend on this power, and each and every Israelite
is connected to his root above through the calculations of his name(s). This is the meaning of
the statement of the Sages (Midrash Hibut HaKever) that an angel stands over the grave of a
wicked man and asks him his name, to which he responds, “It is revealed and known before
the Blessed One that I do not know my name!” … This is the meaning of “Whatever you are
able to do, do it with all your power!” For there, a person cannot expect to be able to do the
same thing that he was able to do while living in a body [i.e. each person is expected to live
up to all that is alluded to in their name while they are alive; if they did not begin this work
during their lifetimes, it may be too late, and they may therefore have to return to take care of
unfinished business] (GRA, R. Eliyahu the Gaon of Vilna, on Tikuney Zohar Hadash, p. 5b
(10)).

*
 Shemot Ba’aretz 5

‫קוֹל התוֹר‬
‫ ע"פ מעשׂה‬,‫רבינוּ ידע על כל אישׁ מישׂראל איה שׁמוֹ ויעוּדוֹ לישׁוּעת ישׂראל מרוּמז בתוֹרתנוּ הקדוֹשׁה‬
‫ נ"ב רמיזין קדישין )כמספר אליהו( ראה‬.‫ בסוֹד "שׁמא גרים" בגימטריאוֹת ונוֹטריקוֹן‬,('‫וחשׁבוֹן )קהלת ט' י‬
"‫ לכוּלם בשׁם יקרא‬,‫ וכל הרמזים כלולים במספרים לפי סוד "המוֹציא במספר צבאם‬...‫הגר"א על יעודיו הוא‬
‫ והיעוּד שׁל כל אחד מהם לפי‬,‫ היינוּ שׁכל נברא מהנבראים ישׁ לוֹ מספר יסוֹדי בפני עצמוֹ‬.(‫)ישׁעיה מ' כ"ו‬
‫ היינו בחושבנא שבאותיות התורה בגימטריאות‬,‫שׁמוֹ ומספרו היסודי נרמז בתורה בסוד מעשה וחשבון‬
ֶ ‫ " ְלכוּ ֲחזוּ ִמ ְפ ֲעלוֹת ה' ֲא ֶשׁר ָשׂם ַשׁמּוֹת ָב‬,(‫ וכמאמרם )ברכות ז' ע"ב‬.‫ונוטריקון‬
‫ אַל‬.('‫אָרץ" )תהלים מ"ו ט‬
.('‫ִתּ ְק ֵרי ַשׁמּוֹת )שׁממה( ֶא ָלּא ֵשׁמוֹת )קוֹל התוֹר תחילת פרק ג‬
Kol HaTor
Our Master knew where the name of every Israelite was encoded in the Torah, as well as his
or her destined role in the salvation of Israel, in accord with the concept of “maaseh-deed and
heshbon-calculation” (Kohelet 9:10), and based on the concept shema g’rim (“a person’s
name is causative”), as revealed in gematria and notarikon (acrostics). The GRA, whose name
(Eliyahu) equals 52 in gematria, saw 52 holy hints which revealed his own mission…
Everything is included in the number system of the Torah, in the mystery of “He brings their
starry hosts forth according to their number; He calls all of them by name” (Yeshaya 40:26),
namely, that every creature has a basic number that is unique to it, and a corresponding soul-
mission, all encoded in its name… as the Sages said on the verse, “Go, behold the great works
of Hashem; He has made shamot [‘desolations’] in the world” (Tehillim 46:9). Do not only
read shamot [“desolations”], but also shemot [“names”] (Berachot 7b) (R. Hillel Rivlin of
Shklov, disciple of the GRA, Kol HaTor, beginning of Chapter 3).

*
‫קוֹל התוֹר‬
‫על כל איש ישראל לעשות בכל כוחו להשיג את דרגת המספרים העילאים הצפונים בשמו בחשבון‬
...‫ איש על דגלו באותות לבית אבותיו‬,‫גימטריאות המרומזים בתורה על השליחות היחידאית של כל אחד‬
‫ ועל כל אחד‬.‫והוא המעשה וחשבון שנאמר בקהלת ט' עפ"י הכתוב בתקוני זוהר חדש וביאור רבינו שם‬
‫ שאם לאו עלול הוא להנתן לגלגול חדש לתקן מה שהחסיר בזאת‬,‫להשיג את חשבונות וגימטריאות שמו‬
‫ ובביאורי רבינו שם בתקוני‬.‫ עתיד לנחתא לשׁאוֹל‬,‫ דמאן דלא ידע בגימטריאוֹת וחשׁבוֹנוֹת דיליה‬.‫בגלגול זה‬
‫ "כי אין‬,"‫ וזה "כל אשר תמצא ידך לעשות בכחך עשה‬,"‫זהר חדש "שישיג בחשבון שלו בכח התלויין ביד‬
‫ והטעם הוא כי על‬.‫ היינו שבשאול לא תוכל עוד להשיב את המעשה וחשבון זה‬,"‫מעשה וחשבון בשאול‬
.('‫ פרק ג' אות ג‬,‫יסוד ידיעה זו ידע כל אחד איך לקיים את שליחותו היחידאית בעולם הזה )קול התור‬
Kol HaTor
Every Israelite must do his utmost to reach the level of the supreme numbers concealed within
his name which can be calculated by gematria. Through these [numbers], as they are hinted in
the Torah, each person can know his/her unique mission, each man with his insignia on his
banner, counted according to his father’s house… This, verily, is the “maaseh-deed and
heshbon-calculation” mentioned in Kohelet 9:10. According to the Tikuney Zohar Hadash
and the GRA’s commentary there, each person must attempt to grasp what is concealed in the
gematria of his name lest he be forced to undergo a new gilgul to repair what he did not
complete in this gilgul. For whoever does not know the gematriot (numerical equivalencies)
and heshbonot (calculations) concealed in his name may have to descend to She’ol. As our
Master [the GRA] wrote there, one should therefore make every effort to grasp whatever is
indicated by his gematria, with the might of his hand, as the verse states, “Whatever your
hand can find to do [i.e. to whatever extent you are able to do God’s Will while you are alive],
do it with all your power. For there is neither maaseh-deed, nor heshbon-calculation, nor
 Shemot Ba’aretz 6

daat-knowledge, nor hochmah-wisdom, in She’ol where you are going” (Kohelet 9:10),
namely, after you pass on from this world, you will be unable to achieve the maaseh
v’heshbon. This explains why this knowledge is so important, for without it one cannot realize
his full potential and fulfill his unique mission in this world... (Kol HaTor, Chapter 3,
Paragraph 3).
*
‫קול התור‬
‫ וכנודע שהשׁם הנקרא לילד‬.‫כל איש ישראל יש לו שורש למעלה בשמו לפי שורש נשמתו וזכות אבות‬
‫ וּלכל אחד לא פחוֹת‬.‫ אלא מה שׁהוּשׂם בפי אביו משׁמים לפי שׁוֹרשׁ נשׁמתוֹ‬,‫ לא באיקראי הוּא‬,‫בהולדוֹ‬
‫ יוֹסף בן יעקב‬,‫ יוֹסף בן רחל‬,‫ יוֹסף בן יעקב‬:‫ לדוּגמה‬...‫ וכוּלם מרוּמזים בתנ"ך אוֹ בחז"ל‬,‫משׁבעה מספרים‬
...‫ יוֹסף‬,‫ בצירוּף שׁם משׁפחתוֹ‬...‫ יוֹסף‬,‫ יוֹסף בן יעקב בן יצחק בן אברהם‬,‫ יוֹסף בן יעקב בן יצחק‬,‫ורחל‬
.('‫ אוֹת י‬,'‫ פרק ג‬,‫ כפי שׁנקרא בפי ההמוֹן )קוֹל התוֹר‬...‫ יוֹסף‬,‫בצירוּף שׁם מלאכתוֹ‬
Kol HaTor
Every Israelite has a root above in his name, in accord with his soul-root and family merit. For
it is known that the name a child is given when it is born is not by accident. Rather, it is
placed in his parent’s mind from heaven, in accord with the soul-root of the child. In all, no
individual has less than seven numbers, all of which can be found in the Tanach or in the Oral
Torah… For instance: Yoseph ben Yaacov, Yoseph ben Rahel, Yoseph ben Yaacov v’Rahel,
Yoseph ben Yaacov v’Yitzhak, Yoseph ben Yaacov ben Yitzhak ben Avraham, Yoseph…
with his family name, Yoseph… with the name of his vocation, Yoseph… as he is called in
public (Kol HaTor, Chapter 3, Paragraph 10).

‫ברכות ז' ע"ב‬

‫וּמנָא ָלן‬
ְ .‫רוּך הוּא ְבּ ִשׁירוֹת וְ ִת ְשׁ ָבּחוֹת‬
ְ ‫ ֶשׁ ִרוָּהוּ ְל ַה ָקּדוֹשׁ ָבּ‬,‫ָצא ִמ ֶמּנָּה ָדּוִ ד‬
ָ ‫ָכ ָתה וְ י‬
ְ ‫ ֶשׁזּ‬,‫יוֹחנָן‬
ָ ‫אָמר ַר ִבּי‬
ַ ?'‫ַמאי 'רוּת‬
‫ אַל‬.('‫אָרץ" )תהלים מ"ו ט‬ ֶ ‫ " ְלכוּ ֲחזוּ ִמ ְפ ֲעלוֹת ה' ֲא ֶשׁר ָשׂם ַשׁמּוֹת ָב‬,‫אָמר ְק ָרא‬ ַ ‫ ְדּ‬,‫אָמר ַר ִבּי ֶא ְל ָעזָר‬
ַ ?‫ָרים‬ִ ‫ִדּ ְשׁ ָמא גּ‬
:‫ִתּ ְק ֵרי ַשׁמּוֹת )שׁממה( ֶא ָלּא ֵשׁמוֹת‬
Berachot 7b
What does the root of the name Ruth mean [and is there a connection between this and the
character of Ruth the convert]? Rabbi Yohanan said, “[Because she dedicated herself
wholeheartedly to serving Hashem] Ruth merited to have David who rivah-satiated the Holy
One blessed-be-He with songs and praises.

From where do we know that a person’s name is causative [i.e. that the name a person is
given at birth will determine the kinds of events that will occur in his lifetime]? Rabbi Elazar
said: It is written, “Go, behold the great works of Hashem; He has made shamot
[‘desolations’] in the world” (Tehillim 46:9). Do not only read shamot [“desolations”], but
also shemot [“names”].

[By looking deeply into the names of the people we meet, we can know what Hashem has
planned for them. If these people are especially great, their name will also contain information
about what Hashem has planned for the whole world.]

*
 Shemot Ba’aretz 7

'‫בראשית רבה ל"ז ז‬

‫ אין אנו יודעין אם שם הוא הגדול אם יפת הוא‬.(‫"ולשם יולד גם הוא אבי כל בני עבר" )בראשית י' כ"ה‬
‫הגדול מן מה דכתיב אלה תולדות שם שם בן מאת שנה ויולד את ארפכשד שנתים אחר המבול הוי יפת‬
‫הוא הגדול ולעבר יולד שני בנים שם האחד פלג כי בימיו נפלגה הארץ רבי יוסי ורשב"ג רבי יוסי אומר‬
‫הראשונים ע"י שהיו מכירים את ייחוסיהם היו מוציאין שמן לשם המאורע אבל אנו שאין אנו מכירים את‬
‫ייחוסינו אנו מוציאין לשם אבותינו רשב"ג אומר הראשונים על ידי שהיו משתמשין ברוח הקודש היו‬
.‫מוציאין לשם המאורע אבל אנו שאין אנו משתמשין ברוח הקודש אנו מוציאין לשם אבותינו‬
Bereshit Rabbah 37:7
It is written, “Eber had two sons. The name of the first was Peleg, because the world became
divided [nif’lagah] in his days…” (Bereshit 10:25). Rabbi Yossi said: “The ancients knew
their family lineage [i.e. they had records of their family lineage]. [They therefore did not
name their children after their grandparents, in order to know who was born from whom.
Rather,] they named their children after the events that occurred in their days. We don’t know
our family lineage. We therefore name our children after our parents.” Rabban Shimon ben
Gamliel disagreed: “The ancients had ru’ah ha’kodesh [divine inspiration]. They were
therefore guided [from heaven] to name their children after events [that would occur during
their lifetimes]. Having lost ru’ah ha’kodesh, we name our children after our parents.”

(‫זוֹהר )תוּרגם לעברית‬

.(:‫ הפסוּק הזה למדנוּ )ברכוֹת ז‬.('‫אָרץ )תהלים מ"ו ט‬
ֶ ‫ ְלכוּ ֲחזוּ ִמ ְפ ֲעלוֹת ה' ֲא ֶשׁר ָשׂם ַשׁמוֹת ָב‬,‫ר' אלעזר פתח‬
‫ אלא לכוּ חזוּ ]תראוּ[ שׁבמעשׂים‬.(‫ חזוֹת קשׁה הוּגד לי )ישׁעיה כ"א‬,‫ כמוֹ שׁכתוּב‬,‫ למה לשׁוֹן חזוּ‬,‫אבל לכוּ חזוּ‬
‫שׁעוֹשׂה הקב"ה הוּא מגלה נבוּאה עליוֹנה לבני אדם ]דהיינוּ נבוּאת בני אדם שׁנוֹתן בפיהם לקרוֹא שׁמוֹת על‬
‫ שׁהשׁם הוּא‬,‫ ]ועל זה אמרוּ אל תקרי ַשׁמוֹת אלא ֵשׁמוֹת[ ֵשׁמוֹת ודאי‬.[‫שׁם העתיד בלי היוּתם מוּכנים לכך‬
‫ ויקרא‬,‫ ולכן כתוּב לגבי נֹח‬...[‫גוֹרם הכּל ]שׁעל ידי השׁם שׁקוֹראים לנוֹלד יוֹדעים בני אדם מה יהיה בעוֹלם‬
‫ אשׁריהם‬...‫ אמר ר' יצחק‬.‫ שׁעשׂה לוֹ ה' כדוּגמה שׁל מעלה‬...‫את שׁמוֹ נֹח לאמר זה ינחמנוּ ממעשׂנוּ‬
[‫הצדיקים שׁהם רשׁוּמים בחוֹתם וּבצלם המלך להיוֹת רשׁוּמים בשׁמוֹ ו]אז[ הוּא שׂם את שׁמוֹתם ]למטה‬
‫ )תרגוּם זוֹהר נֹח ד"ס ע"א ע"פ ר' אברהם גלאנטי וע"פ פירוּשׁ אוֹר החמה לר' אברהם‬.‫בארץ כמוֹ שׁצריך‬
(‫אזוּלאי‬
Zohar Noah (1:60a)
Rabbi Elazar opened [his discourse], “Go, behold the great works of Hashem; He has made
shamot [‘desolations’] in the world” (Tehillim 46:9). We have already learned that this verse
has a double meaning [as per Berachot 7b]… The meaning of this verse is that we must go
and behold how the Holy One reveals what He is going to do in the world by giving human
beings a flash of exalted prophecy [with which they give names to their children]. [This is the
meaning of ‘do not only read shamot (desolations) but also shemot (names).’] For names
effect reality. [For by virtue of the name that a child is given, we know what will happen in
the world.]… It is thus written, “Lamech lived 182 years, and he had a son. He named him
Noah, saying, ‘This one will bring us relief [ye’naha’menu] from our work and from the
anguish of our hands, from the soil that Hashem has cursed” (Bereshit 5:28-29)…

‫יוֹמא פ"ג ע"ב‬

‫יוֹסי ָלא‬
ֵ ‫הוּדה וְ ַר ִבּי‬ָ ְ‫ ַר ִבּי י‬.‫ ַר ִבּי ֵמ ִאיר ֲהוָה ַדיֵיק ִבּ ְשׁ ָמא‬.‫אוֹר ָחא‬
ְ ‫ ַהווּ ַקאָזְ ֵלי ְב‬,‫יוֹסי‬
ֵ ‫הוּדה וְ ַר ִבּי‬
ָ ְ‫ַר ִבּי ֵמ ִאיר וְ ַר ִבּי י‬
."‫ " ִכּידוֹר‬,‫ ַמה ִשּׁ ְמ ָך? ֲא ַמר ְלהוּ‬,‫אָמרוּ ֵליהּ‬ ְ .[‫ ]יְ ָהבוּ ְלהוּ‬,‫אוּשׁ ִפּיזָא‬
ְ ‫ ַבעוּ‬,‫דוּכ ָתּא‬ ְ ‫ ִכּי ָמטוּ ְל ַההוּא‬.‫יקי ִב ְשׁ ָמא‬ֵ ְ‫ַהווּ ַדי‬
‫הוּדה‬
ָ ְ‫ ַר ִבּי י‬."‫ )דברים ל"ב כ'( " ִכּי דּוֹר ַתּ ְהפֻּכוֹת ֵה ָמּה‬,‫ ִדּ ְכ ִתיב‬,‫אָדם ָר ָשׁע הוּא‬ ָ ,‫ ְשׁ ַמע ִמינָהּ‬,(‫אָמר )להו רבי מאיר‬ ַ
 Shemot Ba’aretz 8

‫ וְ ָק ְב ֵריהּ‬,‫אוֹת ֵביהּ ְבּ ַכ ָדּא‬ ְ (‫ ֲאזַל )רבי מאיר‬.‫יסיהּ‬ ֵ ‫אַשׁ ִלים ֵליהּ ִכּ‬ ְ ‫ ַר ִבּי ֵמ ִאיר ָלא‬,‫יסיְ יהוּ‬ ַ ‫אַשׁ ִלימוּ ֵליהּ ִכּ‬
ְ ‫יוֹסי‬ ֵ ‫וְ ַר ִבּי‬
‫ישׁיהּ ְדּ ַההוּא‬ ֵ ‫יסא ְד ַמנַּח ְבּ ֵר‬ ָ ‫ " ָתּא ְשׁ ִקיל ִכּ‬- ‫ית ַחזֵּי ֵליהּ ֲאבוּהּ ְבּ ֶח ְל ָמא‬ ְ ‫ ִא‬.‫ישׁיהּ‬ֵ ‫ַב ָרא ְב ֵר‬ְ ‫בוּה ְד ַההוּא ג‬
ָ ‫ְבּ ִק ְב ָרא ַד ֲא‬
‫ ִשׁ ְמ ֵשׁי‬-‫ ֶח ְל ִמי ְדּ ֵבי‬,‫אָמרוּ ֵליהּ‬ ְ .‫ית ַחזֵּי ִלי ְב ֶח ְל ָמ ִאי‬ ְ ‫ ָה ִכי ִא‬,‫ ְל ָמ ָחר )אתא לקמיה דרבי מאיר( ֲא ַמר ְלהוּ‬."‫ַב ָרא‬ ְ‫גּ‬
,‫ ְל ָמ ָחר‬.‫ַא ָתא‬ ֲ ‫ ו‬,‫יסיהּ‬ ֵ ‫אוֹר ָתּא ָשׁ ְק ֵלי ְל ִכ‬ ְ ‫ ְל‬.‫יוֹמא‬ ָ ‫כּוּלי‬ ֵ ‫ָט ֵריהּ‬ ְ ‫ נ‬,‫ אָזַל ַר ִבּי ֵמ ִאיר‬.[‫)בטלי אינון( ] ֵלית ָבּ ֶהן ַמ ָמּ ָשׁא‬
?‫אַמּאי ָלא ִת ְב ְדקוּ ִב ְשׁ ָמא‬ ַ ,‫ ֲא ַמר ְלהוּ ַר ִבּי ֵמ ִאיר‬.‫עוֹלם‬ ָ ‫ לֹא ָהיוּ ְד ָב ִרים ֵמ‬,‫אָמר ְלהוּ‬ ַ .‫יסין‬ ִ ‫ ַהב ָלן ִכּ‬,‫אָמרוּ ֵליהּ‬ ְ
,‫כוּה‬
ָ ‫אָמ ֵרי?! ַמ ְשׁ‬ ְ ‫ ִמי‬,‫זוּקי‬ ֵ ‫אַח‬ ְ .‫אַח ָשׁ ָשׁא‬ ֲ - ‫אָמ ֵרי ֲאנָא‬ ְ ‫ ֵאימוֹר ְדּ‬,‫אָמר ְלהוּ‬ ַ ?‫אָמ ְר ְתּ ָלן ָמר‬ ַ ‫אַמּאי ָלא‬ ַ ,‫אָמרוּ ֵליהּ‬ ְ
‫ וְ ָשׁ ְקלוּהוּ‬,‫יתהוּ‬ ְ ‫ימנָא ִל ְד ַבּ‬ ָ ‫יהבוּ ִס‬ ָ ִ‫ אָזְ לוּ ו‬,[‫אַשּ ָפ ֵמיהּ‬ ְ ] (‫ )אשקיוה חמרא( ָחזוּ ְט ָל ְפ ֵחי )בדיקניה‬,‫נוּתא‬ ָ ‫וְ ַעיְ ילוּהוּ ַל ֲח‬
,‫אשׁוֹנים ֶה ֱא ִכילוּ ְב ַשׂר ֲחזִ יר‬ ִ ‫ ַמיִ ם ָה ִר‬,[‫ ַהיְ ינוּ )דתנן( ] ְד ַת ְניָא‬.‫ אָזַל ִאיהוּ וְ ָק ְט ָלהּ ְל ִא ְתּ ֵתיה‬.[‫ ]וְ אַיְ יתוּ‬,‫יסיְ יהוּ‬
ַ ‫ְל ִכ‬
‫ילי‬
ֵ ְ‫ ָלא ַעי‬."‫ַב ָרא ִד ְשׁ ֵמיהּ " ָבּ ָלה‬ ְ ‫יתיהּ ְדּג‬ֵ ‫ ִכּי ָמטוּ ְל ֵב‬.‫יקי ִב ְשׁ ָמא‬ ַ ְ‫ ַהווּ ַדי‬- ‫ ְלסוֹף‬.‫ֶפשׁ‬ ֶ ‫רוֹנים ָה ְרגוּ ֶאת ַהנּ‬
ִ ‫אַח‬ ֲ ‫ַמיִ ם ָה‬
:"‫ )יחזקאל כג( " ָוא ַֹמר ַל ָבּ ָלה ִנ ֻא ִפים‬,‫ ִדּ ְכ ִתיב‬,‫ ָר ָשׁע הוּא‬,‫ ְשׁ ַמע ִמינָהּ‬,‫אָמרוּ‬ ְ .‫ַבּיהּ‬ ֵ ‫ְלג‬
Yoma 83b
Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yossi were traveling together. Rabbi Meir always paid
close attention to people’s names, whereas Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yossi didn’t. When
they arrived at a certain village, they asked for and received lodging [in an inn]. They asked
the innkeeper, “What is your name?” He answered, “Kidor.” He [Rabbi Meir] immediately
understood that the man was a rasha [evil], for it is written, ‘Ki dor tahapuchot hema – they
are a defiant generation” (Devarim 32:20). [Since it was Friday, Erev Shabbat,] Rabbi
Yehudah and Rabbi Yossi entrusted their purses to him [Kidor]; Rabbi Meir did not entrust
his purse with him, but rather went and placed it on the head of the grave of his [Kidor’s]
father… [The Gemara continues, relating that although Kidor tried to steal the purses that
were entrusted to him, they eventually were recovered with Rabbi Meir’s help. From that time
on, the other rabbis also made it their business to pay attention to people’s names.]

‫כ‬-‫בראשׁית ב' י"ט‬

‫אָדם ִל ְראוֹת ַמה יִּ ְק ָרא לוֹ וְ כֹל‬ ָ ‫ָבא ֶאל ָה‬ֵ ‫וַיִּ ֶצר יְ הֹוָה ֱאל ִֹהים ִמן ָה ֲא ָד ָמה ָכּל ַחיַּת ַה ָשּׂ ֶדה וְ ֵאת ָכּל עוֹף ַה ָשּׁ ַמיִ ם ַויּ‬
...‫וּלכֹל ַחיַּת ַה ָשּׂ ֶדה‬ְ ‫וּלעוֹף ַה ָשּׁ ַמיִ ם‬ְ ‫אָדם ֵשׁמוֹת ְל ָכל ַה ְבּ ֵה ָמה‬ ָ ‫ וַיִּ ְק ָרא ָה‬:‫ֶפשׁ ַחיָּה הוּא ְשׁמוֹ‬ ָ ‫ֲא ֶשׁר יִ ְק ָרא לוֹ ָה‬
ֶ ‫אָדם נ‬
Bereshit 2:19-20
Elokim formed every wild beast and every bird of the sky out of the ground. He then brought
[them] to Adam to see what he would name each one. Whatever Adam called each living
creature – that was [to remain] its name. Adam named every livestock animal and bird of the
sky, as well as all the wild beasts…

*
‫הבעל שם טוב‬
,‫ שׁמעתי ממוֹרי כמוֹ שׁתפיסת הגוּף הוּא בגשׁמי שׁאוֹחז בגוּפוֹ‬.ֹ"‫ֶפשׁ ַחיָה הוּא ְשׁמו‬
ֶ ‫אָדם נ‬
ָ ‫לוֹ ָה‬-‫"וְ כֹל ֲא ֶשׁר יִ ְק ָרא‬
‫ שׁמוֹת; ספר בעל‬,‫ )תוֹלדוֹת יעקב יוֹסף‬.‫ גם בישׁן ניעוּר משׁינתוֹ בקראוֹ שׁמוֹ‬.‫כך תפיסת הנשׁמה הוּא ע"י שׁמוֹ‬
(‫ סימן קל"א‬,‫ בראשׁית‬,‫שׁם טוֹב על התורה‬
Baal Shem Tov
“Whatever Adam would call each living creature – that was [to remain] its name” (Bereshit
2:19). I heard from my Master (the Baal Shem Tov) that just as we can hold on to a person
physically by holding his body, so also can we hold on to a person’s soul via his name. Even
when one is sleeping, the most effective way to awaken him is by calling his name (Toldot
Yaacov Yoseph, Shemot; Sefer Baal Shem Tov, Bereshit 131).
 Shemot Ba’aretz 9

*
‫תוֹרה אוֹר‬
‫ועכשׁיו אף שׁאנוּ קוֹראים שׁמוֹת בנינוּ על שׁם אבוֹתינוּ אוֹ על שׁם קרוֹבים כדאיתא במדרשׁ )בראשׁית רבה‬
,‫ עם כל זה גילה האר"י זלה"ה שׁגם אלוּ השׁמוֹת אינם דרך מקרה אוֹ ]אפילוּ רק[ רצוֹן האב אוֹ האם‬,('‫ל"ז ז‬
‫ אך הקב"ה הוּא נוֹתן שׂכל וחכמה ודעת בלב אביו ואמוֹ לקרוֹתוֹ בשׁם שׁהוּא שׁוֹרשׁ‬.‫שׁקוֹראין לבניהם כך‬
‫ אם יפנה אדם מכל עסקיו ויעסק‬,‫ והראיה לזה‬.‫ וּמחמת זה האדם מוּשׁרשׁ בשׁמוֹ מאד מאד‬.‫נשׁמה שׁל הבן‬
‫ ואפילוּ‬,‫ אף אם יבוֹאוּ בני אדם לדבר עמוֹ‬...‫ וישׂים עינוֹ ולבוֹ וּמחשׁבתוֹ בדבר ההוּא‬,‫]רק[ בדבר אחד‬
‫ אעפ"כ אינוֹ‬...‫ גם אם אוֹחזין אוֹתוֹ‬...‫ הוּא אינוֹ פוֹנה אליהם ואינוֹ שׁוֹמע דבריהם‬,‫מדברים אליו בנוֹכח‬
‫ שׁשׁמוֹ‬,‫ והכל הוּא מטעם הנזכר‬,‫ תיכף הוּא נפרד מעסקיו וּממחשׁבתוֹ‬,‫ אכן אם יקראוּ אוֹתוֹ בשׁמוֹ‬...‫מרגישׁ‬
‫ וזה גם פירוּשׁ )יוֹמא פ"ג ע"ב( ר' מאיר דייק בשׁמא שׁהיה מאיר וּמנהיר וכוּ' והיה יוֹדע‬.‫הוּא שׁוֹרשׁ נשׁמתוֹ‬
‫ פרשׁת בראשׁית; מוּבא ספר בעל שׁם‬,‫שׁוֹרשׁ נשׁמתוֹ שׁל כל אחד ואחד )תוֹרה אוֹר לר' שׁניאוֹר זלמן מליאדי‬
.(‫טוֹב שׁם סימן קל"א אוֹת ק"י‬
Torah Or (R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi)
Although we name our children after our parents or other relatives, as per [Rabbi Yossi’s
opinion in] the Midrash, still, the ARI (may he be remembered for eternal life) revealed that
even these names are not by chance. It is also not just the [conscious] desire of the father and
mother to call their child by such-and-such a name. Rather, the Holy One plants sechel
[intelligence], hochmah [wisdom] and da’at [consciousness] into the hearts of the child’s
parents, to call him by the exact name that is appropriate to his soul-root. It is for this reason
that a person is deeply connected to his name… Evidence of this is manifest in the fact that a
person can be so deeply involved in thinking about something, that he will not respond when
people come to speak to him. He simply does not hear them, even if they touch him! He is not
aware… If they call his name, however, he will immediately respond. This follows from what
we said, that a person’s name is [connected with] his soul-root. This is also the reason why
Rabbi Meir paid such close attention to people’s names. For as his own name Meir means
“the one who illuminates,” he was able to know the soul-root of others [through their names]
(Torah Or, Bereshit; cited in Sefer Baal Shem Tov, Bereshit 131, note 110).

‫הרב צבי הירש מזידיטשוב‬

‫ לכן תמיד ראוי לו לייחד יחוד שׁמו‬,‫קבלנו מרבותינו היות שׁם האדם הוא שׁורשׁ נשׁמתו באותיות שׁל שׁמו‬
‫ לא היה אפשׁר לחיות רגע‬,‫ כי אם לא היה לו מצד זה חיותו‬.‫כי ישׁ בו ניצוץ מזה השׁם אשׁר הוא חי בו‬
‫ נתעוֹרר‬,‫ ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל בשם אדונינוּ הבעל שׁם טוֹב מוֹפת על זה ]כי בקריאת שׁמוֹ והוּא ישׁן‬.‫אחת‬
.(‫ נח; ספר בעל שׁם טוֹב על התורה בראשית סימן קל"ג‬,‫מהשׁינה[ )ספר בית ישׂראל‬
R. Tzvi Hirsch of Ziditchov
We have received a tradition from our teachers that the root of a person’s soul is hinted at in
the letters of their name. It is therefore fitting to make it a habit to combine his name in a
yihud-unification (i.e. to intertwine it with the letters of Hashem’s Name, YKVK), for it is
only through a spark of this Name (YKVK) that he is alive [with a spark of divinity]. If he
would not constantly receive lifeforce via this Name, it would be impossible to survive for a
single instant. We have learned from our teachers, in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, that a
test of this is to call a person’s name when he is sleeping. Only thus will he awaken… (Beth
Yisrael, Parashat Noah; Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah, Bereshit 133).

*
 Shemot Ba’aretz 10

‫הרב צבי הירש מזידיטשוב‬

‫ הוּא הצירוּף אוֹתיוֹת אשׁר בא לתקן‬,‫ אשׁר עיקר נפשׁ וּנשׁמה הוּא שׁמוֹ שׁל האדם‬,‫המקוּבל אצלינוּ מרבוֹתינוּ‬
‫ וכן קבלתי בשׁם הבעל‬.‫ וכח הייחוּד אשׁר צריך לייחד שׁמוֹ ]שׁל הקב"ה[ ברוּך הוּא וּברוּך שׁמוֹ‬,‫בזה העוֹלם‬
‫ הוּא‬,‫ וּביחוּד בתפילה על החוֹלים וכל צרה שׁלא תבא על האדם‬,‫ והוּא דבר ידוּע וּמפוּרסם בתפילה‬,‫שׁם טוֹב‬
...‫ והכל ע"י צירוּפי אוֹתיוֹת‬...‫ להמתיק הדין האוֹחז באוֹתיוֹת שׁמוֹ‬,‫בהזכיר שׁם החוֹלה ולעשׂוֹת הייחוּד בשׁמוֹ‬
(‫אָרץ )תהלים מ"ו ט‬ֶ ‫וישׁ לזה סמך בזוֹהר הקוֹדשׁ בכמה מקוֹמוֹת )וּבפרט בפר' נֹח ד"ס ע"א( ֲא ֶשׁר ָשׂם ַשׁמוֹת ָב‬
‫ֵשׁמוֹת וודאי דהא שׁמא גרים לכוֹלא וּכוּ' זכאין אינוּן צדיקייא דרשׁימין ברשׁימוּ דגוּשׁפנקא דמלכא למיהוי‬
‫ )עטרת צבי בזוֹהר ויצא דקנ"ג ע"ב; בספר בעל‬.‫בשׁמיה רשׁימין ואיהוּ שׁוי שׁמהן בארעא כדקא יאוּת יעוּ'שׁ‬
(‫שׁם טוֹב שׁם סימן קל"ד‬
R. Tzvi Hirsch of Ziditchov
We have received a tradition from our teachers that the essence of a person’s nefesh and
neshamah is [in] his/her name. Such that the combination of letters that make up his name
indicate what he has come to fix in the world... Thus I have received in the name of the Baal
Shem Tov. And it is known, especially as regards praying for someone who is sick or in any
trouble: His name must be mentioned, and combined in a yihud-unification with Hashem’s
Name (YKVK) in order to sweeten the judgment that has grabbed unto the letters of his
name... (Ateret Tzvi on Zohar 1:153b; Sefer Baal Shem Tov, Bereshit 134).

‫ר' יצחק אייזיק מקאמרנא‬

‫ ידוּע לנוּ ממרן הבעל שׁם טוֹב שׁשׁם‬."‫וּלכֹל ַחיַת ַה ָש ֶדה‬
ְ ‫וּלעוֹף ַה ָשׁ ַמיִ ם‬
ְ ‫ ַה ְב ֵה ָמה‬-‫אָדם ֵשׁמוֹת ְל ָכל‬
ָ ‫"וַיִ ְק ָרא ָה‬
‫ והוּא נשׁרשׁ‬.‫ וכל הבהמוֹת ועוֹפוֹת וחיוֹת לפי ערך ניצוּצי אוֹתיוֹת התוֹרה כך שׁמוֹ‬,‫אדם הוּא עצם החיוּת‬
,‫ ועיין בתיקוּנים )תיקוּן נ"ז( שׁקרא אדם שׁמוֹת לכל חיוֹת הקוֹדשׁ‬.‫בשׂורש שׁלוֹ ]למעלה[ עד עדי עד והבן‬
(‫ בראשׁית דנ"ד ע"א; בספר בעל שׁם טוֹב שׁם סימן קל"ו‬,‫ )היכל הברכה‬.‫וּלפי שׁוֹרשׁוֹ בספירוֹת כך שׁמוֹ‬
R. Yitzhak Izik of Kamarna
“Adam named every livestock animal and bird of the sky, as well as all the wild beasts…” It
is known, in the name of our Master, the Baal Shem Tov, that a person’s essence life-force is
contained in his or her name. [This is why it was so important that Adam name all the
animals, for] all living creatures are endowed with life-force through the letters of the Torah
through their names. In this way, each one is rooted [i.e. connected] to its root above, all the
way up [to the highest root]. Understand this [i.e. understand that even animals have a
spiritual root]. This is seen in the Tikuney Zohar (Tikun 57), where it is explained that Adam
gave names [not only to physical animals, but] to the Hayot HaKodesh [the angels of Yetzirah
who are called Hayot, “Animals”] (Heichal HaBerachah, Bereshit, p. 54a; Sefer Baal Shem
Tov, Bereshit 136).

Sha’ar HaGilgulim (Rabbi Hayim Vital)

We have explained above that all the holy sparks of souls [i.e. each soul has many parts to it,
which, when separated off, are called sparks] are themselves sparks of a particular limb of the
Adam HaElyon HaKadosh, the Holy Supernal Man [i.e. the great treasury of souls above].
Now, just as each holy soul has a known name, in accord with the limb from which it is
hewn…; so also, each spark of klipah-shell has a known name, all its own [i.e. this ‘spark of
klipah’ is the yetzer hara that a person is given when he is born that comes from the system of
evil known as the Adam Bli’al, “the Man Without a Yoke,” i.e. the Sitra Ahra]. This is in
 Shemot Ba’aretz 11

accord with what our sages have taught on the verse, “Go, behold the great works of Hashem;
He has made shamot [desolations] in the world” (Tehillim 46:9): “Do not only read shamot
[desolations], but also shemot [names]” (Berachot 7b; Zohar 1:60a). This being the case [i.e.
that each spark has its own name to distinguish it from all others], it is clear that one person’s
yetzer hara is totally different than that of any another.

It follows that, when each person is born, the name that his parents give him is certainly not
by chance. Rather, the Holy One has inspired them to give this particular name, a name that is
necessary for this particular soul… This name is actually inscribed above on the Throne of
Glory [from which all souls are hewn]. This is why the sages were adamant about the power
of a name; for a person’s name is causative [i.e. it determines the kinds of events that will
occur in this person’s lifetime]. This is precisely why Rabbi Meir would pay such close
attention to people’s names (Yoma 83b)…

We thus conclude that each person has two names; one from the side of holiness, and one
from the side of the shell, as per the verse, “Elokim has set the one parallel to the other”
(Kohelet 7:14). Just as the holy soul has a fixed name, which is none other than the name
given by the mother and father (which, in the case of a male, is given when he is
circumcised), so also, he has another name for the yetzer hara, which is the spark of klipah
that entered him when he was born.

Now, behold, if a person could know his klipah name while he was alive, he could investigate
and discover the source-limb in the Klipah, i.e. Adam Bli’al, from which his yetzer hara
originates. In this way, he could know what he has done wrong, and what he needs to correct.
He could then correct it easily and thereby cause that particular klipah to disengage itself from
him while he is still alive, instead of having to suffer the tortures of Hibut HaKever
[“punishment of the grave”; the psychological anguish of the soul in seeing its earthly remains
in a state of decay].

It is for this reason that, when a tzadik passes on, he is not asked what his sitra ahra name was.
For the tzadikim work hard and suffer in order to rid themselves of the yetzer hara during
their lifetimes. They therefore do not suffer Hibut HaKever. The rasha [wicked man; by
definition, one who denies G-d and consciously defies the spiritual laws of the Torah], on the
other hand, worked hard to bind himself to his yetzer hara. He therefore must suffer the most
torturous afflictions in the process of disengaging himself from the klipah… (Sha’ar
HaGilgulim, Hakdamah 23. pp. 172-173 in Bnei Aharon).

‫תניא‬
[‫ השׁמוֹת שׁנקראים בהם בלשׁוֹן הקוֹדשׁ הן הן אוֹתיוֹת הדיבוּר ]האלוֹקי‬,‫וכן בכל הנבראים שׁבעוֹלם‬
‫המשׁתלשׁלוֹת ממדרגה למדרגה מעשׂרה מאמרוֹת שׁבתוֹרה ע"י חילוּפים וּתמוּרוֹת האוֹתיוֹת ברל"א שׁערים‬
‫ לפי שׁאין פרטי הנבראים יכוֹלים לקבל חיוּתם מעשׂרה‬,‫עד שׁמגיעוֹת וּמתלבשׁוֹת באוֹתוֹ נברא להחיוֹתוֹ‬
‫ ואין כח בהם לקבל‬,‫ שׁהחיוּת הנמשׁך מהן עצמן גדוֹל מאד מבח' הנבראים פרטיים‬,‫מאמרוֹת עצמן שׁבתוֹרה‬
‫ עד שׁיוּכל להתצמצם‬,‫ שׁהן חשׁבוֹן האוֹתיוֹת‬,‫החיוּת אלא ע"י חילוּפים וּתמוּרוֹת האוֹתיוֹת וּגימטריאוֹת‬
‫ הוּא כלי לחיוּת המצוּמצם באוֹתיוֹת‬,‫ וזה שׁמוֹ אשׁר יקראוּ לוֹ בלה"ק‬.‫וּלהתלבשׁ וּלהחיוֹת ממנוּ נברא פרטי‬
('‫ )שׁער היחוּד והאמוּנה א‬...‫שׁם זה‬
 Shemot Ba’aretz 12

Tanya (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi)

And so it is with all created things in the world. Their names in Lashon HaKodesh [the Holy
Tongue, the Transcendental Language of Prophecy] are the very letters of G-d’s ‘speech’ that
descend, level by level, from the Asarah Ma’amarot [Ten Utterances of Creation] recorded in
the Torah, by means of substitutions and transpositions of letters through the 231 Gates [of
permutations], until they reach down and become clothed in that particular created entity.
[This gradual descent is necessary] because individual creatures are simply incapable of
receiving their life-force directly from the Asarah Ma’amarot of the Torah, for the life-force
issuing directly from them is far greater than the capacity of individual creatures to receive.
They can only receive it when it descends and [its power] is progressively diminished, step by
step... until it can be condensed and clothed [in a lower form], and finally bring into existence
an individual creature. The name that that creature is then called in Lashon HaKodesh is a
conduit for the life-force that is condensed into its letters... (Tanya, Sha’ar Ha’Yihud
Ve’ha’Emunah, Chapter 1, p. 77a).

(‫זוהר פרשת נח )תוספתא‬

‫ רוּח אחד בעוֹלם הזה ]הגשׁמי[ ורוּח‬,‫למה נֹח נֹח פעמים? אלא כל צדיק וצדיק בעוֹלם ישׁ לוֹ שׁני רוּחוֹת‬
,‫ יעקב יעקב‬,‫ וככה תמצא בכל הצדיקים ]שׁהשׁם שׁלהם כתוּב פעמים[ משׁה משׁה‬.[‫אחד בעוֹלם הבא ]הרוּחני‬
‫ וזה בגלל‬.‫ ]כוּלם[ חוּץ מיצחק שׁלא כתוּב בוֹ כמוֹ שׁכתוּב בהם‬,‫ שׁם שׁם‬,‫ שׁמוּאל שׁמוּאל‬,‫אברהם אברהם‬
‫ וכיון שׁאברהם אמר עליו ברוּך‬.‫ יצאה נשׁמתוֹ שׁהיה בוֹ בעוֹלם הזה‬,‫ בשׁעה שׁנתקרב על גבי המזבח‬,‫שׁיצחק‬
‫ וּבגלל זה תמצא שׁהקב"ה לא ייחד שׁמוֹ ]בחיים[ אלא‬.‫ חזרה נשׁמתוֹ שׁל ]בחינת[ העוֹלם הבא‬,‫מחיה המתים‬
(‫ס‬-‫ נֹח נ"ט‬,‫ תוֹספתא‬,‫ )זוֹהר‬.‫ביצחק בגלל שׁנחשׁב כמת‬

Zohar Noah Tosefta 1:59b-60a

“These are the toldot [generations, chronicles] of Noah. Noah was a righteous man and
perfect in his generations; Noah walked with Elokim” (Bereshit 9). Why is Noah written
twice in succession. [The Torah could have saved ink and just written, “these are the toldot of
Noah, a tzadik...”] Rather, every tzadik in the world has two souls [i.e. exists in two
dimensions simultaneously]; one on this lower earthly plane, and one in the spiritual
dimension above. You will thus find with all the tzadikim that their names are written twice:
Moshe Moshe, Yaacov Yaacov, Avraham Avraham, Shmuel Shmuel, Shem Shem. This is
true of all the tzadikim except Yitzhak! The reason for this is: when Yitzhak was bound on the
altar, his earthly soul departed from him. When Avraham pronounced the blessing over him,
“Blessed is He who revives the dead!” only the other-wordly soul returned to him. You will
thus find that the Holy One did not join His Name with any of the tzadikim while they alive,
except Yitzchak! [for he was never again fully alive after that in the physical sense of the
term]. (Zohar, Tosefta to Noah, 1:59b-60a)
*

Me’or Eynayim
Hashem spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert, in the Communion Tent, on the first [day] of the
second month, in the second year after their going forth from the land of Mitzrayim, saying:
“Se’u et rosh bnei Yisrael – Raise up the head of each one of the entire congregation of the
children of Israel, according to their families [le’mish’pehotam], according to their fathers’
 Shemot Ba’aretz 13

houses [le’beit avotam], number the names [be’mispar shemot] of each male according to
their heads [kol zachar le’gulgulotam]...”

[Referring to the stars and the angels, and by extension, to Israel] it is written, “He brings
their hosts forth by number; He calls them all by name” (Yeshaya 40:26). The Holy One
brings forth the children of Israel by number. Not one is allowed to be missing. They must
always be shalem, complete. The Rabbis have thus taught, “The Shechinah does not dwell on
any less than 22,000 Jews.” Certainly, this number is just the bare minimum...

The second part of the verse reads, “He calls them all by name.” A person’s name is his
connection to his soul and his mission. [He is like a tree, and] the letters of his name are like
the root and life-juice [that make this tree grow to full maturity]. It is through the power of
these letters that he serves Hashem, learns, and prays.

We can therefore understand the tradition that states that the resha’im [those who do not serve
Hashem] are said to “forget their names” [when they arrive in the Next World]. This means
that they never understood why they were given the particular combination of letters that
made up their name [while they were alive]...

Still, every Jew is precious, and Hashem gives each soul many chances. Even those souls
which have fallen. He will not allow even one of them to be lost! He therefore has them
reincarnate through gilgul, as many times as necessary, until they are fixed and elevated.

Now, remember, when the children of Israel were in Egypt, they were fallen. When they
finally stood at Sinai to receive the Torah, they were cleansed of the poison of the Nahash, but
it returned again full-force when they worshipped the golden calf.

It is in this context that Hashem speaks to every Jew in the initial verses of our parashah:
Raise up the head of each Jew [se’u et rosh bnei Yisrael]. All of them must be elevated, even
if they have fallen! Raise them up to their families [le’mish’pehotam], i.e. to the reason that
each one of them was born into his or her particular family. Inspire them to strive to attain the
exalted levels that their fathers, Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaacov, attained [le’beit avotam].
Number them by their names, i.e. help each one of them connect to their soul root [be’mispar
shemot]. Each male according to their heads [kol zachar le’gulgulotam]. Although the word
le’gulgulotam means “their heads,” it also contains that same letters as gilgul [reincarnation].
The meaning is therefore: If they need it, they will go through gilgul [reincarnation] any
number of times. But why should they have to go through this suffering if they are able to fix
themselves in this lifetime?! (R. Menahem Nahum of Chernobyl, Me’or Eynayim, Parashat
Bamidbar).

*
'‫שׁמוֹת א' א‬
.‫וּביתוֹ ָבּאוּ‬
ֵ ‫ַעקֹב ִאישׁ‬
ֲ ‫וְ ֵא ֶלּה ְשׁמוֹת ְבּנֵי יִ ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַה ָבּ ִאים ִמ ְצ ָריְ ָמה ֵאת י‬
Shemot 1:1
These are the shemot-names of the children of Israel who came to Mitzrayim with Yaacov –
each individual who came with his family.
 Shemot Ba’aretz 14

The shemot-names that descended to Mitzrayim with Yaacov can be understood to refer to the
neshamot-souls that come down to this-world – which is likened to Mitzrayim. They descend
“with Yaacov,” that is, with the higher soul-power that they need in order to transmute all
their negative energies into a powerful service of Hashem.