This week we begin the Book of Exodus with Shemot, derived from the first words of the very first verse of the book; “these are the names.”
The entire book – Shemos – means “Names.” Why are we listed as names, and what is in a name?
There are two things we need to know if we’re to maximise control over our lives. I use the word “maximise” because if we had complete control, it would mean vetoing G-d’s power, and that’s just not possible.
But you can still be the master of your destiny.
Two Principles To Lead You To Redemption
Let’s talk about the first thing.
Life is an elaborate system of cause and effect. Not one thing can happen that doesn’t affect creation, even if it doesn’t affect our own lives. But it’s built into creation and as a result, each and every one of us should consider every act we perform and contemplate the potential effect.
Now the second thing – the ripple effect. Cause leads to an effect that increases over time. The snowball effect. The butterfly effect. It’s all the same.
It’s these two principles that help us understand the leap from last week’s portion to this week’s. One week, we’re rejoicing in the reunion of Jacob and his sons, and the next, we’re reading about the enslavement of a nation. Doesn’t it feel like there’s a gap in between?
But think about it. This leap serves to drive the point home that whatever happens in Genesis was the direct cause of the enslavement of the nation.
Joseph cried when his brothers lied to him. He didn’t cry because they’d upset him. Joseph cried because he knew that his brother’s cause would lead to a dramatic effect, later on, rippling through years of life spent in Egypt. He knew that the effect would lead to a lack of trust in G-d to protect them and that would lead to a harsh response.
If the brothers had wholeheartedly accepted what Jacob alluded to when he recited the Shema when he was reunited with Joseph, the journey to Egypt would have been just that. No more. No less. Joseph would have no reason to cry.
Let’s look at it another way. One person doing a small thing can have a dramatic effect. It can take a while before the results are tangible, but they will come and more than likely in a big way.
Words Have Meaning, But Names Have Power
Shemot starts with the recordings of the names of the tribes of Israel and how they arrived in Egypt. Why does the Torah repeat the names of Jacob’s children? We know their names. But it seems the Torah wants to highlight the importance of names in our tradition.
So, why such a big deal?
Let me repeat a story I once heard. A gentleman attended a brit milah (baby naming) and when the rabbi asked for the name of the child, the father responded, “Avraham Yitzchok Yakov David Shlomo Yosef.”
Astounded, the rabbi asked the father why they chose such a string of names, to which the father replied, “I am a poor man, rabbi, my child won’t have a huge inheritance. On my side of the family, he’s not going to be handsome. On my wife’s side, he probably won’t be that smart. So, at least he should have a good name.”
The same goes for the tribes of Israel. They had good names, each representing loyalty to G-d and Judaism. In their long night of exile, they remembered their names – their traditions, their ancestors, their hopes for the future – and this kept their hope for redemption burning. As long as they remembered their names, they were part of the Jewish people and bound to G-d’s covenant.
Good Name In Man And Woman Is The Immediate Jewel Of Their Souls (Shakespeare)
This makes me think of my favourite blessings, the Amidah. Traditionally, we recite a verse containing our name. It’s the opportunity to remember your name, even beyond this life.
That’s because in your name lies your self and soul.
It’s why we place such great emphasis on naming a child because in that name lays the history and the past, the hopes and blessings that lie ahead. I remember once reading an article that said our Hebrew names are innate. They guide us throughout life. I truly believe this.
So, before embarking on the narrative of Israel in Egypt, the Torah proffers an understanding of survival – through names. There’s a lot in a name, and that will be the key to redemption and exodus from Egyptian slavery.
Is there truly a connection between Names and exile or redemption? There has to be. The Medrash teaches us that when G-d created Adam, all the animals were brought before him and named.
In Hebrew, a name isn’t just a label for communication. It’s your very purpose. Your essence. By naming the animals, Adam shows intuition of the role each animal should play in the world.
And so, it is for us. Your name describes your potential.
Your purpose is to bring that potential to reality.
Your actions should be in sync with who you are.
How does that connect to exile and redemption? The hardships of the exile forced the people of Israel to dig deeply into themselves to find their strength. Think of exile like gardening. You plant something. The seed decomposes. Then real growth starts.
That is the deeper understanding of why the B’nei Yisrael didn’t change their names. They refused to lose the connection to who they were and what had been planted within them.
Is it not the case, then, that our names are synonymous with exile and redemption? I think a name represents the distinctive abilities we bring into exile and the fruition of those abilities that define redemption.
From Exile To Redemption – A Personal Journey
When we fail to use our abilities, to dig deep and find that strength and talent within, we truly are in exile.
At the end of the Amidah, we recite the verse “Adonai tzuree v’go’a’lee – Hashem is my rock and my redeemer.” Is it not a plea for heavenly assistance to use our abilities and bring honour to G-d’s name and reach a state of our own redemption?
How has this year been for you? What have you discovered for and about yourself? Do you feel like you’re living a life of exile?
You have the power to change that. The clue is in your name.
What’s in a name? Everything. But only once you realise the potential in your name, self and soul, can you truly experience redemption.
Shabbat Shalom.
Nachas & Drash 