A God With Many Names
Exodus 6:2 – 9:35
A Jewish boy was chatting with a non-Jewish friend about God, when his friend declared, “I know God’s name!” Incredulous, the Jewish boy asked,
“Oh yeah? What is it?” His friend proudly replied, “It’s Howard!” “Howard?” the Jewish boy repeated, confused. “Yeah,” his friend explained. You know, ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, Howard be Thy name.’” The Jewish boy laughed and said, “That’s cute, but my rabbi taught us that God has many names, and trust me, ‘Howard’ doesn’t make the list!”
While Howard may not have made the cut, God’s name — or names — and identities (also plural) are central to Jewish theology, and this week’s Torah portion, Va’era, offers us a profound insight into how this is so.
In Va’era, God, speaking to Moses from the burning bush, says: “I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but by My name YHWH, I was not known to them” (Exodus 6:3). This is a striking statement. Why would the God of the patriarchs reveal a new name to Moses?
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In Jewish tradition, God’s many names aren’t mere identifiers; they express different attributes of the Divine. El Shaddai — often translated as “God Almighty”— emphasizes power and might, which suited the patriarchs as they needed faith that God could fulfill promises of land and
descendants.
But in Moses’ time, the Israelites were enslaved and needed more than a God of promises — they needed a God of action. By revealing the name YHWH, associated with God’s eternal and redeeming nature, God was signaling a shift: The same Divine Being was now revealing a different aspect, one suited to the liberation that was about to unfold.
This dynamic understanding of God’s names reflects a central truth in Judaism: While God’s essence is constant, how we understand and relate to God evolves. Just as the Israelites in Egypt needed a redeemer, we, too, experience God in ways that speak to our own circumstances.
During personal struggles or after recovering from an illness, we might call out to God as Rofei Cholim (Healer of the Sick). In moments of awe, we might reflect on Borei Olam (Creator of the Universe). Seeking justice, we might invoke Dayan HaEmet (Judge of Truth). Each one of these names reflects an aspect of God that meets us where we are.
This idea challenges us to ask: How do we name and experience God in our own lives? For some, it may be that God is a source of compassion (El Rachum); for others, God may be a source of strength (El Gibbor). Like the Israelites and the Patriarchs before them, we each encounter God in ways that reflect our unique needs and moments at any given time.
But there’s a deeper lesson here: Just as God is known by many names, we, too, reveal different parts of ourselves as life demands. Sometimes we are called to be sources of comfort; other times, we must embody strength or speak out for justice. By embracing this dynamic way of being, we mirror the Divine in our lives.
So, the next time someone asks, “What’s God’s actual name?” we can confidently answer: Truly, it depends. God’s names — and God’s power and presence — meet us where we are. And just as the Israelites learned in Egypt, sometimes the revelation of a new name is the first step toward a deeper understanding of who God is — and who we are called to become.
Shabbat Shalom. PJC
Rabbi Aaron Bisno is the senior rabbi at Temple Ohav Shalom and the Frances F. & David R. Levin Rabbinic Scholar at Rodef Shalom Congregation. This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Clergy Association.
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