On the occasion of a bris milah, all those gathered together for the occasion say over “K’shaim she’nich’nas l’bris, kain y’ka’nes l’Torah, l’chuppah u’l’ma’aseem tovim – Just as (this baby) was able to enter into the covenant (of Abraham), so, too, may he enter into (learning) Torah, into the bridal canopy, and into (the world) of good deeds.”

Embedded in this well-known phrase is a subtle drash:  The initial word “k’shaim” is usually translated as we have done here: i.e. “Just as …” – and that is the correct colloquial usage of that Hebrew phrase. However, taken literally, the phrase should be translated as “Like (k’) the name (shaim)”. Now we can look at this traditional message somewhat differently: “Just as the name of this baby has allowed him to enter into this bris, so too may his name give him access to the Torah, chuppah and ma’asim tovim”.

Our Sages have told us that the ‘naming’ of any object brings potential power to it: G-d names the different parts of the newly created world [see the beginning of Genesis], and the names ascribed to these things elevate them from the non-descript to meaningful reference points across the newly formed Landscape. Adam, the first man, partners with G-d and gives names to the newly created, yet nameless animals. Adam names his wife (as she is taken from a part of himself) and Adam and Eve give names to their children. From the very outset, the Torah is telling us that names have meaning; although subtle, ‘naming’ is a key inherent in the creative process.

Our Sages have also told us that the name parents give to a newborn baby has prophetic intent; that each name carries with it certain potential power to assist that child in forging a meaningful path as they make their way through the challenges and latent opportunities always present in olam hazeh. It is the shaim given to the newborn baby – the potential which is latent within that name – which allows him to enter in the sacred covenant of Avraham Avinu and the Jewish people. It is a prophecy and a bracha which we confer to this newly created being very early on in life.

But after that, after this auspicious introduction, we then expect this unique individual – a singular entity amongst all his brethren – to use all the tools at his disposal to ‘make’ a good name for himself. This is kind of like the promise given to the Jewish people by Isaiah, “And your people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, My handiwork, in which to take pride” [Isaiah 42:21] intimating that all of Israel has a share in the World to Come [see commentaries on this in Pirkei Avos]. One could argue, “If I already have a share in Olam Haba, then why should I endeavor to make strides in Olam Hazeh; my ‘eternal plot’ in the next world is already waiting for me – why put in overtime here when I’ve already got it ‘made’?” The answer is: It depends what kind of investment you will have made on your potential plot! Any gardener can tell you that it’s one thing to have a fertile plot of land; it’s quite another to bring out from that plot a bounty crop of fruits and vegetables. Alternatively, you can acquire the best deeds in Monopoly – empty plots – but it only takes on meaning if you invest and build motels and hotels on them.

Later on in Pirkei Avos, Rabbi Shimon tells us that “There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship – but the crown of a good name surpasses them all” [Avos 4:17]. As intimated at the bris milah, we are all given potential for growth – in Torah, in priesthood (if you are born a kohain), and in kingship (if you are born into a kingly lineage). However, in every case, “the crown of a good name” – i.e. how a person has applied themselves and grown in any category, taking care to be a mentsch and show respect to G-d and to fellow man – is really the deciding factor of ‘success’.

Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon) writes that “Tov shaim tov mi’shemen tov – a good name is better than good oil" [Ecclesiastes 7:1]. The Sfas Emes zt”l writes that family yichus – the good oil of the potential inherited from ties to a respected family – is a wonderful thing to have; but it is even greater to have a good name that is developed through one’s own efforts in learning Torah (Talmud Torah) and in serving G-d (Avodas Hashem) and man (Gemilus Chessed and Avodas Halev). Even good oil, like all material possessions, will eventually fade away – but a good name can last forever. Good oil may fuel a lamp and physically illuminate a room, but a good name gives spiritual illumination to all who absorb this person’s teachings and are worthy of seeing his sterling middos (character traits).

The beginning of the Book of Names (the real name of the book of Exodus - Sefer Shemos), says, “And these are the names of the Children of Israel who were coming to Egypt” [Exodus 1:1] and only after listing the names of Yaakov and the nascent Twelve Tribes does the Torah ascribe a number to these individuals [Exodus 1:5]. Names are important, telling us of a person’s potential and accomplishments; numbers are impersonal and must be subservient to names. King David writes in Psalms, “(Although) He counts the number of the stars – to all of them He assigns names” [Psalms 147:4] – G-d knows the innate character of all the stars in the universe; the assignment of names is even greater than their astronomical number.

If we must take a census of the people, we must not count by number and instead must endeavor to count by names (b’shaimos tif’k’daim). Assigning numbers to any group of people (including family members, children, grandchildren, etc.) is considered to be opening the door to the ayin hara – the evil eye. Why? Because names indicate the importance of each and every individual, while numbers take away from the chashevus of that person’s potential and accomplishments. When the Nazis branded people with numbers and took away their names, this is what they hoped to accomplish.

The Midrash teaches us, “A man is called by three names: One which his father and mother call him; a second which other people call him; and a third by which he is designated in the book of the generation of his creation” (i.e. the name which he gains for himself as the result of his conduct in life). Therefore, we see that making a good name for oneself is like writing a book (i.e. a Sefer Shemos). In fact, the gematriah of shaim (name) and the gematriah of sefer (book) is the same: 340! The mispar katan of 340 is 7, suggesting that the ‘book’ a person writes for themselves by establishing their ‘good name’ is equivalent to the seven days of Creation – a universal story for each individual.

Our grandson the Bar Mitzvah, Shlomo Cohen נ"י, is named after my father-in-law, Stanley (Shlomo) Goodman, a”h. Although not religious, my father-in-law had a ‘good name’, which we hope our grandson will also achieve. The name ‘Shlomo’ (when applied to Shlomo HaMelech) means “hamelech she’ha’shalom shelo – the king whose peace is his.” We give a bracha to the Bar Mitzvah that through development of his good name, he well be a king amongst his brethren and will find peace and balance in all his endeavors. Amen.

Gevuros Hashem

In this week’s parshah (Va’eira), we see the revelation of Hashem’s Gevuros – His awesome power is His ability to control the world, control nature, and bring even mighty nations to their knees. This, of course, is in the form of the Ten Plagues, the first seven of which are in this week’s narrative.

However, if you look in many siddurim (i.e. Artscroll), the 2^nd bracha in (every) Shmoneh Esrei (the silent Amidah prayer, the centerpiece of every prayer service) is also called ‘Gevuros’ (translated as ‘G-d’s Might’), in which the authors of the SE attempt to elucidate many of Hashem’s awesome powers. Knowing this, what would you expect to find in this section of the Amidah? I don’t know about you, but I would expect that under this heading we would find things reminiscent of the Plagues that happen even ‘naturally’ in the world – i.e. hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tornados, and all other kinds of cataclysmic disasters!

But no – what we find under this section of the SE is G-d’s infinite kindness towards the world, His restorative and life-giving powers! G-d is “abundantly able to save; Who makes the wind blow and the rain descend. (He) sustains the living with kindness, resuscitates the dead with abundant mercy, supports the fallen, heals the sick, releases the imprisoned, and maintains His faith to those who sleep in the dust … (He) causes death and (yet) restores life and makes salvation sprout!” [Included in this list are G-d’s unique powers encapsulated in the Hebrew word maf’’te’ach (which means ‘key’); seen as an acrostic (bold letters), we have the words matar (= rain), parnassah (= livelihood, peh and feh being interchangeable), t’chias hamaisem (= resuscitation of the dead), and chiyus (= the ability to have children)].

So, which one is it: Is G-d’s ‘Gevuros’ characterized by hell fire and brimstone (what the other nations like to call ‘the Old Testament G-d of Vengence’), or is G-d’s ‘Gevuros’ charactereized by kindness and life-sustaining attributes? In Pirkei Avos [4:1], Ben Zoma teaches, “Who is mighty? He who subdues his natural inclination.” Even though G-d’s ‘natural inclination’ may be to destroy the world and those who consistently do not recognize His role as Master of the Universe (as He did in Egypt, when it was absolutely necessary) – He nevertheless subdues this inclination – remaining hidden and unobtrusive in His olam (meaing ‘hidden’ and so allowing us free-choice) continuing His role as Sustainer and only rarely bringing punishment.