The Name

(יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֣י בָא֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י לָהֶ֔ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְאָֽמְרוּ־לִ֣י מַה־שְּׁמ֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵהֶֽם׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (טו) וַיֹּאמֶר֩ ע֨וֹד אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַר֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק וֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם זֶה־שְּׁמִ֣י לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר׃

Exodus 3:13-15

(13) And Moses said unto God: ‘Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them: The God of your ancestors has sent me to you; and they say to me: What is His name? what shall I say to them?’ (14) And God said to Moses: ‘Ehiyeh Asher Ehiyeh’; and He said: ‘This will you say unto the children of Israel: "Ehiyeh"sent me to you.’ (15) And God said to Moses: ‘This will you say to the children of Israel: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you; this is My name forever, and this is how you will remember me generation to generation.

שמות ו׳:ג׳

(ג) וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃

Exodus 6:3

(3) and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as El Shaddai, but My name, יהוה, I did not make known to them.

1. The Mishnah (Soṭah vii. 6; Tamid vii. 2) says: "In the Sanctuary the name of God [in the three blessings, Num. vi. 24-26] is to be pronounced in the Priestly Benediction as it is written []; but outside the Sanctuary it must be given the euphemistic pronunciation []."
2. Ṭarfon's account, that the voice of the high priest was drowned by the song of the other priests, also confirms the synchronous statement (Yer. Yoma 40b) that in former times the high priest uttered the Name with a loud voice, but that subsequently, when immorality had become more and more prevalent, he lowered his voice lest the Name should be heard by those unworthy to hear it.
3. The Mishnah (Berakot, end) mentions also an utterance of the Tetragrammaton outside the Sanctuary which was permitted and even commanded, saying that "it was ordained that the name of God should be used in the ordinary forms of greeting, which were the same as those exchanged between Boaz and the reapers [Ruth ii. 2], or the salutation of the angel to Gideon [Judges vi. 12]."
4. A haggadist of the third century, Abba bar Kahana, states (Midr. Teh. on Ps. xxxvi., end) that "two generations used the Shem ha-Meforash, the men of the Great Synagogue and those of the period of the 'shemad' [the Hadrianic persecution]." According to Sanh. vii. 5, actual blasphemy is committed only when the blasphemer really pronounces the Tetragrammaton ("Shem ha-Meyuḥad"; comp. Sifra, Emor, xix. [ed. Weiss, p. 104d]).These details indicate that the long-sanctioned dread of uttering the Shem ha-Meforash was by no means without exceptions, and that the correct pronunciation was not unknown. Abba Saul (2d cent.) condemned the profanation of the Tetragrammaton by classing those "that speak the Name according to its letters" () with those who have no part in the future world (Sanh. x. 1); and according to 'Ab. Zarah 17b, one of the martyrs of Hadrian's time, Hananiah b. Teradion, was burned at the stake because he so uttered the Name. A Palestinian amora of the third century (Mana the Elder) mentions "as, for instance, the Samaritans who swear"; he meant thereby that in their oaths the Samaritans pronounce the Tetragrammaton exactly as it is written. According to Theodoret, the Greek Church father, who flourished in the fifth century, they gave it the sound of Ἰαβέ (see Löw, "Gesammelte Schriften," i. 193). (Jewish Encyclopedia)

Naḥman b. Isaac, a Babylonian amora of the fourth century, said (Pes. 50a): "The future world is not like this world. Here the name of God is written, and read ; there it is also read ."

From the earliest times YHVH has been an extremely important element in Jewish mysticism. According to the Sefer Ḥanoch, it was Hillel who transmitted the name of God to the generations after Ezra, while Abbahu and Ze'era (3d and 4th cents.) and the "men of faith" ("anshe emunah") are mentioned as possessing this knowledge after Hillel. There are several other names, in addition to the Tetragrammaton, which are designated according to the number of their letters, as the Twelve-Lettered and the Forty-two Lettered Name, and the Seventy-two Lettered Name. The 72 letter name is a permutation of Exodus 14:19-21 (see below). The 42 letter name is constructed of the first letter of every word of the prayer "Ana B'Koach" featured in many Orthodox siddurs. A popular eight lettered name is derived from combining YHVH with ADNAI, so one gets YAHDVNHAI (yud-alef-daled-vav-nun-heh-yud). There is also the popular contractions of the divine name, like YH, YY, or H'. There is also the 304, 805 letter name of God- the Chumash.

שמות י״ד:י״ט-כ״א

(יט) וַיִּסַּ֞ע מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַהֹלֵךְ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּסַּ֞ע עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ (כ) וַיָּבֹ֞א בֵּ֣ין ׀ מַחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֗יִם וּבֵין֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְהִ֤י הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶר אֶת־הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְלֹא־קָרַ֥ב זֶ֛ה אֶל־זֶ֖ה כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃ (כא) וַיֵּ֨ט מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶת־יָדוֹ֮ עַל־הַיָּם֒ וַיּ֣וֹלֶךְ יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אֶת־הַ֠יָּם בְּר֨וּחַ קָדִ֤ים עַזָּה֙ כָּל־הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם לֶחָרָבָ֑ה וַיִּבָּקְע֖וּ הַמָּֽיִם׃

Exodus 14:19-21

(19) And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them; (20) and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness here, yet gave it light by night there; and the one came not near the other all the night. (21) And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

תהילים ט״ז:ח׳

(ח) שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃

Psalms 16:8

(8) I have set YHVH always before me; Surely He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

אורח חיים א׳:א׳

(א) יִתְגַּבֵּר כַּאֲרִי לַעֲמֹד בַּבֹּקֶר לַעֲבוֹדַת בּוֹרְאוֹ שֶׁיְּהֵא הוּא מְעוֹרֵר הַשַּׁחַר: הַגָּה: וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים לֹא יְאַחֵר זְמַן הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין. (טוּר) הַגָּה: שִׁוִּיתִי ה' לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד הוּא כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמַעֲלוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹלְכִים לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, כִּי אֵין יְשִׁיבַת הָאָדָם וּתְנוּעוֹתָיו וַעֲסָקָיו וְהוּא לְבַדּוֹ בְּבֵיתוֹ כִּישִׁיבָתוֹ וּתְנוּעוֹתָיו וַעֲסָקָיו וְהוּא לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל, וְלֹא דִּבּוּרוֹ וְהַרְחָבַת פִּיו כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וְהוּא עִם אַנְשֵׁי בֵּיתוֹ וּקְרוֹבָיו כְּדִבּוּרוֹ בְּמוֹשַׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁיָּשִׂים הָאָדָם אֶל לִבּוֹ שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל הָקָּבָּ''ה אֲשֶׁר מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ עוֹמֵד עָלָיו וְרוֹאֶה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה', מִיָּד יַגִּיעַ אֵלָיו הַיִּרְאָה וְהַהַכְנָעָה וּפַחַד ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ וּבָשְׁתּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ תָּמִיד (מוֹרֵה נְבוֹכִים ח''ג פ' כ''ב) וְלֹא יִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם הַמַּלְעִיגִים עָלָיו בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ גַּם בְּהֶצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת. וּבְשָׁכְבּוֹ עַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ יֵדַע לִפְנֵי מִי הוּא שׁוֹכֵב, וּמִיָּד כְּשֶׁיֵּעוֹר מִשְּׁנָתוֹ יָקוּם בִּזְרִיזוּת לַעֲבוֹדַת בּוֹרְאוֹ יִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְרוֹמֵם (טוּר).

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayyim 1:1

(1) One should strengthen himself like a lion to get up in the morning to serve his Creator, so that it is he who awakens the dawn. Rem"a: At least, one should not delay beyond the time when the congregation prays (Tur). Rem"a: "I have set the Lord before me constantly" (Psalms 16:8); this is a major principle in the Torah and amongst the virtues of the righteous who walk before God. For a person's way of sitting, his movements and his dealings while he is alone in his house are not like his way of sitting, his movements and his dealings when he is before a great king; nor are his speech and free expression as much as he wants when he is with his household members and his relatives like his speech when in a royal audience. All the more so when one takes to heart that the Great King, the Holy One, Blessed Is He, Whose glory fills the earth, is standing over him and watching his actions, as it is stated: "'Will a man hide in concealment and I will not see him?' - the word of God" (Jeremiah 23:24), he immediately acquires fear and submission in awe of God, May He Be Blessed, and is humbled before Him constantly (Guide for the Perplexed III 52). And one should not be ashamed because of people who mock him in his service of God, and should also go modestly. And when he lies on his bed he should know before Whom he lies, and as soon as he wakes up from sleep he should rise eagerly to the service of his Creator, May He Be Blessed and Exalted (Tur).

When Rebbe Nachman of Breslov was a young boy, sitting in front of his own teacher, he wanted to fulfill the verse "I have set YHVH always before me". He made great efforts to picture the four letter name of the Holy One, blessed be, before his eyes. Because his thoughts were occupied with this he did not know what he was learning, and his teacher became angry. Nevertheless, all the days of his youth (despite focusing on the divine name) he was able to engage in very childish behavior, playing games, jumping, and wandering around." (Shivchei Moharan 2)

Our sages say that the light of the Creation refers to the deeds of the righteous (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 2:5). The explanation of this is that a wise person is able to eat good food and enjoy things and still be an ascetic. Similarly he is able to look at any place and see just the place where he is. That is: he should always see the shem hameforash (YHVH), which is inside each thing. This is the secret meaning of the verse, "I have set YHVH always before me", and of the Rabbinic teaching, "Do not look at the pot but at what is inside it." For the essence of everything in the universe is the spiritual within it, which comes from the Holy One, blessed be, who gives it meaning and keeps it in existence. (Likkutei Yekarim, R' Pinhas of Koretz [1726-1791])

בראשית א׳:א׳

(א) בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Genesis 1:1

(1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi said: "Bereishit bara elohim et"....This should be read "In the beginning Hashem made "et", aleph-taf, the Alefbet. With the Alefbet he made everything else."

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said all the letters of the alefbet are either male or female and they come together to form a unity. This is the secret of the upper waters and the lower waters, which are really one, and form a perfect union. Because of this someone who knows them and is careful of them has a meritorious portion in the world to come. They are the underlying principle of the perfect unity...the letters are spread out on all sides to bind everything into a unity. For there are letters in which the secret of femininity resides and letters in which the secret of masculinity resides, and they ind everything together and they become one. This is the secret of the complete divine name. (Zohar 1:159a, Vayetse).

Know that there is no body, nefesh, ruach, or neshama, that has not been created through the 22 letters of the Torah. Each of them possesses the the 22 letters of the Torah...the zaddikim, however, are able through the power of their souls to make them shine out from within the skin of people's faces. (Chesed Le-Avraham, 4:6)