And His Name Will Be One

One of life's greatest paradoxes is that the universe has been created in such a way that it could appear [to some] that there is no Creator at all. What stands as empirical evidence of a Creator to one person appears to be nothing more than randomness to another.

The Sages tell us that is by design, and we will get into why this is so, shortly.

In the Torah, we are given a hint to help us solve the puzzle:

וידעת היום והשבת אל־לבבך כי יהוה הוא האלהים בשמים ממעל ועל־הארץ מתחת אין עוד

Know therefore this day and keep in mind that Hashem alone is G_D in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other. - Deuteronomy 4:39

In this passage, we see two specific Names for G_D. Why the repetition, and do these Names not mean the same thing?

Divine Names

The Torah reveals many different Names for the Creator. Each one has its unique attribute and associated energy, you might say.

In fact, it has been taught that the entire Torah is one continuous Divine Name¹, this is partly why tradition has been careful not to add or subtract even a single letter from it. This also explains why translations are somewhat problematic from the outset.

Subsequently, there is a deep respect for writings that contain Hebrew verses of the Torah. This has led to customs such as; avoiding taking a Bible into the bathroom, formal burials for books with Hebrew in them, and reciting a small blessing and kissing a Siddur after it has fallen to the floor².

These stem from the ancient belief that Divine Names contain an inherent power to them. This was demonstrated during creation when Hashem spoke the universe into being.

Speaking them aloud without the proper preparation and purity can cause significant misalignments, spiritually and physically. This is partly why religious Jews are careful not to speak certain Names ever, and others only at the appropriate time.

Two Names

To better understand the importance of the passage above, we'll first learn about these two specific Names.