Jewish names. Jewish names
The Torah often compares the Jews to the stars (Genesis 15:5). Just as the stars shine in the darkness of the night, so the Jews must bring the light of the Torah into the dark world; just as the stars show the way to wanderers, so the Jews are called to show the way of morality and morality. And just as the stars keep the secrets of the future, so the future of mankind depends on the actions of the Jewish people, the approach of final liberation.
The choice of a Jewish name is very responsible - the name affects the fate of a person. What advice does the tradition give for choosing a name?
Meaning of the name
Choosing a name for a Jewish child is of the utmost importance. Our sages say that the name reflects the essence of a person, his character and destiny. The Talmud says that at the moment when parents name a newborn, their souls are visited by a prophecy, a heavenly spark. But even though the Almighty Himself gives us a hint, many couples find it difficult to decide on the choice of a name for the baby.
How to choose the right name? Why don't Jews name their sons after their father? Is it possible to name a boy after his grandmother or announce his name before Brit Milah (circumcision)?
Jewish customs
The name contains not only the future, but also the past. Ashkenazim traditionally give a name in honor of a deceased relative. It is believed that a certain metaphysical connection is formed between his soul and the soul of a newborn. The good deeds of the namesake elevate the soul of the deceased, and the good qualities of the ancestor protect and inspire the new owner of the name [another explanation: there is hope that the child will show all the good qualities of the relative after whom he is named].
What if you want to name a child in honor of a deceased relative, but someone from the now living relatives already bears this name? The answer depends on the child's degree of relationship to a potential living namesake. If this is a close relative (one of the parents, siblings or grandparents), then it is better to find another name. If the relative is distant, then everything is in order.
There is also a custom to name children in honor of the great rabbis and sages of the Torah, as, for example, Yisrael-Meir - in honor of Chofetz Chaim ...
Sometimes the name is chosen according to the holiday during which the child was born. For example, if a boy was born on Purim, he is called Mordechai, and a girl is Esther. A girl born on Shavuot can be called Ruth, and children born on the Ninth of Av can be called Menachem or Nechama.
It is also customary to give names that appear in the Torah section of the week in which the child's birthday falls.
As a rule, boys are given a name when they are circumcised on the eighth day, and girls are given a name on the first Shabbat after birth, when they take out a Torah scroll in the synagogue [read the material on the website about Reading the Torah].
Hidden meaning
In the holy language, a name is not just a set of letters, it reveals the essence of its owner.
Midrash ( Genesis Rabbah 17:4) tells that the first man, Adam, gave names to all living beings in accordance with their essence and purpose. The purpose of the donkey, for example, is to carry a heavy material load. Donkey in Hebrew "hamor". This word has the same root as the word "homer"- "matter", "substance".
The same principle applies to human names. Leah [wife of forefather Jacob. Note ed..] named her fourth son Yehuda. This name is from the root meaning "gratitude", and if you rearrange the letters in it, you get the Holy Name of the Most High. So Leah wanted to express her special gratitude to Him ( Bereshit 29:35).
Esther, the name of the heroine of Purim, is derived from the root meaning "concealment". Esther was known for her beauty, but her hidden inner beauty surpassed her outer beauty.
Another example is the popular name Ari, Hebrew for "lion". In Jewish literature, the lion is compared to a self-confident, purposeful person who pounces on every opportunity to fulfill the commandment.
There are, of course, bad names. You probably don't want to name your son Nimrod, because it is from a root meaning "rebellion". King Nimrod rebelled against the Almighty by throwing our forefather Abraham into a burning furnace.
If you want to name a boy after a woman, try to keep the maximum number of letters the same. For example, Brach can be replaced by Baruch, and Dinah by Dan.
Some more useful rules
For many of us who want to change our name to a Jewish one, an additional question arises - how to “link” our non-Jewish name with a Jewish one?
Some translate their name into Hebrew verbatim - for example, "Mila" is "Naomi" in Hebrew.
Some choose a Hebrew name by consonance: Anatoly - Nathan, Yuri - Uri, Victor - Avigdor, etc.
In any case, the choice of a name is a very responsible step, the name of a person influences his fate and qualities of character, and we advise you to contact your local rabbi with this question ...
If the family lives outside Israel, try to give the child a traditional Jewish name that also sounds familiar in the language of this country. For example, Jacob or Dina in Russia, David or Sarah in English-speaking countries. You should not give one, "Jewish", name "for the synagogue", and the other - by which the child will actually be called. A real Jewish name is a good remedy against assimilation.
Midrash (Bemidbar Rabbah 20:21) says that the Jews were miraculously freed from Egyptian slavery, in part because they did not adopt Egyptian customs, but continued to give their children Jewish names.
Many parents are reluctant to name a child after a relative who died young or unnaturally, fearing that misfortune might "pass" to the new owner of the name. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein gives several recommendations on this matter.
If a person died young, but by natural death, and left behind children, then this is not considered a bad sign, and the child can be named after him. Prophet Shmuel and King Shlomo died at the age of 52, and their names have always been and remain popular among our people, i.e. it is no longer considered that a person died young.
If a person died from unnatural causes, then Rabbi Feinstein recommends changing the name a little. For example, Jews name their sons Yeshaya after the prophet Yeshayahu, who was killed.
Rabbi Yakov Kamenetsky believes that the transition from “youth” to “old age” takes place at the age of 60. The Talmud (Moed Katan 28a) tells that when Rabbi Yosef was 60 years old, he arranged a celebration on the occasion of the beginning of longevity.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not forbidden to announce the name of a newborn before circumcision, although many do not. In full, however, the boy only receives a soul during the Brit Milah, and therefore, in a metaphysical sense, has no name until that moment. This is deduced from the fact that the Almighty gave a new name to our forefather Abraham after Brit Milah, when he was 99 years old ( Zohar - Leh-Leha 93a, Taamei Minhagim 929).
Names all the stars...
During circumcision "aGomel" read before those invited to the ceremony. If a girl is born, then a special minyan of men is collected in the house, or the mother visits the synagogue on the day when the husband names the girl over the scroll. The women present in the women's part of the hall respond to her blessing.
Reply to "aGomel" So:
"Amen. Whoever rewarded you with good will continue to reward you with good!”
The Hebrew text is given in the siddur - a collection of Jewish prayers (see "Reading the Torah").
The Torah often compares the Jews to the stars (Genesis 15:5). Just as the stars shine in the darkness of the night, so the Jews must bring the light of the Torah into the dark world; just as the stars show the way to wanderers, so the Jews are called to show the way of morality and morality. And just as the stars keep the secrets of the future, so the future of mankind depends on the actions of the Jewish people, the approach of final liberation.
The choice of a Jewish name is very responsible - the name affects the fate of a person. What advice does the tradition give for choosing a name?
Meaning of the name
Choosing a name for a Jewish child is of the utmost importance. Our sages say that the name reflects the essence of a person, his character and destiny. The Talmud says that at the moment when parents name a newborn, their souls are visited by a prophecy, a heavenly spark. But even though the Almighty Himself gives us a hint, many couples find it difficult to decide on the choice of a name for the baby.
How to choose the right name? Why don't Jews name their sons after their father? Is it possible to name a boy after his grandmother or announce his name before Brit Milah (circumcision)?
Jewish customs
The name contains not only the future, but also the past. Ashkenazim traditionally give a name in honor of a deceased relative. It is believed that a certain metaphysical connection is formed between his soul and the soul of a newborn. The good deeds of the namesake elevate the soul of the deceased, and the good qualities of the ancestor protect and inspire the new owner of the name [another explanation: there is hope that the child will show all the good qualities of the relative after whom he is named].
What if you want to name a child in honor of a deceased relative, but someone from the now living relatives already bears this name? The answer depends on the child's degree of relationship to a potential living namesake. If this is a close relative (one of the parents, siblings or grandparents), then it is better to find another name. If the relative is distant, then everything is in order.
There is also a custom to name children in honor of the great rabbis and sages of the Torah, as, for example, Yisrael-Meir - in honor of Chofetz Chaim ...
Sometimes the name is chosen according to the holiday during which the child was born. For example, if a boy was born on Purim, he is called Mordechai, and a girl is Esther. A girl born on Shavuot can be called Ruth, and children born on the Ninth of Av can be called Menachem or Nechama.
It is also customary to give names that appear in the Torah section of the week in which the child's birthday falls.
As a rule, boys are given a name when they are circumcised on the eighth day, and girls are given a name on the first Shabbat after birth, when they take out a Torah scroll in the synagogue [read the material on the website about Reading the Torah].
Hidden meaning
In the holy language, a name is not just a set of letters, it reveals the essence of its owner.
Midrash ( Genesis Rabbah 17:4) tells that the first man, Adam, gave names to all living beings in accordance with their essence and purpose. The purpose of the donkey, for example, is to carry a heavy material load. Donkey in Hebrew "hamor". This word has the same root as the word "homer"- "matter", "substance".
The same principle applies to human names. Leah [wife of forefather Jacob. Note ed..] named her fourth son Yehuda. This name is from the root meaning "gratitude", and if you rearrange the letters in it, you get the Holy Name of the Most High. So Leah wanted to express her special gratitude to Him ( Bereshit 29:35).
Esther, the name of the heroine of Purim, is derived from the root meaning "concealment". Esther was known for her beauty, but her hidden inner beauty surpassed her outer beauty.
Another example is the popular name Ari, Hebrew for "lion". In Jewish literature, the lion is compared to a self-confident, purposeful person who pounces on every opportunity to fulfill the commandment.
There are, of course, bad names. You probably don't want to name your son Nimrod, because it is from a root meaning "rebellion". King Nimrod rebelled against the Almighty by throwing our forefather Abraham into a burning furnace.
If you want to name a boy after a woman, try to keep the maximum number of letters the same. For example, Brach can be replaced by Baruch, and Dinah by Dan.
Some more useful rules
For many of us who want to change our name to a Jewish one, an additional question arises - how to “link” our non-Jewish name with a Jewish one?
Some translate their name into Hebrew verbatim - for example, "Mila" is "Naomi" in Hebrew.
Some choose a Hebrew name by consonance: Anatoly - Nathan, Yuri - Uri, Victor - Avigdor, etc.
In any case, the choice of a name is a very responsible step, the name of a person influences his fate and qualities of character, and we advise you to contact your local rabbi with this question ...
If the family lives outside Israel, try to give the child a traditional Jewish name that also sounds familiar in the language of this country. For example, Jacob or Dina in Russia, David or Sarah in English-speaking countries. You should not give one, "Jewish", name "for the synagogue", and the other - by which the child will actually be called. A real Jewish name is a good remedy against assimilation.
Midrash (Bemidbar Rabbah 20:21) says that the Jews were miraculously freed from Egyptian slavery, in part because they did not adopt Egyptian customs, but continued to give their children Jewish names.
Many parents are reluctant to name a child after a relative who died young or unnaturally, fearing that misfortune might "pass" to the new owner of the name. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein gives several recommendations on this matter.
If a person died young, but by natural death, and left behind children, then this is not considered a bad sign, and the child can be named after him. Prophet Shmuel and King Shlomo died at the age of 52, and their names have always been and remain popular among our people, i.e. it is no longer considered that a person died young.
If a person died from unnatural causes, then Rabbi Feinstein recommends changing the name a little. For example, Jews name their sons Yeshaya after the prophet Yeshayahu, who was killed.
Rabbi Yakov Kamenetsky believes that the transition from “youth” to “old age” takes place at the age of 60. The Talmud (Moed Katan 28a) tells that when Rabbi Yosef was 60 years old, he arranged a celebration on the occasion of the beginning of longevity.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not forbidden to announce the name of a newborn before circumcision, although many do not. In full, however, the boy only receives a soul during the Brit Milah, and therefore, in a metaphysical sense, has no name until that moment. This is deduced from the fact that the Almighty gave a new name to our forefather Abraham after Brit Milah, when he was 99 years old ( Zohar - Leh-Leha 93a, Taamei Minhagim 929).
Names all the stars...
During circumcision "aGomel" read before those invited to the ceremony. If a girl is born, then a special minyan of men is collected in the house, or the mother visits the synagogue on the day when the husband names the girl over the scroll. The women present in the women's part of the hall respond to her blessing.
Reply to "aGomel" So:
"Amen. Whoever rewarded you with good will continue to reward you with good!”
The Hebrew text is given in the siddur - a collection of Jewish prayers (see "Reading the Torah").
Male names with the letter Щ speak of the generosity and generosity of the owner of the name, his positive attitude in life, his willingness to endure difficulties on his own path. But it is unlikely that such people can easily survive their own defeat, especially in important disputes. Therefore, they can stay away from any competition and not rush to show their qualities and abilities to the public.
It is not so easy to find an approach to them, as it seems at first glance. They are nice, always friendly, quickly delve into any conversation, but if they don’t like the interlocutor for any, even subjective reasons, then you should not expect the same warm attitude from them next time. These men are very intelligent, well-mannered and tactful, they do not show rudeness, they try to devote time to their own realization, self-education, they can try and look for themselves in something for a long time.
These are not loving natures, they are quite constant in relationships, although they require attention from the chosen one. They like conversations, even empty ones, as it seems to many, the main thing is to keep abreast of all events, communicate with interesting people or just keep in touch with those who can help them achieve what they want tomorrow.
Popular boy names starting with W
The most common male names starting with the letter Щ are Russian and Slavic in origin. They are considered the strongest and most stable, here we can distinguish the following:
- Spared. This is a man of his word, self-confident, independent, responsible, stable. But sometimes overly sentimental and condescending
- Shchedryk. Agile, cheerful and wayward, but it is easy for anyone to approach him. In many companies, he remains a desired guest, loves noisy fun, but does not tolerate forced communication
- Shield. He tries to be the first to know in everything, perhaps tomorrow he will try to gain the authority of someone or remove an objectionable person
- Puppy. He does not like to be at the head of everything, but he does not keep afloat either. Tries to be sociable, likes increased attention to himself
- Schur. A cunning and treacherous person, but it seems so only at first glance. In his heart, a man remains kind, respects many, but does not always dare to express his opinion to others.
- Chekar. A wayward and stubborn person, it is difficult to find a common language with him. Only the one whose ideology coincides with his can become his friend and comrade-in-arms
- Shchetin. An attack is his next defensive reaction. A man is afraid to be out of favor, he does his best to attract attention, but when he gets into an uncertain situation, he often gets lost.
It is worth highlighting the names of foreign origin. For example, the name Shamil, often used as Shamil, means "all-encompassing" and has Arabic roots. But the name Shchapa is Slavic, although some researchers believe that it is of Bulgarian or Slovenian origin, it translates as "dandy". The non-standard name Schmarf is of Adyghe origin, meaning "happy rider."
When choosing a name, you should take into account both your own preferences and the recommendations of specialists. It is not necessary to choose a name that is too rare or incomprehensible for the child by meaning, and also not to focus on "dark" names that affect fate.