Jewish Name, the

The Jewish name is a keystone of Jewish identity for all Jews. It is customary to give a Jewish name when the baby is born.

We just had a daughter, and my rabbi told us that we should name her at the first possible opportunity. Why?

Choosing a name is a big deal. A person’s name is not a mere label; it expresses the essence of its bearer . . .

It functions as a conduit, channeling spiritual energy from G‑d into your soul and your body. That’s why a critically ill person is sometimes given an additional Hebrew name—sort of like a spiritual bypass operation.

The homeland of the Jews (also called Israelites) is Israel, which means literally, “One who struggles with G‑d.”

This seems strange, since the sages place great significance on a person’s name.

Throughout the Torah various people have their names changed. Abram becomes Abraham, Sarai changes to Sarah and Hoshea to Joshua. Jacob even gets an entirely new name: Israel. What is the significance of these changes?

I could see why Esther would need to do that. But why would Mordecai, a righteous, observant Jew, be named after a Babylonian deity?

Probably more than you think!

Yael is praised in Deborah’s famous song in the Book of Judges.