Following Shem Through Sefer Bereishit

[Initially I intended to write about the great merit of having one’s name praised in the Torah. Then, in the days leading up to sefer Bereishit, I decided to analyze each mention of the word shem, meaning name. I discovered that following shem’s appearances through sefer Bereishit takes us on a journey in understanding the concept of legacy — of HaShem, humanity, and Israel.]

Parashat Bereishit: What’s in a Name?

Nowadays a name is used as a calling card, a way for others to refer to you and think of you, a label of sorts. Generally our parents either picked out a favorite name of theirs or they named us after someone.

But what is a ‘name’? A fundamental tenet of study is that to fully understand something one must inspect the source. In many cases this means its original appearance in the Torah. So, where do we first find the notion of a name in the Torah?

The Stone Chumash reads: “In the Torah’s concept, a name is not simply a convenient convention, but it reflects the nature of each creature and its role in the total scheme of the universe. Thus, as we find over and over in the Torah, the names of people had a profound significance that expressed their mission.”

Our first encounter with shem, Hebrew for name, is actually of the non-human variety. In describing the four rivers that flowed out of the Garden of Eden, the Torah tells us their names.

The first human is called ‘Adam,’ derived from the Hebrew word adama, meaning ground or earth. As the Torah states several verses after the creation of the first man:

וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יי אֱלֹקים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃

And HASHEM God formed the man (adam) of dust from the ground (adama). He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

So Adam is not given a name per se — there is no explicit ‘name,’ shem — rather he is called by something by the Torah, a label to categorize him as separate from other creations.

Humanity’s first encounter with shem is when Adam was tasked with naming the animals following the recognition that man needed a partner:

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יי אֱלֹקים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ וַיִּ֩צֶר֩ יי אלקים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כׇּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ׃ וַיִּקְרָ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם שֵׁמ֗וֹת לְכׇל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּלְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּלְכֹ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּלְאָדָ֕ם לֹֽא־מָצָ֥א עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃

HASHEM God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper corresponding to him. Now HASHEM God had formed out of the ground every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call each one; and whatever the man called each ‘living being’ , that remained its name. And the man assigned names to all the animals and to the birds of the sky and to all the beasts of the field; but as for man, he did not find a helper corresponding to him. (Gen. 2:18–20)

How would giving names to the animals help man find his mate and and how did he choose their names? Adam had the ability to perceive the basic essence (Radak) or unique characteristics (Sforno) of every animal and name them accordingly. With this intuition, he perceived that none was suitable for him, both physically and intellectually.

We then have the creation of woman and humankind’s next name:

וַיִּ֩בֶן֩ יי אלקים אֶֽת־הַצֵּלָ֛ע אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֥ח מִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־הָֽאָדָֽם׃ וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ הָֽאָדָם֒ זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקְחָה־זֹּֽאת׃

And the LORD God fashioned the rib that He had taken from the man into a woman; and He brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called Woman (isha), for from man (ish) was she taken.” (Gen. 2:22–23)

Like the first man the first woman is not yet associated with ‘name,’ shem, she is only ‘called’ something, a convenient way for others to reference her.

Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch writes: “the name isha does not denote the dependence of the woman on the man, but rather the equality, the togetherness of both, the division of the one unified human task between both sexes.”

Previously, the Torah gave us the name of the first man, Adam. Here, Adam labels the first woman ‘Woman’ based on labeling himself ‘Man,’ as opposed to ‘Adam.’ So which was Adam’s actual name: Adam or Man? Adam is the one narrated to us by the Torah while Man was coined by the first man as his name for the male human species.

Following Adam’s labeling of the woman, the Torah resumes narrating:

עַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזׇב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד׃ וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ עֲרוּמִּ֔ים הָֽאָדָ֖ם וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֖א יִתְבֹּשָֽׁשׁוּ׃

Hence a man (ish) leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh. The two of them were naked, the man (adam) and his wife, yet they felt no shame. (Gen. 2:24–25)

The Torah itself assigns multiple names to man: ish and adam. Each name represents a different part of his essence — ish, his spiritual mission and role as husband to his wife; adam, his physical origins from the ground.

In the next chapter, immediately following the sin of the forbidden fruit and decrees of punishment, we encounter this:

וַיִּקְרָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ חַוָּ֑ה כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כׇּל־חָֽי׃

The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she had become the mother of all the living [Eve-conjugation]. (Gen. 3:20)

This is the first time we see the actual word ‘name,’ shem, associated with a human name.

Some questions here, and attempts at answers:

• Q: Why does man give the first woman a second name, after ‘woman’?
  A: It wasn’t a new name. ‘Woman,’ the name given by Adam upon first seeing her, was the species name he assigned to female humans based on the name ‘man’ he gave to male human species, just as he had done for the animals. Eve, then, was the unique name given to an individual of the woman species.
• Q: Eve doesn’t have children until later, so why is she being referred to as a ‘mother’ now?
  A: Classic commentator Rashi quotes the Talmud that Eve had already become a mother before the sin; the following verses of her giving birth to Cain and Abel are out of order chronologically.
• Q: This sequence of three verses: 1. sin of the fruit 2. Adam naming Eve 3. God making clothes for them (Genesis 3:21) — how does this all flow?
  A: 1. The snake tempted Eve with sex. 2. Adam named Eve as the ‘mother of life,’ and sex is how we procreate and how a woman becomes a mother. Adam experienced a deeper connection with Eve and therefore perceived her on a deeper level than their first meeting, just like anyone who is getting to know someone else, and he named her accordingly. 3. Clothes serve to curb one’s sexual passions.

Labeling the first woman was a separate occasion from naming his wife. In labeling the first woman, Adam recognized their physical similarities and her origins, similar to how he deduced the animal species’ labels and his own: ‘bone of bones, flesh of my flesh.’ Now, in naming his wife and partner, Adam recognizes her role in their shared spiritual mission.

Rabbi Reuven Sasson writes: “Adam gave names to animals, but not as individuals, only as a species. Each animal species is unique and distinct from every other species, but within the species, they’re all more or less the same. Not so people. Every human being is an absolutely unique and special individual. In all of history, there will only be one of each of us, and in some way, names touch upon that unique, even transcendent essence. That “I” that occupies a critical place in the multi-layered grandeur of creation.”

Next, we are given the names of the first humans born Cain and Abel:

וְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֙הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יי׃ וַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֙בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה׃

Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have acquired [Cain-conjugation] a man with the help of the LORD.” She then bore his brother Abel; Abel became a keeper of sheep, and Cain became a tiller of the soil. (Gen. 4:1–2)

Neither Cain nor Abel are associated with shem. They also aren’t even named directly by their parents; they are merely born and given their name by the Torah. Cain, though, is named based on Eve’s saying. Notice also we now have occupations associated with names.

Our next encounters with shem are in Cain’s lineage:

וַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֙יִן֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־חֲנ֑וֹךְ וַֽיְהִי֙ בֹּ֣נֶה עִ֔יר וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ׃

Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he then founded a city, and named the city after his son Enoch. (Gen. 4:17)

Enoch was born without an explicit naming or even calling card, just like Abel. Determined to leave a legacy, Cain names a city after his son. Cain demonstrates a human exercising its dominance over nature and then preserving that legacy through their offspring.

Among Cain’s descendants there were a few generations born without the explicit shem, then the verses about Lamech and his family:

וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֥וֹ לֶ֖מֶךְ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָדָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית צִלָּֽה׃ וַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י יֹשֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה׃ וְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יוּבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י כׇּל־תֹּפֵ֥שׂ כִּנּ֖וֹר וְעוּגָֽב׃ וְצִלָּ֣ה גַם־הִ֗וא יָֽלְדָה֙ אֶת־תּ֣וּבַל קַ֔יִן לֹטֵ֕שׁ כׇּל־חֹרֵ֥שׁ נְחֹ֖שֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֑ל וַֽאֲח֥וֹת תּֽוּבַל־קַ֖יִן נַֽעֲמָֽה׃

Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who dwell in tents and amidst herds. And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe. As for Zillah, she bore Tubal-cain, who forged all implements of copper and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. (Gen. 4:19–22)

Two women associated with shem — unclear from the text if they are descended from Cain — marry Lamech, a known descendant of Cain. One son alone, Jubal, is associated with shem.

We see more professions associated with people’s names and now acclaims as well. The beginnings of ‘name’ as one’s reputation.

Then the naming of Seth with an explicit derivation:

וַיֵּ֨דַע אָדָ֥ם עוֹד֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵׁ֑ת כִּ֣י שָֽׁת־לִ֤י אֱלֹהִים֙ זֶ֣רַע אַחֵ֔ר תַּ֣חַת הֶ֔בֶל כִּ֥י הֲרָג֖וֹ קָֽיִן׃

Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, meaning, “God has provided me [Seth-conjugation] with another offspring in place of Abel,” for Cain had killed him. (Gen. 4:25)

Then Seth’s child Enosh, along with a strange twist that has frustrated translators. Two translations:

וּלְשֵׁ֤ת גַּם־הוּא֙ יֻלַּד־בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱנ֑וֹשׁ אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יי׃

And to Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh;

It was then that men began to invoke the LORD by name
/
Then to call in the name of God became profaned.(Gen. 4:26)

Now for the first time the word shem, name, is associated with God. However, it’s used in rebellion against God. There is now a clear corruption of shem.

Next we are given the primary lineage of humankind spanning the 10 generations from Adam to Noah, which starts with:

זֶ֣ה סֵ֔פֶר תּוֹלְדֹ֖ת אָדָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם בְּרֹ֤א אֱלֹקים֙ אָדָ֔ם בִּדְמ֥וּת אֱלֹקים עָשָׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בְּרָאָ֑ם וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָ֗ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶת־שְׁמָם֙ אָדָ֔ם בְּי֖וֹם הִבָּֽרְאָֽם׃ וַֽיְחִ֣י אָדָ֗ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּמְאַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בִּדְמוּת֖וֹ כְּצַלְמ֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵֽׁת׃

This is the record of Adam’s line. When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. Male and female He created them; and when they were created, He blessed them and called their name Man. When Adam had lived 130 years, he begot a son in his likeness after his image, and he called his name Seth. (Gen. 5:1–3)

The two references to shem here are associated with Adam and Seth.

The former is interesting in that it includes both the first male and female, indicating the species-level name given to the first man. This also speaks to the equality of the sexes.

Generations pass with no mention of shem until Noah, when we encounter both shem and a naming rationale:

וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ נֹ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֞֠ה יְנַחֲמֵ֤נוּ מִֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֙נוּ֙ וּמֵעִצְּב֣וֹן יָדֵ֔ינוּ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽרְרָ֖ה ּיי

And he named him Noah, saying, “This one will provide us relief [Noah-conjugation] from our work and from the toil of our hands, out of the very soil which the LORD placed under a curse.” (Gen. 5:29)

How did Noah provide comfort? and how did his father know he would? Noah is credited with inventing farming tools, which helped to finally mitigate the land’s barrenness from the curse decreed upon Adam (Rashi). Additionally, there was a tradition from Adam to his descendants that the curse on the earth would be in effect only during his lifetime. Noah was the first listed person born after Adam’s death, so the curse’s power was anticipated to decline in Noah’s generation and his father named him with this in mind. (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer; Abarbanel)

Then, one of Noah’s three sons is named Shem, the word itself.

וַֽיְהִי־נֹ֕חַ בֶּן־חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֣וֹלֶד נֹ֔חַ אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת׃

When Noah had lived 500 years, Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Gen. 5:32)

Noah keeps shem close the surest way he can.

Lastly, in the continued downfall of humankind leading to the Flood, we encounter shem for the final time in parashat Bereishit. This one begets some non-conventional translations:

הַנְּפִלִ֞ים הָי֣וּ בָאָ֘רֶץ֮ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵם֒ וְגַ֣ם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבֹ֜אוּ בְּנֵ֤י הָֽאֱלֹקים֙ אֶל־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְיָלְד֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם הֵ֧מָּה הַגִּבֹּרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מֵעוֹלָ֖ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַשֵּֽׁם׃

It was then, and later too, that the Nephilim appeared on earth — when the divine beings cohabited with the daughters of men, who bore them offspring. They were the heroes of old, the men of name / renown [elsewhere translated as ‘devastation’]. (Gen. 6:4)

So now shem is associated with one’s reputation, though that reputation has negative connotations. We are not given names of people here, just the word shem, devoid of the individual. So they were ‘renown’ in their times perhaps, but anonymous in the Torah text. The Torah could be hinting that their self-aggrandizement caused them to lose themselves as part of a group; their actual, individual names failed to be immortalized in the Torah.

Earlier, shem was corrupted by man against God. Here, shem is corrupted by man against man.

In summary, we’ve seen that the notion of names permeates through the parasha. A name in the Torah is no simple convention, rather it captures the essence of its owner and their place in history.

At the beginning the first man and woman are without unique names, only labels, similar to the categorization of animal species. Then, Adam names his wife Eve and we learned that a unique individual name facilitates, or at least indicates, a greater connection between people. Adam’s naming rationales indicates that the Woman label speaks to her physical characteristics and compatibility, while the Eve name speaks to her spiritual characteristics and compatibility.

We noticed that some people are only ‘called’ something with no explicit name, shem, while others are merely ‘born’ and given a label by the Torah.

Then shem starts taking on a new dimension. Reputations began to be associated with names by listings occupations and noteworthy achievements, and Cain naming a city after his son speaks to his concerns about lasting reputation, or legacy.

Then shem is used corruptedly — first for idolatry and the denial or profanity of God, then for humans exploiting other humans.

Between those two corruptions, though, we read of Noah’s son named Shem. Noah recognized this distortion of shem and emerged as humankind’s new hero. In next week’s parasha, Noah, we will BH encounter names again.

Parashat Noah: Making a Name for Yourself

[This is part of a series on names analyzing appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion.]

We saw various iterations of ‘name’ in parashat Bereishit, the Torah’s very first parasha. Nearly every Torah character is given a name tag — sometimes parent-given, other times just Torah-narrated — but that explicit ‘name’ doesn’t often appear in the text.

The first human-to-human interaction with shem is when Adam names his wife Eve in an act of recognition and intimacy (Genesis 3:20). Names speak to one’s essence and carry with it a greater connection between people. To know one’s name is to know one’s identity.

After Adam and Eve sin in the Garden of Eden, shem came to be associated with a more abstract version of one’s ‘name’ — professions and acclaims, reputations and legacies. But then shem was also used for evil ends like rebelling against God (Gen. 5:26) and exploiting fellow humans (Gen. 6:4).

Serving as the counter-balance to this corruption of shem, Noah’s own son is named Shem and Noah emerges as humankind’s first hero since Adam 10 generations prior. As the torchbearer of God’s mission and the generational link, his shem lives on through his descendants.

Whereas shem appears in different forms throughout the first parasha, its appearances here in parashat Noah are far more limited. Aside from passing mentions of Noah’s son Shem, we don’t see shem until after the Flood wipes out most of humanity toward the end of the parasha. Its relative disappearance mirrors humanity’s diminution.

The manner in which shem then reappears in the Torah text is striking: only two instances in a list of dozens of names. Compare that to the birth of Jacob’s 13 children later in Genesis where each is accompanied by shem.

Genesis chapter 10 lists the offspring of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, comprising the traditional 70 nations of the world. Names of people and places are mentioned and repeated 100+ times in 32 verses while shem is confined to just two brothers in one verse:

וּלְעֵ֥בֶר יֻלַּ֖ד שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים שֵׁ֣ם הָֽאֶחָ֞ד פֶּ֗לֶג כִּ֤י בְיָמָיו֙ נִפְלְגָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ וְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יׇקְטָֽן׃

And to Eber were born two sons: one was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided [Peleg-conjugation], and the name of his brother was Joktan. (Gen. 10:25)

We see here how one’s name is preserved, even enlarged, through their offspring. Eber is not used with shem here, but we know later from chapter 11 that he serves as the generational link. Rather, Eber’s name lives on through his sons Peleg and Yoktan, both of whom are associated with shem here. This joins other examples we’ve seen of parents associated with shem through their offspring: Adam’s son Seth, Cain’s descendants, Seth’s son Enosh, Noah’s own son Shem.

Peleg’s name as a derivation of ‘in his days the earth was divided’ doesn’t bode well and indeed his brother Joktan gets his offspring listed in the following verses (Gen. 10:26–30) while Peleg gets none. However, in the grand scheme of things, in the list in Genesis chapter 11 spanning the 10 generations from Noah to Abraham, it’s Peleg who serves as the generational link, not Joktan.

Next, the Tower of Babel episode. It’s a cryptic story of just nine verses and few details. The gist from the text is that humanity joins together to build a city and it doesn’t sit well with God. The fatal verse:

וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ הָ֣בָה נִבְנֶה־לָּ֣נוּ עִ֗יר וּמִגְדָּל֙ וְרֹאשׁ֣וֹ בַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֖נוּ שֵׁ֑ם פֶּן־נָפ֖וּץ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

And they said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world.” (Gen. 11:4)

They wanted to ‘make a name for themselves,’ using shem in a way that God disapproved of. This was a replay of humanity’s downfall in the previous parasha, before the Flood. Like those ‘men of renown’ earlier, no individual names are mentioned here, their personal legacies lost to antiquity. Rather, the Torah uses shem to commemorate the result:

עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל כִּי־שָׁ֛ם בָּלַ֥ל יי שְׂפַ֣ת כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּמִשָּׁם֙ הֱפִיצָ֣ם יי עַל־פְּנֵ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ

That is why it was called by the name Babel, for there the Lord confused the language of the entire earth, and from there the Lord scattered them upon the face of the entire earth. (Gen. 11:9)

The sin of the Tower of Babel isn’t clear from the text, but evidently seeking to make a name for oneself is not a recipe for success. Those who seek fame will more likely end in infamy.

In shem’s final two appearances in parashat Noah we meet Abraham:

וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת תֶּ֔רַח תֶּ֚רַח הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָ֑ן וְהָרָ֖ן הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־לֽוֹט׃ וַיָּ֣מׇת הָרָ֔ן עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֶּ֣רַח אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָ֧ם וְנָח֛וֹר לָהֶ֖ם נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָם֙ שָׂרָ֔י וְשֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־נָחוֹר֙ מִלְכָּ֔ה בַּת־הָרָ֥ן אֲבִֽי־מִלְכָּ֖ה וַֽאֲבִ֥י יִסְכָּֽה׃ וַתְּהִ֥י שָׂרַ֖י עֲקָרָ֑ה אֵ֥ין לָ֖הּ וָלָֽד׃

Now this is the line of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot. Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah, in his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans. Abram and Nahor took to themselves wives, the name of Abram’s wife being Sarai and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren, she had no child. (Gen. 11:27–30)

Abraham’s brother Haran dies prematurely, ‘in the lifetime of his father,’ and leaves children behind. In marrying Haran’s daughters, Abraham and Nahor help to continue the legacy of their dead brother Haran and the extended legacy of their father Terah. Accordingly, both of the daughters are used with shem, extending their forebears’ names.

Straight away Sarah’s barrenness tests Abraham’s own legacy. As the reader, we know from several verses later in the next parasha (Genesis chapter 12) that God gives Abraham the mantle of His mission and declares him the progenitor of His Chosen People.

Following humanity’s failings with shem in parashat Bereishit, the world began anew after the Flood 10 generations later. Still, humanity faltered and shem was used inappropriately. Just as humanity was scattered around the world from the Tower of Babel, so too shem was scattered in the text of parashat Noah: either confined to the ark and held safe from the world (Shem), or blips on a list of 70 nations and 100+ names (Eber’s sons). Another 10 generations would be born until humanity found its beacon and shem started appearing consistently.

Where people had earlier failed, Abraham got it right. In caring for someone’s else legacy Abraham demonstrated using shem for his fellow man. He sought not to make a name for himself but for others. This served as a counter-balance to those who had used shem in exploiting people. But, there still remained the corruption of shem against God.

In next week’s parasha, Lech Lecha, Abraham will demonstrate using God’s shem. He will show us how to make a name for God, cementing his own name in return.

Parashat Lech Lecha: A Covenant of Names

[This is part three in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

We saw various uses of a ‘name,’ shem, last week in parashat Noah and previously in parashat Bereishit. Its uses in the Torah text, or lack thereof, convey extra meaning. A name includes more than one’s own personal name, rather it carries with it one’s reputation among peers and even one’s legacy after death.

In the beginning, in parashat Bereishit, people corrupted shem against both God and fellow humans. 10 generations past until a hero emerged, Noah, but humanity’s failures continued and in parashat Noah the world was nearly destroyed — or created anew — in the Flood. Still after, humanity used shem inappropriately at the Tower of Babel. 10 more generations would be born until a new hero emerged: Abraham.

The Torah forms a trilogy of sorts revolving around shem and this is the third installment.

We are given precious few details about Abraham before God speaks to him in the opening words of parashat Lech Lecha. Why was he worthy of God’s mission? As we pointed out in parashat Noah, Abraham (and his brother) married the orphaned daughter of his dead brother Haran. In doing so, Abraham supported the legacies, the ‘name,’ of others: Haran, their father Terah, and the orphan herself.

So, Abraham demonstrated using shem for selfless reasons, seeking to make a name for others instead of himself. This stood in contrast to what we had seen from humanity prior. So Abraham gets the call:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יי אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃ וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

The LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse him that curses you; and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” (Genesis 12:1–3)

In God’s very first words to Abraham in the Torah, He promises to ‘make a name’ for him, to magnify Abraham’s shem. From this we can plainly see the prominence of shem in the Torah and in people’s minds.

As we mentioned in parashat Noah, Abraham demonstrated how to make a name for others but there still remained the corruption of shem against God. Now, following God’s promise to make his name great, Abraham demonstrates making a name for God:

וַיַּעְתֵּ֨ק מִשָּׁ֜ם הָהָ֗רָה מִקֶּ֛דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וַיֵּ֣ט אׇהֳלֹ֑ה בֵּֽית־אֵ֤ל מִיָּם֙ וְהָעַ֣י מִקֶּ֔דֶם וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֤ם מִזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לַ-יי וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יי׃

From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and he built there an altar to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name / called in the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:8)

Earlier, humanity had also ‘called in God’s name’ (Gen. 6:4) but it was of the opposite sort, closer to blasphemy or even idolatry. The exact sin isn’t quite clear from that text in parashat Bereishit, but here Abraham’s intentions are unequivocal: first he builds an alter to God (not included in above text), then a second one, then he calls in God’s Name.

What is Abraham doing here, invoking God’s Name? We don’t see a command from God to do that. Didn’t God actually just tell Abraham that He would make his name great. So why is Abraham turning it around and focusing on God’s Name here? Evidently he had faith in God’s promise and saw fit to focus on God’s Name rather than his own.

Next is the story of the famine. At first glance it seems like a tough break: God tells Abraham to journey to Canaan, he goes, and then a famine forces him to leave that land for Egypt? Sounds little like making Abraham’s name great — the opposite in fact. We the reader, however, know from some verses later that Abraham eventually emerges from Egypt with great wealth. So God does indeed begin completing His promise, and Abraham’s ‘name’ is becoming great.

Then the verses following the news of Abraham’s new wealth:

וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְמַסָּעָ֔יו מִנֶּ֖גֶב וְעַד־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל עַד־הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֤ם אׇֽהֳלֹה֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה בֵּ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעָֽי׃ אֶל־מְקוֹם֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שָׂה שָׁ֖ם בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א שָׁ֛ם אַבְרָ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יי׃

And he proceeded by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been formerly, between Bethel and Ai, the site of the altar that he had built there at first; and there Abram invoked the LORD by name. (Genesis 13:3–4)

Immediately after Abraham gets this new wealth, this magnified ‘name,’ he realizes God is already starting to complete His promise to him. Abraham seeks to show gratitude and ‘return the favor.’ His wealth doesn’t change him, rather he returns by the same route to the same place, returning to who he was before his newfound riches, and acts to magnify God’s name.

shem doesn’t appear again until chapter 16. During that time God and Abraham continue to speak about legacy, but in the absence of any actual children born to Abraham.

Then, shem’s next few appearances do speak to Abraham’s — and Sarah’s — legacy, but not his main one:

וְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר׃וְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר׃

Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. (Genesis 16:1)

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְי הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְקָרָ֤את שְׁמוֹ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יי אֶל־עׇנְיֵֽךְ׃

The angel of the LORD said to her further, “Behold, you are with child and shall bear a son; You shall call his name Ishmael, for the LORD has paid heed to your suffering.”(Genesis 16:11)

וַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־יי הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי׃

And she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You Are El-roi,” by which she meant, “Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!”(Genesis 16:13)

וַתֵּ֧לֶד הָגָ֛ר לְאַבְרָ֖ם בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָ֧ם שֶׁם־בְּנ֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָ֥ה הָגָ֖ר יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃

Hagar bore a son to Abram, and Abram called the name of his son that Hagar bore him Ishmael. (Genesis 16:15)

It seems Hagar and Ishmael merited shem in their own rights in addition to being part of Abraham’s story and associated with his name. As we see from the text here, Hagar is visited by an angel. She then successfully uses shem in conjunction with God, the first human after Abraham to do that.

Next, God gives Abraham his new name as we know it today:

אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃ וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃

As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. And your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. (Genesis 17:4–8)

God changes Abraham’s name, with multiple uses of shem in the text, and repeats the lofty promises of legacy.

The changed name indicates a further evolution in the notion of a human name. First, names were given as labels for individuals. Then, names were earned as part of reputation and legacy. Here, Abraham’s given and earned names converge.

In these verses God speaks to Abraham of a ‘covenant’ for the first time. Earlier, we read that ‘God made a covenant’ (Genesis 15:18) with Abraham but only now, following his changed name — a great magnification of his name — do we see God speaking about it explicitly.

Unlike previous examples, Abraham does not immediately return the favor by calling out in God’s Name. Rather, Abraham engages in fulfilling the commandment of circumcision, the human side of the covenant. In following God’s will, Abraham does indeed magnify His Name.

Next, Sarah’s name is changed as well:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹקים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתְּךָ֔ לֹא־תִקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ שָׂרָ֑י כִּ֥י שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמָֽהּ׃

And God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah. (Genesis 17:15)

Sarah is confirmed as Abraham’s partner in God’s mission and the matriarch of the Jewish people, both spiritually and biologically:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקים אֲבָל֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֗ יֹלֶ֤דֶת לְךָ֙ בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִצְחָ֑ק וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֥י אִתּ֛וֹ לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם לְזַרְע֥וֹ אַחֲרָֽיו׃

God said, “Nevertheless, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac; and I will maintain My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring to come. (Genesis 17:19)

God then clarifies that Abraham’s other son, Ishmael, does have a great legacy in store for him (which we will see later), but it will be Isaac who serves as the generational link.

Unlike people in the previous 20 generations, Abraham demonstrates making a name for others and for God. In return he is chosen as the torchbearer of God’s mission and the father of nations.

He is promised, and then soon granted, fame and the magnification of his name. Abraham returns the favor and seeks to magnify God’s name but conspicuously remains childless, a requisite to lasting legacy. God then makes a covenant with him and Abraham’s own name, and that of his wife Sarah, get changed in recognition of their new exalted status.

Following 20 generations of human shortcomings, shem has finally found a home.

Parashat Vayeira: Continuing Abraham’s Legacy

[This is part four in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

Following last week’s Covenant of Names in parashat Lech Lecha, in which Abraham and God took turns magnifying each other’s names, we find shemfirmly entrenched with Abraham and his camp. Let’s see what happens with shem here in parashat Vayeira.

Five cities filled with evildoers — most infamously Sodom — are destroyed, despite Abraham interceding on their behalf. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, demonstrates with his hospitality some of the goodness he learned from Abraham and is saved from the destruction. Afraid of what lay in store for him in the mountains, Lot pleads to spend time in the newest of the five cities, knowing it hadn’t yet earned the full measure of God’s wrath like the other cities:

מַהֵר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט שָׁ֔מָּה כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת דָּבָ֔ר עַד־בֹּאֲךָ֖ שָׁ֑מָּה עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרָ֥א שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר צֽוֹעַר׃

Hurry, flee there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there. Hence the town came to be called by the name Zoar. (Genesis 19:22)

In this instance shem is used as the name of a place and not a person and so we don’t see shem the same way, but still each mention is notable.

Unlike when Cain named a city after his son this doesn’t seem to be a case of preserving one’s name, though Lot said he would otherwise die in the mountains, so self-preservation is indeed at play here.

Lot and his daughters eventually arrive to the mountains following the cities’ destruction. The Torah is somewhat cryptic about the daughters’ true intentions, and Lot doesn’t come off well here, but consensus among the Torah’s commentators is that the daughters feared the destruction was worldwide and took on the responsibility of repopulating the earth. The only male available for procreation was their father Lot, so they decided to get him drunk — on two consecutive nights — and conceived from that fateful union:

וַתֵּ֤לֶד הַבְּכִירָה֙ בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ מוֹאָ֑ב ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־מוֹאָ֖ב עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃ וְהַצְּעִירָ֤ה גַם־הִוא֙ יָ֣לְדָה בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֶּן־עַמִּ֑י ה֛וּא אֲבִ֥י בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃

The older one bore a son and called him the name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. And the younger also bore a son, and she called him the name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today. (Gen. 19:37–38)

This is again a story about preserving one’s name but on a much greater scale — the preservation at stake is all of humanity’s, at least as far as the daughters knew. Interestingly, their own names are not mentioned here. The Torah doesn’t tell us what happens to the daughters or to Lot following this episode, but we know these sons became the progenitors of the nations Ammon and Moav as testified in the text ‘father of…until this day.’

There are negative connotations here, though, as the names themselves (‘Moav’ means ‘from father’) bespeak their incestual origins. Furthermore, the Moabites and Ammonites are the only nations whose men may not convert to Judaism (Deuteronomy 23:3–4). Finally, though the commentaries overwhelmingly praise the daughters’ intentions, a simple reading of the older daughter’s rationale, that ‘there’s no man in the land to consort with us’ (Gen. 19:32) and ‘that we may maintain life,’ (Gen. 19:32) may speak to their own legacy rather than humanity’s survival.

Assuming we go with the vast majority of commentators, the daughters’ desire to repopulate the world — or so they thought — is indeed praiseworthy and a great legacy, despite the unsavory circumstances.

The next instance of shem returns to Abraham’s immediate family:

וַתַּ֩הַר֩ וַתֵּ֨לֶד שָׂרָ֧ה לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם בֵּ֖ן לִזְקֻנָ֑יו לַמּוֹעֵ֕ד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹקים וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶֽת־שֶׁם־בְּנ֧וֹ הַנּֽוֹלַד־ל֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ שָׂרָ֖ה יִצְחָֽק׃

Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken. Abraham called the name of his son, whom Sarah had borne him, Isaac. (Gen. 21:2–3)

Finally, after decades of waiting, Abraham and Sarah have a child together. Following in Abraham’s footsteps, this child would become the next torchbearer and generational link of God’s mission for the Jewish people.

Just like shem was used in conjunction with Isaac’s name in the previous parasha — when God foretold his birth to Abraham — it’s used again here. This marks the first time shem is associated with one’s name twice.

Abimelech, king of the Philistines, sees that Abraham is divinely blessed and makes a covenant of peace with him. Following the sealing of the alliance, we read:

וַיִּטַּ֥ע אֶ֖שֶׁל בִּבְאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיִּ֨קְרָא־שָׁ֔ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יי אֵ֥ל עוֹלָֽם׃

And he [Abraham] planted a tamarisk at Beer-sheba, and invoked there the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God / God of the universe. (Gen. 21:33)

Abraham is back to invoking God’s Name, but this time is of a different flavor. Firstly, it immediately follows the covenant with Abimelech and in the same location. Secondly, a special appellation for God is given.

God’s previous title is ‘the Most High,’ mentioned four times in five verses (Gen. 14:18–22). It was used by Malchizedek in praise of God following Abraham’s victory over the four kings, and then immediately repeated by Abraham in his refusal to accept booty from the king of Sodom. In that episode Abraham and Malchizedek stood in sharp contrast to the king of Sodom, and God’s title connotes a Being above and beyond the world of men.

Here in this episode, on the other hand, Abraham makes peace with Abimelech following the latter’s recognition of Abraham’s divine blessings. Fittingly, God’s new title ‘God of the universe’ connotes a Being closer to and more engaged with humanity.

Toward the end of the Binding of Isaac episode we read:

וַיִּקְרָ֧א אַבְרָהָ֛ם שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא יי יִרְאֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יֵאָמֵ֣ר הַיּ֔וֹם בְּהַ֥ר יי יֵרָאֶֽה׃

And Abraham called the name of that site ‘Adonai-yireh’ whence the present saying, “On the mount of the LORD there is vision.” (Gen. 22:14)

Unlike those previous times where Abraham built an alter and ‘called in God’s name,’ seemingly proselytizing, here he uses God’s Name to commemorate an event and name a place. That name would eventually become the ‘Jeru-’ of Jerusalem. As it happens, the ‘Salem’ half comes from Malchizedek, king of ‘Salem’.

In its final showing in this parasha, shem makes its strangest appearance yet:

וּפִֽילַגְשׁ֖וֹ וּשְׁמָ֣הּ רְאוּמָ֑ה וַתֵּ֤לֶד גַּם־הִוא֙ אֶת־טֶ֣בַח וְאֶת־גַּ֔חַם וְאֶת־תַּ֖חַשׁ וְאֶֽת־מַעֲכָֽה׃

And his [Nahor’s] concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore children: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.(Gen. 22:24)

The obvious reason for the group of verses leading up to this verse is the birth of Rebecca, the next matriarch of the Jewish people. But shem isn’t associated with her here, rather it’s associated with Nahor’s (Abraham’s brother) concubine Reumah.

All of the people mentioned in this collection of verses are part of Abraham’s extended family, and therefore of historical importance, but only Reumah gets shem here. What was special about her, or about her relationship with Nahor? What is shem doing here?

It’s unclear from the text so I turned to the commentaries. Sforno teaches that Maacah, Reumah’s daughter, was similarly fitting to be Isaac’s wife in case Rebecca wasn’t chosen. We can also analyze Reumah’s name for insight. ‘Reumah’ may be derived from the Hebrew word room, meaning lofty. In addition, ‘Reu-’ is linguistically similar to the Hebrew word raooy, meaning fitting or appropriate.

shem continues to be used in situations revolving around Abraham and his family, though its significance and positive-versus-negative connotations aren’t always obvious from the Torah text. In particular, the uses of shem associated with Lot and his daughters require deeper analysis and shem’s final appearance seems even more obscure.

Parashat Chayei Sarah: Transitioning to the Next Generation

[This is part five in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

Following the creation of man and the Garden Eden in the first parasha, 20 generations had past and humanity continued to disappoint. Time and again the central characters failed to rise to the occasion and, similarly, shem in the Torah text appeared both sporadically and used improperly. Then we met Abraham at the end of the Torah’s second parasha and we learn of his selflessness and righteous use of shem.

The third parasha, Lech Lecha, began with God’s summons to Abraham and His promise of greatness in return. Abraham emerges as humanity’s hero and shem follows along. Abraham’s name is mentioned again and again in the timeless Torah text, and the word shem itself seems to be tied to him and his extended circle. Abraham’s own name is changed by God Himself at the end of Lech Lecha as a sign of his magnified name, wealth, and influence:

וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃

And your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. (Genesis 17:5)

Abraham and his family stay at the center of things for the following parasha, Vayeira, then we get here to parashat Chayei Sarah and we begin to transition beyond Abraham, the father of many nations.

Though this analysis seeks to focus on explicit mentions of shem in the Torah, I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss Sarah. Naturally — or supernaturally — there is always something to learn from the text.

Sarah is the namesake for this parasha, the second time a parasha is named after someone (Noah previously). Curiously, though, whereas the parasha’s name means: “the life / lifetime of Sarah,” we hear of her death in the very first words.

The first major portion of Chayei Sarah revolves around Abraham seeing to the burial of his wife, Sarah. Fittingly, following Sarah’s departure from the Torah, shem isn’t mentioned for the first half of this parasha. Legacy and reputation — ingredients of one’s name — are earned by the living. “What is to be gained from my death, from my descent into the Pit? Can dust praise You, can it declare Your faithfulness?” (Psalms 30:5)

Sarah’s legacy as matriarch of the Jewish people is at stake — as is Abraham’s — as we turn to the next generation, Isaac. First, though, Abraham pays his final respects to his beloved wife (Gen. 23:2).

In the very next verse and continuing until the completion of Abraham’s negotiations to buy the land for Sarah’s burial plot (Gen. 23:3–18), the Torah and its characters refer to Sarah simply as the ‘dead,’ no name or title. Finally, after the sale in concluded and her body buried, her legacy is maintained and the text again refers to her as “Sarah, his [Abraham’s] wife.”

Abraham did his job safeguarding eternity for Sarah. Next he turns to the next generation, to his son Isaac.

In the next section we read of Abraham commissioning his servant — whom we know to be Eliezer — to find Isaac a wife.

I say ‘we know’ because his name isn’t actually mentioned here in this parasha. Instead, the text refers to him either in the diminutive ‘servant’ or the honorable ‘man,’ depending on the context. The Torah had mentioned the name of Abraham’s head servant previously, but here his name is left out. Contrast that with Abraham, whose name is mentioned 37 times in this parasha even though his actual character is absent from most of it.

In chapter 24, the longest chapter in the book of Bereishit, the reader is given lots of narrative and even records Eliezer simply recounting an earlier event in the chapter. The six days of creation take up all but 31 verses — 34 including the seventh day — yet here the Torah deems fit to have a nameless person repeat basic story details.

As the great commentator Rashi teaches: this demands to be expounded upon.

But I digress, names and the Torah of their origins and meanings is beyond our scope. Here, we’ll [try to] stay focused on appearances of shem in the Torah text.

[A simple answer to the above mystery is that the Torah focuses on humanity, not God or theology.]

shem first appears in parashat Chayei Sarah in conjunction with Laban, the future matriarch Rebecca’s older brother:

וּלְרִבְקָ֥ה אָ֖ח וּשְׁמ֣וֹ לָבָ֑ן וַיָּ֨רׇץ לָבָ֧ן אֶל־הָאִ֛ישׁ הַח֖וּצָה אֶל־הָעָֽיִן׃

Now, Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man at the spring. (Gen. 24:29)

Previously the Torah had introduced Rebecca and her lineage and explicitly named her father and grandparents. “Now,” Laban bursts onto the scene, greeting Eliezer as his honored guest and offering his hospitality, and in doing so commandeers the story line ahead of his father Bethuel, the ostensible man of the house.

Laban reappears later in the Torah and emerges as an enemy of the Abrahamic legacy. So it’s the antagonist side of shem here, fittingly accompanied by boorish behavior.

Finally, Sarah’s name is mentioned once again in the parasha that bears her name. She is referenced by three separate words:

וַיְבִאֶ֣הָ יִצְחָ֗ק הָאֹ֙הֱלָה֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִמּ֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־רִבְקָ֛ה וַתְּהִי־ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיֶּאֱהָבֶ֑הָ וַיִּנָּחֵ֥ם יִצְחָ֖ק אַחֲרֵ֥י אִמּֽוֹ׃

Isaac then brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he took Rebecca as his wife. Isaac loved her, and thus found comfort after his mother. (Gen. 24:67)

Isaac marries Rebecca, ensuring the continued survival of the Jewish people and Sarah’s legacy.

וַיֹּ֧סֶף אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה וּשְׁמָ֥הּ קְטוּרָֽה׃

Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. (Gen. 25:1)

Enigma. This is one of those THIS DEMANDS TO BE EXPLAINED situations.

Who is this, Keturah? Why did Abraham marry her? Why do they suddenly have many children together after Abraham’s progeny was limited to just Ishmael and Isaac?

Our Sages teach us that Keturah is actually Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant who became Abraham’s spouse and birthed Ishmael at Sarah’s request, explaining: “Look, the LORD has kept me from bearing. Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have be built up / have a son through her” (Gen. 16:2). But then, after Sarah miraculously birthed Isaac, Sarah saw that Ishmael was not a fit companion for Isaac. Ishmael’s instigation is unclear from the text — interestingly a conjugation of Isaac’s namesake’s root word — but Sarah’s motivation is quite clear: “…he shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac.” (Gen. 21:10). Legacy, as always, is central to our story.

Regarding Hagar, as to her reappearance in Abraham’s life after he sent her away, the Sages teach: ‘A person’s sentence is torn up on account of four types of actions. These are: Giving charity, crying out in prayer, a change of one’s name, and a change of one’s deeds for the better’ (Rosh Hashana 16b). It fits, then, that this mysterious Keturah is actually a rehabilitated Hagar.

As to why all the children, one answer is that Abraham was promised to be a father of many nations so this is in fulfillment of that.

But he is careful to make a distinction before his death:

וַיִּתֵּ֧ן אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ לְיִצְחָֽק׃ וְלִבְנֵ֤י הַפִּֽילַגְשִׁים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם נָתַ֥ן אַבְרָהָ֖ם מַתָּנֹ֑ת וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֞ם מֵעַ֨ל יִצְחָ֤ק בְּנוֹ֙ בְּעוֹדֶ֣נּוּ חַ֔י קֵ֖דְמָה אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ קֶֽדֶם׃

Abraham willed all that he owned to Isaac. But to Abraham’s sons by concubines Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the East. (Gen. 25:6)

Echoing the earlier episode when he sent away Hagar and Ishmael, here Abraham ensures that his primary legacy passes through Isaac. Just as Sarah requested.

We then hear of Abraham’s death, signalling the conclusion of his story in Genesis. Technically, he is still alive for the beginning of the next parasha, but the Torah is sometimes written thematically rather than strictly chronologically. In ending his story here the Torah paves the way for the next generation. Abraham’s legacy is to live on through his children.

shem’s final appearances in this parasha are linked with Ishmael:

וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל בִּשְׁמֹתָ֖ם לְתוֹלְדֹתָ֑ם בְּכֹ֤ר יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ נְבָיֹ֔ת וְקֵדָ֥ר וְאַדְבְּאֵ֖ל וּמִבְשָֽׂם׃ וּמִשְׁמָ֥ע וְדוּמָ֖ה וּמַשָּֽׂא׃ חֲדַ֣ד וְתֵימָ֔א יְט֥וּר נָפִ֖ישׁ וָקֵֽדְמָה׃ אֵ֣לֶּה הֵ֞ם בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ וְאֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמֹתָ֔ם בְּחַצְרֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְטִֽירֹתָ֑ם שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר נְשִׂיאִ֖ם לְאֻמֹּתָֽם׃

These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedmah. These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names by their villages and by their encampments: twelve chieftains of as many tribes. (Gen. 25:13–16)

The Torah goes out of its way, so to speak, pointing out that Ishmael’s sons numbered 12, exactly as prescripted and promised by God earlier. This is clearly in fulfillment of God’s earlier promise to Abraham: “As for Ishmael, I have heeded you, I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and exceedingly numerous. He shall be the father of twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation.” (Gen. 17:20)

Similar to Abraham’s death, the Torah recounts Ishmael’s legacy here even though this flourishing of his descendants must have taken place over some period of time. In doing so, the Torah simultaneously closes the Ishmael story and depicts God keeping His promise to Abraham.

Names have great significance, in the Torah and in life. Sometimes they are bright and loud, other times shrouded in mystery.

Chayei Sarah, a parasha whose name speaks of life but begins with its namesake’s death. And Eliezer, the faithful servant whose journey is documented and recounted in the Torah yet he himself remains nameless in the text. So much to uncover and explore, but that is beyond the scope of our shem analysis.

This parasha acts as a transition in which Abraham says goodbye to the previous generation — his generation — and paves the way for Isaac to take over as torchbearer of God’s mission. We will see shem follow along.

Parashat Toldot: Carrying on the Legacy

[This is part six in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

Last week’s parashat Chayei Sarah served as a transition parasha and now this week’s parashat Toldot shows the fruit of that transition.

Abraham and his circle have been at the center of the Torah story over the last three parashiot and shem has followed along, signalling prominence and prestige. Where humanity had failed in living up to God’s standard, Abraham succeeded. He was chosen to be God’s messenger on earth and through him his descendants. Abraham’s name and reputation, his shem, had been magnified greatly.

Isaac is next in line. His task is to carry on the Abrahamic legacy of monotheism and ethics, a legacy passed from parent to child. Abraham passed on his primary legacy to Isaac at the exclusion of Ishmael, his eldest son, and he made it a point to separate himself — and Isaac — from his later children before he died.

Now, Isaac will need to deal with the same issue: how to pass on the legacy to his children.

Whereas Abraham dominates the story line over multiple parashiyot, Isaac, by comparison, dominates little.

Abraham is a man of discovery. He is the father of monotheism. He answers God’s summons to pick up and start over, and we learn of his triumphs and difficulties and encounters with God. He is a well rounded character in the Torah. Isaac, less so.

Following Abraham’s death Isaac is now primed to take center stage in the Torah. However, rather than reading of his conquests and travels like we do with Abraham, we begin with Isaac already looking ahead to the next generation:

וַיֶּעְתַּ֨ר יִצְחָ֤ק לַֽ-יי לְנֹ֣כַח אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה הִ֑וא וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ יְי וַתַּ֖הַר רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD responded to his plea, and his wife Rebecca conceived. (Genesis 25:21)

Just like Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca were barren until God intervened.

Up until now the legacy of God’s mission, and of humanity, had always been from father to son. 1:1, no two siblings may share. 20 generations until Abraham and one man served as the link in each.

Abraham, though, starts a new chapter in world history. God promises him a great legacy in exchange for being the torchbearer of God’s mission. Abraham becomes the father of many nations. Like any good father Abraham expresses a desire to have Ishmael inherit him, but both God and Sarah clarified that Isaac stands alone, just as it always had been in each generation prior. So Abraham dutifully singles out Isaac to carry on the legacy.

Now it’s Isaac’s turn. He is the next forefather. He must succeed in transmitting the Abrahamic legacy to his children. Who will be the next link in the generational chain?

Rebecca is foretold of this struggle:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְי לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י (גיים) [גוֹיִם֙] בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃

and the LORD answered her, “Two nations are in your womb, two separate peoples shall issue from your body; one people shall be mightier than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” (Gen. 25:23)

The sibling rivalry that characterized the previous generations and all of human history starting from Cain and Abel — that same sibling rivalry is destined to play out in the next generation as well.

וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו׃ וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָד֤וֹ אֹחֶ֙זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְיִצְחָ֛ק בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּלֶ֥דֶת אֹתָֽם׃

The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over; so they called his name Esau. Then his brother emerged, holding on to the heel [Jacob-conjugation] of Esau; so they called his name Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born. (Gen. 25:25–26)

Right on queue, shem appears with both sons. As we would expect by now, understanding more of shem’s role in the Torah.

Two children born, just as foretold. Twins, in fact. And, also just as foretold, stark differences between them:

וַֽיִּגְדְּלוּ֙ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וַיְהִ֣י עֵשָׂ֗ו אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ צַ֖יִד אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֶ֑ה וְיַעֲקֹב֙ אִ֣ישׁ תָּ֔ם יֹשֵׁ֖ב אֹהָלִֽים׃ וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב יִצְחָ֛ק אֶת־עֵשָׂ֖ו כִּי־צַ֣יִד בְּפִ֑יו וְרִבְקָ֖ה אֹהֶ֥בֶת אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב׃

When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors; but Jacob was a mild man who stayed in camp. Isaac favored Esau because he had a taste for game; but Rebecca favored Jacob. (Gen. 25:27–28)

Rebecca, who was foretold of the struggle, favored Jacob, who is the obvious choice over Esau to carry on the Abrahamic legacy based on the respective description of the children’s personalities. The reader is therefore struck by Isaac’s seeming preference for Esau and the reason given: “because he had a taste for game” is cryptic.

Just like Abraham, Isaac struggles with how best to pass on the legacy: must he choose just one son to carry on after him, as it always had been, or can he succeed with both? Like any father who loves his children Isaac hopes for both.

Esau, though, is not as interested in the legacy, as can be seen in the verses immediately following:

וַיָּ֥זֶד יַעֲקֹ֖ב נָזִ֑יד וַיָּבֹ֥א עֵשָׂ֛ו מִן־הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וְה֥וּא עָיֵֽף׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב הַלְעִיטֵ֤נִי נָא֙ מִן־הָאָדֹ֤ם הָאָדֹם֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֥י עָיֵ֖ף אָנֹ֑כִי עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱדֽוֹם׃ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִכְרָ֥ה כַיּ֛וֹם אֶת־בְּכֹרָֽתְךָ֖ לִֽי׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר עֵשָׂ֔ו הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י הוֹלֵ֖ךְ לָמ֑וּת וְלָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה לִ֖י בְּכֹרָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַעֲקֹב הִשָּׁ֤בְעָה לִּי֙ כַּיּ֔וֹם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּמְכֹּ֥ר אֶת־בְּכֹרָת֖וֹ לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃ וְיַעֲקֹ֞ב נָתַ֣ן לְעֵשָׂ֗ו לֶ֚חֶם וּנְזִ֣יד עֲדָשִׁ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַיָּ֖קׇם וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וַיִּ֥בֶז עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃

Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished. And Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red [Edom-conjugation] stuff to gulp down, for I am famished” — which is why he was named Edom. Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright. And Esau said, “I am at the point of death, so of what use is my birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob then gave Esau bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, and he rose and went away. Thus did Esau spurn the birthright.” (Gen. 25:29–33)

Another name given to Esau is an indication of a magnified reputation and legacy but the reason given doesn’t connote exemplary behavior. Indeed, in the ensuing verses, Esau sells his birthright to Jacob in exchange for the stew.

‘Edom’ foretells a magnified name for Esau — the ancestor of Rome and her legacy on western civilization — but in selling his birthright he demonstrates his disdain for the primary legacy at stake, the Abrahamic legacy.

In the next section of this parasha, chapter 26, Isaac takes center stage for the one and only time in the Torah. His stories echo Abraham’s almost exactly:

• There is a famine and Isaac must uproot himself to survive.
• God promises to bless Isaac and make him a great nation (and mentions the oath He made to Abraham).
• Isaac and Rebecca pretend to be siblings, fearing for Isaac’s safety. Their ruse is discovered and there is a struggle with the local king, after which Isaac emerges unharmed and becomes wealthy.

Each one of these scenarios play out in Abraham’s lifetime as well. Isaac is clearly following in his father’s footsteps, reenacting episodes from the past.

Then their stories converge further:

וְכׇל־הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר׃

And the Philistines stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, filling them with earth. (Gen. 26:15)

וַיָּ֨שׇׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר ׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו׃

Isaac dug anew the wells which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham’s death; and he named them like the names that his father had called them. (Gen. 26:18)

וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר עִם־רֹעֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק לֵאמֹ֖ר לָ֣נוּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם־הַבְּאֵר֙ עֵ֔שֶׂק כִּ֥י הִֽתְעַשְּׂק֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃ וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ גַּם־עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ שִׂטְנָֽה׃ וַיַּעְתֵּ֣ק מִשָּׁ֗ם וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וְלֹ֥א רָב֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ רְחֹב֔וֹת וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־עַתָּ֞ה הִרְחִ֧יב יְי לָ֖נוּ וּפָרִ֥ינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ׃

The herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” He named that well Esek because they contended [Esek-conjugation] with him. And when they dug another well, they disputed over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved from there and dug yet another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called its name Rehoboth, saying, “Now at last the LORD has granted us ample space [Rehoboth-conjugation] to increase in the land.” (Gen. 26:20–22)

The Torah is telling us that Isaac is careful to preserve the legacy passed on to him.

But why all the fuss about naming the wells? We know it’s something important given shem’s appearances. As usual, legacy is at stake. Isaac is painstakingly ensuring the continuation of the Abrahamic legacy, down to the names of wells.

Then, following a prophecy and promise of greatness, Isaac calls in God’s Name, just like his father Abraham:

וַיִּ֧בֶן שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְי וַיֶּט־שָׁ֖ם אׇהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּכְרוּ־שָׁ֥ם עַבְדֵי־יִצְחָ֖ק בְּאֵֽר׃

So he built an altar there and invoked the LORD by name. Isaac pitched his tent there and his servants started digging a well. (Gen. 26:25)

Then, Abimelech seals a pact with Isaac, just like Abimelech did previously with Abraham. Following the pact, we read:

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י יִצְחָ֔ק וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ עַל־אֹד֥וֹת הַבְּאֵ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑רוּ וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ ל֖וֹ מָצָ֥אנוּ מָֽיִם׃ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁבְעָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֤ן שֵׁם־הָעִיר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water!” He named it Shibah, therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba to this day. (Gen. 26:33)

This is actually the second time a place was named Beer-sheba, and it’s a striking mirror image of Abimlech’s previous pact with Abraham which was also made following disputes over wells: “Hence that place was called Beer-sheba for there the two of them swore an oath.”(Gen. 21:31)

These are the last verses featuring Isaac as the Torah’s main character. Over and over again in this chapter — Isaac’s only one where he is central — we saw Isaac and shem following Abraham’s path. That was his task: to carry on the legacy.

Last week’s parashat Chayei Sarah serves as a transitional parasha from Abraham to the next generation, and in this week’s parasha Isaac serves as the transitional forefather, totally focused on carrying on the Abrahamic legacy.

We now turn back to the prospective recipients of that legacy: Esau and Jacob.

Rebecca hears of Isaac preparing to bless Esau and fears the legacy is to be passed to the wrong person. She advises — even commands — Jacob to step in. He does and pretends to be Esau, attempting to fool the now blind Isaac. Isaac suspects foul play, tests for it, but miraculously doesn’t uncover the ruse. Jacob receives the blessing.

Esau, having obeyed Isaac’s preparatory instructions, returns expecting to receive the blessing. He and Isaac realize Jacob tricked them and Esau becomes distraught:

כִּשְׁמֹ֤עַ עֵשָׂו֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו וַיִּצְעַ֣ק צְעָקָ֔ה גְּדֹלָ֥ה וּמָרָ֖ה עַד־מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאָבִ֔יו בָּרְכֵ֥נִי גַם־אָ֖נִי אָבִֽי׃ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בָּ֥א אָחִ֖יךָ בְּמִרְמָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֖ח בִּרְכָתֶֽךָ׃ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר הֲכִי֩ קָרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַֽיַּעְקְבֵ֙נִי֙ זֶ֣ה פַעֲמַ֔יִם אֶת־בְּכֹרָתִ֣י לָקָ֔ח וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה לָקַ֣ח בִּרְכָתִ֑י וַיֹּאמַ֕ר הֲלֹא־אָצַ֥לְתָּ לִּ֖י בְּרָכָֽה׃

When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst into wild and bitter sobbing, and said to his father, “Bless me too, Father!” But he answered, “Your brother came with guile and took away your blessing.” He said, “Was he, then, named Jacob that he might supplant me [Jacob-conjugation] these two times? First he took away my birthright and now he has taken away my blessing!” And he added, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” (Gen. 27:34–36)

Fascinating shem usage here in that it’s the first time in the Torah a human explicitly speaks shem aloud — until now only God had said shem or it was narrated. But it doesn’t bode well for Jacob, as it’s being used by Esau to illustrate a double entendre of Jacob’s own name — his own shem — indicating deception.

That was shem’s final appearance in this parasha. Following this, Jacob is forced to flee for his life, fearing Esau’s wrath.

Last’s week Chayei Sarah was a transition parasha from Abraham to Isaac, and now parashat Toldot tells of the next transition to Jacob. Isaac serves as the transitional forefather. Isaac is unique in being the first generation born to the Abrahamic legacy. Abraham and Isaac together needed to ensure the legacy is successfully passed from its founder to its first successor.

Isaac plays the part nearly perfectly. He does almost exactly as Abraham does — living out eerily similar scenarios — and shem follows along. If Abraham is the prototypical torchbearer, then Isaac is the prototypical torch receiver.

But receiving the legacy is only half the job — Isaac must also pass it on. Which child — the elder Esau or the younger Jacob — should serve as the generational link?

Rebecca is foretold of that struggle emerging from her womb. Twins, both with shem, both destined for greatness.

We are told of Isaac’s affection for Esau and Rebecca’s for Jacob. Isaac’s seeming blindness to Esau’s shortcomings is natural, just like any father who wants his children to success. Ultimately, Isaac’s struggles with passing on legacy culminate in a deception by Jacob, and orchestrated by Rebecca, to capture it for himself. Jacob’s own name is used to portray him as a deceiver.

Not a smooth transition of legacy nor a pretty ending to the parasha as Jacob runs away from Esau’s anger, fearing for his life.

Isaac has succeeded in passing on his legacy — in passing on shem — but it is left on weak footing as we conclude the parasha.

Parashat Vayeitzei: Jacob’s Family

[This is part seven in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

Last week’s parasha ended on a cliffhanger: Jacob runs away from home, fleeing his brother Esau’s wrath after stealing Isaac’s blessing from him — a blessing intended as Esau’s birthright and inheritance. Jacob seizes that legacy for himself.

Jacob — the natural inheritor of the Abrahamic legacy and the next link in the generational chain — is called to task for his actions.

Isaac calls his behavior something akin to cleverness / sleight of hand / trickster בְּמִרְמָ֑ה (Genesis 27:35) while Esau laments in anguish over Jacob’s exploitations, using Jacob’s very name יעקב, his identity and legacy, to describe how he supplanted / outwitted him וַֽיַּעְקְבֵ֙נִי֙ (Gen. 27:36).

Now, Jacob is forced into exile. He will need to find his way back home.

In the opening words, Jacob encounters God for the first time. He identifies Himself as the God of his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham, and repeats the blessings of land, offspring, and greatness He promised them. He assures Jacob He will return him to his home and wont forsake him.

Jacob awakes from his dream encounter with God, and we encounter shem:

וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃

He named that site Bethel; but previously the name of the city had been Luz. (Gen. 28:19)

Jacob names the place ‘a house of God,’ following in Abraham’s footsteps in naming a place to commemorate his encounter with God in the Binding of Isaac.

Jacob changes the name of that place which had previously been known as Luz. This is reminiscent of Isaac’s re-naming the wells according to their previous Abrahamic names. The significance is indicated by the double use of shem in the text.

Indeed, according to tradition, this ‘place’ will later house the Holy Temple, and it’s the same site as the Binding of Isaac.

In shem’s next appearances we meet the future Matriarchs:

וּלְלָבָ֖ן שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הַגְּדֹלָה֙ לֵאָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַקְּטַנָּ֖ה רָחֵֽל׃

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (Gen. 29:16)

We meet Rachel in the previous verses but only now does the Torah use shem. This narrating verse sits inside a dialogue between Laban and Jacob discussing Jacob’s wage as Laban’s employee. Jacob answers that marrying Rachel is his price. It fits, then, that shem appears here when Jacob is considering his spouse — one of the most important components of one’s legacy — and that the Torah uses shem here in a narrative interruptive verse to the reader, once again calling attention to shem’s association with legacy. Both the Matriarchs’ and Jacob’s.

Abraham was promised to be a father of nations but he had just two [main] sons and his main legacy was bequeathed to just one. Isaac was similarly promised greatness and abundant descendants but only had two children with Jacob as heir. No great nations in sight.

In this parasha, Jacob has 12 children and shem appears with each one (**see full text at bottom). It seems that God is starting to fulfull His promise of many children.

This challenges the paradigm we grew accustomed to with Abraham and Isaac and stretching back to the first man: just one member of each generation as torchbearer, one male to carry on God’s special mission and serve as the generational link.

Can Jacob succeed in extending God’s inner circle to comprise his entire family, or will he have to choose just one son? This struggle underlies the rest of the book of Genesis.

Jacob packs up his family and flees from Laban, just like he ran away from Esau. And, similarly, the Torah’s narrative doesn’t sound so complimentary of his actions: “Jacob deceived / stole the heart of Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was fleeing.” (Gen. 31:20) Not that Jacob’s actions are necessarily wrong — after all, his mother Rebecca advised him to run from Esau and now God advised him to leave and return home — but they aren’t befitting a Patriarch.

So Jacob again finds himself in a similar position fleeing antagonists, this time with his own family in tow.

Laban catches up to Jacob, confronts him, and Jacob stops running. He finally stands up for himself.

Following Jacob’s passionate self-defense Laban relents and offers to make peace, but not before showing his true colors (archetypal of anti-Semitism) in claiming Jacob’s family and possessions as his own.

Their covenant of peace is commemorated with shem:

וַיִּקְרָא־ל֣וֹ לָבָ֔ן יְגַ֖ר שָׂהֲדוּתָ֑א וְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב קָ֥רָא ל֖וֹ גַּלְעֵֽד׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָבָ֔ן הַגַּ֨ל הַזֶּ֥ה עֵ֛ד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינְךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ גַּלְעֵֽד׃

Laban named it Yegar-sahadutha but Jacob named it Gal-ed. And Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” That is why it was named Gal-ed. (Gen. 31:48)

Laban’s name and Jacob’s name mean the same thing, just in different languages (Jacob’s Hebrew versus Laban’s Aramean). This is reminiscent of shem’s first appearance in this parasha when Jacob bestows a name on a place which contradicts a different given name.

shem’s final appearance is in the parasha’s very last verse:

וְיַעֲקֹ֖ב הָלַ֣ךְ לְדַרְכּ֑וֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ־ב֖וֹ מַלְאֲכֵ֥י אֱלֹקים׃ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאָ֔ם מַחֲנֵ֥ה אֱלֹקים זֶ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֛א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא מַֽחֲנָֽיִם׃

Jacob went on his way, and angels of God encountered him. When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim. (Gen. 32:3)

A mysterious encounter with God’s angels and no description of what transpired.

Like shem’s first appearance, the name bestowed by Jacob commemorates his encounter with God.

Jacob’s own shem — his identity and legacy — is called into question leading in to this parasha, as he flees from Esau whose legacy he took. Right away we see God confirming Jacob as the next Patriarch and we see him using shem to praise God, reclaiming a site in His Name.

We meet the Matriarchs — shem included — and Jacob’s family blossoms, each of his 12 children bestowed with shem.

Then, after again fleeing an adversary, this time Laban, Jacob finally confronts his foe and shem sides with his naming over Laban’s. Jacob is becoming a new man and starting to write his own legacy.

Jacob is on a mission to start a family enterprise. Unlike Abraham and Isaac before him, Jacob intends to bequeath God’s mission to each of his children, setting the foundation for a growing family to become a great nation.

The making of his legacy continues in next week’s parasha.

**Birth of Jacob’s first 12 children — 11 sons of the 12 tribes and daughter Dinah:

וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־רָאָ֤ה יְי בְּעׇנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃ וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֤ע יְי כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה אָנֹ֔כִי וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י גַּם־אֶת־זֶ֑ה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃ וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ לֵוִֽי׃וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־יְי עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת׃

Leah conceived and bore a son, and named him Reuben, for she declared, “It means: ‘The LORD has seen my affliction’ [Reuben-conjugation]; it also means: ‘Now my husband will love me.’” She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This is because the LORD heard [Simeon-conjugation] that I was unloved and has given me this one also”; so she named him Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son and declared, “This time my husband will become attached [Levi-conjugation] to me, for I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi. She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This time I will praise [Judah-conjugation] the LORD.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing. (Gen. 29:32–35)

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ דָּנַ֣נִּי אֱלֹקים וְגַם֙ שָׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֔י וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י בֵּ֑ן עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ דָּֽן׃

And Rachel said, “God has vindicated me [Dan-conjugation] indeed, He has heeded my plea and given me a son.” Therefore she named him Dan. (Gen. 30:6)

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל נַפְתּוּלֵ֨י אֱלֹקים ׀ נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּי עִם־אֲחֹתִ֖י גַּם־יָכֹ֑לְתִּי וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ נַפְתָּלִֽי׃

And Rachel said “A fateful contest I waged [Naphtali-conjugation] with my sister; yes, and I have prevailed.” So she named him Naphtali. (Gen. 30:8)

וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לֵאָ֖ה (בגד) [בָּ֣א גָ֑ד] וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גָּֽד׃

Leah said, “What luck!” [Gad-conjugation] So she named him Gad. (Gen. 30:11)

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֔ה בְּאׇשְׁרִ֕י כִּ֥י אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי בָּנ֑וֹת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אָשֵֽׁר׃

Leah declared, “What fortune!”[Asher-conjugation] meaning, “Women will deem me fortunate.” [Asher-conjugation] So she named him Asher. (Gen. 30:13)

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן אֱלֹקים֙ שְׂכָרִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי שִׁפְחָתִ֖י לְאִישִׁ֑י וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשָּׂשכָֽר׃

And Leah said, “God has given me my reward [Issachar-conjugation] for having given my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. (Gen. 30:18)

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה זְבָדַ֨נִי אֱלֹקים ׀ אֹתִי֮ זֵ֣בֶד טוֹב֒ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִזְבְּלֵ֣נִי אִישִׁ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שִׁשָּׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ זְבֻלֽוּן׃ וְאַחַ֖ר יָ֣לְדָה בַּ֑ת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ דִּינָֽה׃

Leah said, “God has given me a choice gift; this time my husband will exalt [Zebulun-conjugation] me for I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. Last, she bore him a daughter, and named her Dinah. (Gen. 30:20–21)

וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר אָסַ֥ף אֱלֹקים אֶת־חֶרְפָּתִֽי׃ וַתִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ יוֹסֵ֖ף לֵאמֹ֑ר יֹסֵ֧ף יְי לִ֖י בֵּ֥ן אַחֵֽר׃

She conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” So she [Rachel] named him Joseph, which is to say, “May the LORD add [Joseph-conjugation] another son for me.” (Gen. 30:23–24)

Some notables:

• Each son gets not only shem but also their own explicit naming derivation.
• The love triangle and collective legacies of Jacob and sisters Leah and Rachel underpin the naming of each of the children’s names.
• The sisters give their maidservants as wives to Jacob to bear more children and build up their own legacies, echoing Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham’s similar arrangement.
• This is the first time a daughter is born to the Patriarchs.
• References to God: Leah refers to God by His Tetragrammaton Name — symbolizing mercy — for three of the first four children born to her, then Rachel uses a different Name of God — symbolizing justice — for her two maidservant children, then Leah uses no God-reference for her two maidservant children, then Leah switches to God’s justice Name for her last two sons, then Rachel uses both Names for her first son but highlights His merciful Name.

Parashat Vayishlach: Jacob’s Journeys

[This is part eight in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

Jacob our Patriarch fled from home some decades earlier, running away from his brother Esau from whom he stole Isaac’s blessing. He spent 20+ years in his deceitful uncle Laban’s realm but thanks to God’s divine providence he emerged with a blossoming family and great wealth.

Having overcome one antagonist, Jacob’s story now returns to Esau. He must survive him as well if he is to return home.

Jacob prepared for his fateful meeting with Esau in three different ways: appeasement (gift giving), war (made a battle plan), and prayer.

The night before, Jacob engaged in a personal battle with some nameless man who turned out to be a divine messenger:

וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּֽנִי׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹֽב׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃ וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃ וַיִּקְרָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.” Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” Jacob asked, “Pray tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, meaning, “I have seen a divine being face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” (Genesis 32:25–31)

Jacob gets his name changed, just like Abraham. This indicates that Jacob has reached a new level. The name itself, as explained in the verse, was earned by Jacob for his confrontations in contrast to the evasive measures he took previously, first in fleeing Esau and then in sneaking away from Laban.

Why did the ‘man,’ AKA angel, ask Jacob his name; surely he already knew? And why did Jacob ask, repeatedly, for the man’s name? And why did the man refuse?

Jacob names the place after his divine encounter, just like he did at the beginning and end of the previous parasha.

Jacob emerges unscathed from his meeting with Esau and talks Esau out of tagging along with him on his journey. Jacob continues on with his own family:

וְיַעֲקֹב֙ נָסַ֣ע סֻכֹּ֔תָה וַיִּ֥בֶן ל֖וֹ בָּ֑יִת וּלְמִקְנֵ֙הוּ֙ עָשָׂ֣ה סֻכֹּ֔ת עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרָ֥א שֵׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם סֻכּֽוֹת׃

But Jacob journeyed on to Succot, and built a house for himself and made stalls for his cattle; that is why the place was named Succot. (Gen. 33:17)

Whereas Esau went back to his homeland, Jacob engages in building. His story is still very much in progress.

‘Succot’ means shelter, just like the eponymously named holiday Succot. Jacob’s legacy and that of his family is safe and sound, sheltered from the danger presented by Esau and his long-harbored hatred.

shem’s next appearance:

וַיָּבֹ֨א יַעֲקֹ֜ב ל֗וּזָה אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן הִ֖וא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל ה֖וּא וְכׇל־הָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־עִמּֽוֹ׃ וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ לַמָּק֔וֹם אֵ֖ל בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל כִּ֣י שָׁ֗ם נִגְל֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּבׇרְח֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֥י אָחִֽיו׃ וַתָּ֤מׇת דְּבֹרָה֙ מֵינֶ֣קֶת רִבְקָ֔ה וַתִּקָּבֵ֛ר מִתַּ֥חַת לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הָֽאַלּ֑וֹן וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ אַלּ֥וֹן בָּכֽוּת׃

Thus Jacob came to Luz — that is, Bethel — in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. There he built an altar and named the site El-bethel for it was there that God had revealed Himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. Deborah, Rebeccah’s nurse, died, and was buried under the oak below Bethel; so it was named Allon-bacuth. (Gen. 35:6–8)

Curious that the Torah uses the name Luz after Jacob had already named the site Bethel in the previous parasha. And why does the Torah then tell us again that he named the site Bethel? It’s also a slightly different version now — El-bethel instead of Bethel.

What is the connection between the site and Rebecca’s nurse who died there? Why do we hear of Deborah only now upon her death? Why does shem accompany the naming of her burial place? What is Rebecca’s nurse doing here, with Jacob’s camp, if Rebecca was back home in Israel AKA Canaan?

Deborah must have played an important role in Rebecca’s life, perhaps similar to Eliezer’s role in Abraham’s life.

Immediately following, Jacob’s new name is confirmed by God:

וַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים שִׁמְךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֑ב לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵא֩ שִׁמְךָ֨ ע֜וֹד יַעֲקֹ֗ב כִּ֤י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ God said to him,

“You whose name is Jacob, you shall be called by the name Jacob no more, but Israel shall be your name.” Thus He named him Israel. (Gen. 35:10)

Four appearances of shem in one verse.

Why did the angel give him his new name earlier if God was to do it Himself now?

A few verses later we read:

וַיִּקְרָ֨א יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר אִתּ֥וֹ שָׁ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃

Jacob gave the site, where God had spoken to him, the name of Bethel. (Gen. 35:15)

If Jacob’s new name is Israel why does the Torah still call him Jacob? Why is Jacob naming Bethel for a third time now?

The last of the 12 tribes is born:

וַיְהִ֞י בְּצֵ֤את נַפְשָׁהּ֙ כִּ֣י מֵ֔תָה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י וְאָבִ֖יו קָֽרָא־ל֥וֹ בִנְיָמִֽין׃

But as she breathed her last — for she was dying — she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.(Gen. 35:18)

For the previous 12 children born to Jacob (11 sons and Dinah) the mother named each child. In this last instance Jacob sees fit to name the child something other than what Rachel named him, and his name wins primary status.

The Torah recounts the legacy of Esau, listing his wives and children. Like when Ishmael’s descendants were listed, none get shem here but his offspring as a whole is granted shem, owing to Esau’s influential status as the son of a Patriarch. Esau, after all, is known as the progenitor of Rome and with it much of Western Civilization.

אֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֑ו אֱלִיפַ֗ז בֶּן־עָדָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֔ו רְעוּאֵ֕ל בֶּן־בָּשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו׃

These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah; Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath(Gen. 36:10).

We know from earlier that Esau settled in Seir. Following Esau’s own line of descendants, the Torah now recounts the tribes and legacies of those who had lived in Seir prior to his conquests. The Torah then lists the Edomite kings descended from Esau, also known as Edom, who reigned in the land prior to the Jewish kings.

Mentions of shem attached to his Edomite legacy:

וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ בֶּאֱד֔וֹם בֶּ֖לַע בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ דִּנְהָֽבָה׃

Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah (Gen. 36:32).

The first king’s capital city, the beginnings of a dynasty.

Next generations of kings:

וַיָּ֖מׇת חֻשָׁ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ תַּחְתָּ֜יו הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־בְּדַ֗ד הַמַּכֶּ֤ה אֶת־מִדְיָן֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ עֲוִֽית׃

When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated the Midianites in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king; the name of his city was Avith (Gen. 36:35).

The two generations of kings between Bela and Hadad (featured in verses 33 and 34) are given no special acclaim. Hadad, we are told, boasted military triumphs and therefore shem is attached to his capital city.

וַיָּ֘מׇת֮ בַּ֣עַל חָנָ֣ן בֶּן־עַכְבּוֹר֒ וַיִּמְלֹ֤ךְ תַּחְתָּיו֙ הֲדַ֔ר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ פָּ֑עוּ וְשֵׁ֨ם אִשְׁתּ֤וֹ מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵל֙ בַּת־מַטְרֵ֔ד בַּ֖ת מֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃ And when Baal-hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar succeeded him as king; the name of his city was Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred daughter of Me-zahab.(Gen. 36:39)

It’s unclear to me from the text what’s special about Hadar and his wife Mehetabel; her mentioned lineage must offer clues.

It’s noteworthy that the list of Edomite kings has no instances of kings passing on the throne to their son. In each case, the succeeding generation is of a different parentage.

Finally, closing the chapter on Esau’s story and his great but infamous legacy:

וְ֠אֵ֠לֶּה שְׁמ֞וֹת אַלּוּפֵ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לִמְקֹמֹתָ֖ם בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם אַלּ֥וּף תִּמְנָ֛ע אַלּ֥וּף עַֽלְוָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף יְתֵֽת׃

These are the names of the clans of Esau, each with its families and locality, by name: the clans Timna, Alvah, Jetheth (Gen. 36:40)

More questions than answers this week — repeated namings; Jacob’s name changes and yet remains the same; obscure characters and locations attached to shem. There are lots of gaps in the simple understanding of the verse.

The basic pshat understanding of the text often leaves the attentive reader with many questions. Answers are alluded to throughout the Tanach using a combination of textual patterns and language similarities, linking together other episodes that would help clear some of our fogginess.

This also sounds like an example where the Written Torah needs to be complemented with the Oral Torah, the tradition handed down to Moses from Mount Sinai.

Parashat Vayeishev: Jacob’s Sons

[This is part nine in a series of analyses on appearances of the Hebrew word for name, shem, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

As we mentioned two weeks ago in parashat Toldot, the age-old sibling rivalry is destined to play out in each generation. From Cain and Abel in the Garden of Eden to the Patriarchs, and their struggles with legacy and passing the torch — played out in shem’s appearances, or lack thereof, in the Torah text.

Jacob sets a new standard for the dynamics of the Abrahamic legacy. Whereas the previous generations had only a couple children, Jacob marries four women and sires a dozen sons. Jacob is surely aware of the history of sibling rivalries, where only one emerges as humanity’s generational link and in carrying out God’s mission in the world, and must have known this was destined to repeat itself for his own sons. If there was rivalry between two sons surely a dozen begets a dozen more.

Rather than evade the proverbial elephant in the room, Jacob calls attention to it:

אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֗ב יוֹסֵ֞ף בֶּן־שְׁבַֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙…וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃ וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכׇּל־אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃

This, then, is the line of Jacob: at seventeen years of age, Joseph…Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an ornamented tunic. And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of his brothers, they hated him so that they could not speak a friendly word to him. (Genesis 37:2–4)

‘Joseph,’ the first word describing Jacob’s legacy. Even though at seventeen years young Joseph is hardly the man of the house.

Rather, Joseph is Jacob’s eldest son from his most beloved wife, Rachel, whose premature death makes Joseph all the more precious in Jacob’s eyes, but Joseph is actually the second-youngest son overall. Despite his age, Joseph commands the focus of his father’s affection.

In describing the special garment he made for him, the Torah makes it clear that the father doesn’t try hide his preferential feelings from his others sons. Loads of parenting and educational wisdom embedded here, both good and not-so-good.

In one of the most shocking episodes in all of Torah, Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery. At first they even considered killing him! How could otherwise righteous men — sons of the great Patriarch Jacob — could have stooped so low?

Clearly, the Torah demands the reader to dig deeper. There are various interesting answers, but we will focus our attention to the concept of shem.

Traditionally the firstborn is both entitled and expected to take on the mantle of the next generation. The firstborn son represented parents’ best hope of continuing their legacies.

Now, leading up to the sale of Joseph, the Torah zeroes in on Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son and the presumptive next in line:

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיַּצִּלֵ֖הוּ מִיָּדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א נַכֶּ֖נּוּ נָֽפֶשׁ׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֣ם ׀ רְאוּבֵן֮ אַל־תִּשְׁפְּכוּ־דָם֒ הַשְׁלִ֣יכוּ אֹת֗וֹ אֶל־הַבּ֤וֹר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְיָ֖ד אַל־תִּשְׁלְחוּ־ב֑וֹ לְמַ֗עַן הַצִּ֤יל אֹתוֹ֙ מִיָּדָ֔ם לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ אֶל־אָבִֽיו׃

But when Reuben heard it, he tried to save him from them. He said, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben went on, “Shed no blood! Cast him into that pit out in the wilderness, but do not touch him yourselves” — intending to save him from them and restore him to his father. (Gen. 37:21–22)

וַיָּ֤שׇׁב רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־הַבּ֔וֹר וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵין־יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבּ֑וֹר וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃ וַיָּ֥שׇׁב אֶל־אֶחָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וַאֲנִ֖י אָ֥נָה אֲנִי־בָֽא׃

When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes. Returning to his brothers, he said, “The boy is gone! Now, what am I to do?” (Gen. 37:29–30)

Commenting on this, the Midrash (Rut Rabba 5:6) writes: “If Reuben would have known that the Torah will write concerning him, “And Reuben heard, and he rescued him from their hand,” he would have carried him [Joseph] on his shoulders and returned him to his father.”

“If Reuben would have known that the Torah will write concerning him…” — i.e. Reuben understood the tremendous merit of being praised in the Torah.

This is a fascinating concept: the anachronism of Torah before Mount Sinai. It touches on questions like: what was the ‘Torah’ of the forefathers and the generations of Jews prior to the Torah? Did they follow the precepts and commandments we know today? The Torah was written down a few hundred years later — what did they know of what would be written? Were they aware what events, if any, from their own life would be recorded?

As we’ve argued time and again in these analyses of shem, legacy is humans’ great motivation. What greater legacy is there than being immortalized in the Torah text?

And then the double bonuses of both being featured in the Torah’s stories as a positive role model — like Abraham whose name is mentioned 37 times in parashat Chayei Sarah even though his actual character is absent from most of it — and of having their name explicitly attached to shem (see, in contrast, the many more names in Genesis without shem), which is the source of ‘name’ by definition.

After the sale of Joseph the Torah turns its attention to Judah. He is Jacob’s fourth eldest son but, following the explosive behavior of brothers #2 and #3 in the previous parasha, Judah is next in line after Reuben’s shortcomings.

Judah’s legacy unfolds:

וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֥רֶד יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת אֶחָ֑יו וַיֵּ֛ט עַד־אִ֥ישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י וּשְׁמ֥וֹ חִירָֽה׃ וַיַּרְא־שָׁ֧ם יְהוּדָ֛ה בַּת־אִ֥ישׁ כְּנַעֲנִ֖י וּשְׁמ֣וֹ שׁ֑וּעַ וַיִּקָּחֶ֖הָ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃ וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵֽר׃ וַתַּ֥הַר ע֖וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אוֹנָֽן׃ וַתֹּ֤סֶף עוֹד֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵׁלָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה בִכְזִ֖יב בְּלִדְתָּ֥הּ אֹתֽוֹ׃ וַיִּקַּ֧ח יְהוּדָ֛ה אִשָּׁ֖ה לְעֵ֣ר בְּכוֹר֑וֹ וּשְׁמָ֖הּ תָּמָֽר׃

About that time Judah left his brothers and camped near a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite and his name was Shua, and he married her and cohabited with her. She conceived and bore a son, and he named him Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she named him Onan. Once again she bore a son, and she named him Shelah; he was at Chezib when she bore him. Judah got a wife for Er his first-born; her name was Tamar. (Gen. 38:1–6)

Notables:

- shem appears once in each of six consecutive verses.

- who are these acquaintance of Judah’s — Hirah and Shua — why do they merit shem?

- Judah’s own wife is unnamed while his son’s wife is named and with shem.

Things unravel from there for Judah. His two eldest sons anger God and both die. Judah’s legacy looks in doubt.

He seeks to guard his third son and last remaining hope, but in doing so acts callously against the now-twice widowed Tamar. As fate would have it, Judah impregnates her and is put to the test. He is presented with a scenario where honesty would mean risking his own honor, which he could against guard against by acting selfishly.

This time, he chooses well. Judah’s new legacy is Tamar’s twin boys:

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּמֵשִׁ֣יב יָד֗וֹ וְהִנֵּה֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־פָּרַ֖צְתָּ עָלֶ֣יךָ פָּ֑רֶץ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ פָּֽרֶץ׃ וְאַחַר֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־יָד֖וֹ הַשָּׁנִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ זָֽרַח׃

But just then he drew back his hand, and out came his brother; and she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez. Afterward his brother came out, on whose hand was the crimson thread; he was named Zerah.

Two new sons to replace his lost ones. In fact, as tradition teaches us, Perez is the ancestor of the Messiah.

Parashat Vayeishev picks up on the joint themes of sibling rivalry and passing the legacy from father to son, something that has played out again and again in the Torah’s first book.

How is Jacob to choose which of his children should be torchbearer? Must it remain just one son? Surely, like any father, Jacob wanted all his children to follow in his footsteps. But his overt favoritism of Joseph made it hard for his other sons to have faith in him. Instead, they took matters into their own hands and did away with Joseph.

And so the Torah takes us through the line of succession — Reuben proves unworthy, then Judah initially falters but recovers.

The story then shifts back to Joseph, where even in captivity he shines. In the next parasha, his star shines even brighter.

Parashat Miketz: Joseph & His Brothers

[This is part ten in a series of analyses on appearances of ‘name,’ AKA shem in Hebrew, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

After selling Joseph into slavery at the beginning of the previous parasha, the other sons of Jacob experience a reshuffling of the pecking order for the succession of the Abrahamic legacy. Reuben is knocked down from his firstborn status, and brothers #2 and #3 are skipped over for #4 Judah. Judah’s worthiness and own legacy is tested when two of his sons — his extended shem — die prematurely. He then rises to the occasion and successfully establishes his claim to leader, and has more sons with shem attached in the Torah text.

shem is inherited from Abraham, to whom God originally promised to ‘make his name great.’ (Genesis 12:2)

The story continues with Joseph. Though he is Jacob’s second youngest son, he is Rachel’s eldest and that makes him more precious to Jacob. Joseph seems to be Jacob’s presumptive heir until he is betrayed by his brothers.

He is carted away to Egypt as a slave but quickly establishes his own name there, rising the ranks of a noble house. The house’s head mistress tries to lay claim to Joseph — body and soul — but he resists. As recompense, she has him thrown in jail.

Even in jail Joseph keeps shining. He makes a reputation for himself, first as a capable manager — similar to his previous role — and then he takes on dream interpreting.

Whereas last week’s parasha featured Joseph dreams, this week’s parasha begins with Pharaoh’s dreams of cows and sheathes. He senses these dreams are of national importance and therefore vital for him to understand, but he fails to find a sufficient explanation among all his wise men. Then Joseph’s name is mentioned by a previous fellow inmate and he is summoned from prison.

Joseph comes and interprets the dreams to Pharaoh’s satisfaction, describing seven good years of prosperity followed by seven much worse years of famine. Joseph then makes logistical and administrative recommendations and advises Pharaoh to appoint a new leadership. Pharaoh and those gathered are so struck by Joseph’s wisdom that they give him the job on the spot.

In no time, Joseph goes from prisoner to second in command of the world’s greatest power. He is clothed in royal garments and paraded about the country.

shem follows:

וַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֣ה שֵׁם־יוֹסֵף֮ צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵ֒חַ֒ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אֶת־אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt. (Gen. 41:45)

וּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף יֻלַּד֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא שְׁנַ֣ת הָרָעָ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֽוֹן׃ וַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כׇּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃ וְאֵ֛ת שֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י קָרָ֣א אֶפְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־הִפְרַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עׇנְיִֽי׃

Before the years of famine came, Joseph became the father of two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On, bore to him. Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, meaning, “God has made me forget completely my hardship and my parental home.” And the second he named Ephraim, meaning, “God has made me fertile in the land of my affliction.” (Gen. 41:50–52)

Joseph is given a new name in honor of his exalted status and he fathers two sons, each with shem. These are both patterns we’ve seen before and have come to expect with Abraham’s descendants.

Strange, though, that Pharaoh is the one to bestow shem upon him, shem which is associated with legacy and heritage. Typically a mother and/or father does the naming. Is Pharaoh his new father figure? What of his real father, Jacob, who showed him special affection? Has Egypt become Joseph’s new legacy?

And what of his children’s names: the firstborn named for leaving behind his parents’ home, and the second for prospering elsewhere. This also suggests Joseph is carving a new path for himself, independent of his legacy as the son of a Patriarch. What do we make of this?

What was *Joseph’s perspective* all along? Previously, Jacob had sent him away from home on a mission to his brothers who obviously hated him. Those brothers stripped him of his father’s special garment — the symbol of Jacob’s favoritism for Joseph — and he is sold into slavery.

Joseph had no way of knowing what to make of his father’s role, then or now. Might he have had a hand in his brothers’ treatment of him, is that why he sent him to them? If not, why hadn’t he tried to find him all these years while Joseph was in Egypt? Jacob had great wealth and prominence and could have surely organized a massive manhunt. So why hadn’t he? Joseph must have been plagued by doubt asking himself these questions.

If we read the story with this perspective, shem’s lone appearances in this parasha make total sense. Indeed, Pharaoh becomes Joseph’s father figure. He clothes him in royal garments — similar to Jacob — and rather than rebuffing Joseph’s dreams of power as Jacob did, Pharaoh materializes those dreams for him, making him his right-hand man over all of Egypt. He gives him a new name in recognition of this new relationship (see Adam re-naming Eve in parashat Bereishit, God renaming Abraham and Sarah, and God renaming Jacob). And Joseph starts a family in the context of this new life.

With this in mind, his hostile behavior toward his brothers later in the parasha also makes sense: hostile and conniving, yet emotionally charged. He repays them in kind — imprisoning them– then he keeps a hostage until they return with his maternal brother Benjamin, his closest connection left to his family who had all but forsaken him.

Joseph concocts a ploy to keep Benjamin with him. The parasha ends with all the brothers stuck in Egypt, pleading with Joseph and subject to his absolute rulership — exactly as they feared when they first heard Joseph’s teenage dreams of power all those years earlier.

Next, their fateful confrontation.

• Thank you Rabbi David Fohrman of AlephBeta.org who taught me this perspective.

Parashat Vayigash: The Brothers’ Reunion

[This is part eleven in a series of analyses on appearances of ‘name,’ AKA shem in Hebrew, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here.]

shem follows each of Judah and Joseph in the Torah text, indicating that both of them are worthy of the Abrahamic legacy. But it had always been one father to one son, just one chosen from each generation. Who will serve as the next generational link after Jacob? Who will serve as God’s torchbearer?

The last two parshiyot portray the battles over legacy between the children of Leah — lead by Judah — versus the children of Rachel led by Joseph. The brothers try to get rid of Joseph, but even in captivity Joseph’s brilliance remains undimmed and he rises to power. He establishes a new life for himself and carves out a new legacy, rising to second-in-command of the world’s greatest empire. In naming his children with shem Joseph tries to move on, it seems, from the brothers who sold him and the father who abandoned him.

Then his brothers show up more than two decades since selling him away.

Joseph pretends not to know them and forces them to bring him his long lost maternal brother, Benjamin. He tricks them and threatens to keep Benjamin with him in Egypt as a ‘slave,’ separate from the rest of Jacob’s family. Perhaps he’s testing them — how will the brothers respond this time around?

In a display of repentance and remorse, the brothers collectively act as Benjamin’s guardian — with Judah as leader — and seek to prevent further rifts in the family. But Joseph is unmoved and the parasha ends without reconciliation.

This parasha begins with Judah delivering a passionate speech to Joseph. He succeeds in breaking down Joseph’s barriers and Joseph reveals himself to his brothers:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ אֲנִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף הַע֥וֹד אָבִ֖י חָ֑י וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֤וּ אֶחָיו֙ לַעֲנ֣וֹת אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֥י נִבְהֲל֖וּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still well?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dumfounded were they on account of him. (Genesis 45:3)

We spoke previously of the anguish Joseph must have felt all those years in Egypt not knowing what happened to his beloved father, the father who adored him and favorited him over the other brothers. How could such a father send him on a dangerous mission? And after he was sold into slavery, how could such a father abandon him? Joseph had no way of knowing what his father knew or didn’t knew about his sale, he had no idea that the brothers would feign his death. All he knew was that he was isolated, thrown out of the family, and no contact from them in decades since.

This perspective seems all the more compelling when we read of Joseph’s big reveal. In the very next breath after revealing his identity he asks of his father. Is he still alive? Could it be that he’s been alive all these years and hasn’t tried to find me, to save me? Where is my father?

Joseph’s question is rhetorical — maybe something of an emotional outburst — seeing as how the brothers don’t answer his question, and he had already asked about his father’s welfare previously (Gen. 43:27) and the brothers hadn’t left Egypt since he asked. So apparently there was no need to say it again now; perhaps they didn’t want to keep salting Joseph’s wounds.

There is a tearful, brotherly reunion before Joseph gets on with business. He tells them to bring down their father and the rest of the family to live out the remaining famine years.

Jacob, though ecstatic to hear the news of Joseph’s survival, has mixed feelings about expatriating to Egypt. God reassures him, instructing him to exile himself from Israel, go down to Egypt, and join Joseph. Jacob obeys and the Torah enumerates the members of his family who travel to Egypt:

וְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֧וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הַבָּאִ֥ים מִצְרַ֖יְמָה יַעֲקֹ֣ב וּבָנָ֑יו בְּכֹ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב רְאוּבֵֽן׃

These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who came to Egypt. Jacob’s first-born is Reuben. (Gen. 46:8)

וַיִּוָּלֵ֣ד לְיוֹסֵף֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֣ן אֹ֑ן אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃

To Joseph were born in the land of Egypt Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath daughter of Poti-phera priest of On bore to him. (Gen. 46:20)

כׇּל־הַ֠נֶּ֠פֶשׁ הַבָּאָ֨ה לְיַעֲקֹ֤ב מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ יֹצְאֵ֣י יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִלְּבַ֖ד נְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵי־יַעֲקֹ֑ב כׇּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵֽׁשׁ׃ וּבְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֛ף אֲשֶׁר־יֻלַּד־ל֥וֹ בְמִצְרַ֖יִם נֶ֣פֶשׁ שְׁנָ֑יִם כׇּל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ לְבֵֽית־יַעֲקֹ֛ב הַבָּ֥אָה מִצְרַ֖יְמָה שִׁבְעִֽים׃

All the persons belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt his own issue, aside from the wives of Jacob’s sons — all these persons numbered 66. And Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt were two in number. Thus the total of Jacob’s household who came to Egypt was seventy persons. (Gen. 46:26–27)

This is shem’s lone appearance in this parasha. What can we learn from it?

Firstly, note that Reuben is still honored with the firstborn title despite his shortcomings noted earlier in the Torah.

In the ensuing list of Jacob’s descendants Joseph’s children stand out. They are singled out for having been born in Egypt and to a daughter — Joseph’s wife — of Egyptian nobility, whereas no other of the brothers’ wives are mentioned in the list. Then a second time, as the list was framed as those of Jacob’s family who traveled with him down to Egypt, Joseph’s sons are again singled at the end, as they were already living in Egypt.

So the Torah is focusing our attention on shem in the context of Jacob’s family versus Joseph’s sons. Is Joseph’s legacy separate from that of his family? Do his sons inherit his Egyptian legacy or his Abrahamic legacy as their primary heritage?

And who will be humanity’s torchbearer after Jacob — Joseph or Judah? And what of the rest of the brothers, are they all to be cast away like Esau and Yishmael in earlier generations? How will Jacob decide with whom to entrust his legacy, God’s legacy? Who will merit the ‘great name’ (Gen. 12:2) which God promised to Abraham and his descendants?

The parasha ends with these questions unanswered. The resolution will have to wait for next week, the final parasha of sefer Bereishit.

Parashat Vayechi: All for One & One for All

[This is part twelve in a series of analyses on appearances of ‘name,’ AKA shem in Hebrew, in the weekly Torah portion. Start here. This is the last parasha of sefer Bereishit.]

The third and final Patriarch, Jacob knows he is responsible for carrying on the Abrahamic legacy and the associated shem — he is responsible for passing on God‘s mission to the next generation, just as each generation had done before him. But it had always been passed to just one son and, whereas his forebears had but few primary children, Jacob is blessed with 12 sons. How is he to choose?

From the dawn of time this has been the struggle. The eldest son is the presumptive heir but time and again in the Torah we see the firstborn fall and the younger shine.

Jacob’s sons are no different. His personal preference had always been Joseph though Judah, in his own right, also features prominently in the Torah. The (10) brothers gang up to confront these issues of legacy their own way and try to get rid of their top threat, Joseph.

They reconcile decades later in Egypt, where Joseph’s legacy had blossomed and he wielded undisputed [governmental] authority over his family, just as he dreamed all those years earlier.

Now what of the Abrahamic legacy — does it get passed to Joseph even though his main occupation is government, or does Joseph’s personal legacy strike out on its own? Would shem then get passed through Judah, for his leadership abilities? What of the remaining sons — must they be sent away and separated from the chosen one, just like Abraham’s and Isaac’s children?

We must wait until the very end of the story to find out.

The final parasha of sefer Bereishit is named Vayechi, referring to the life of Jacob whose personal legacy and extended legacies — his children — dominate the second half of Bereishit. It’s somewhat ironic, then, that the parasha begins with his final arrangements before his death. This is reminiscent of parashat Chayei Sarah when we are informed of the Matriarch’s passing in the parasha’s opening words.

וַיְחִ֤י יַעֲקֹב֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י יְמֵֽי־יַעֲקֹב֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ וַיִּקְרְב֣וּ יְמֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לָמוּת֒ וַיִּקְרָ֣א ׀ לִבְנ֣וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֗ף וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ שִֽׂים־נָ֥א יָדְךָ֖ תַּ֣חַת יְרֵכִ֑י וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ עִמָּדִי֙ חֶ֣סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֔ת אַל־נָ֥א תִקְבְּרֵ֖נִי בְּמִצְרָֽיִם׃ וְשָֽׁכַבְתִּי֙ עִם־אֲבֹתַ֔י וּנְשָׂאתַ֙נִי֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וּקְבַרְתַּ֖נִי בִּקְבֻרָתָ֑ם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אָנֹכִ֖י אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה כִדְבָרֶֽךָ׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִשָּֽׁבְעָה֙ לִ֔י וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הַמִּטָּֽה׃

Jacob lived seventeen years in the land of Egypt, so that the span of Jacob’s life came to one hundred and forty-seven years. And when the time approached for Israel to die, he summoned his son Joseph and said to him, “Do me this favor, place your hand under my thigh as a pledge of your steadfast loyalty: please do not bury me in Egypt. When I lie down with my fathers, take me up from Egypt and bury me in their burial-place.” He replied, “I will do as you have spoken.” And he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed. (Genesis 47:28–31)

Notables:

• Jacob’s first order of business — just like Abraham’s in Chayei Sarah — is the burial spot.
• Also reminiscent of Abraham’s language in Chayei Sarah: the phrasing of “place your hand under my thigh as a pledge of your steadfast loyalty.”
• Joseph agrees to the request but Jacob requires him to take a formal oath.
• Question1: Why is his burial location so important to Jacob?
• Question2: Did Joseph place his hand under the thigh immediately or was that part of the swearing process?

In Jacob’s next order of business he meets with Joseph again and now Joseph brings his sons along. Jacob recounts how God blessed him with great legacy and land, and declares that Joseph’s sons born to him in a different land will still qualify for that legacy. More than that, they will count as Jacob’s own children. So the (12) tribes of Israel include each of Joseph’s two sons, giving him the double inheritance traditionally given to the firstborn.

Then Jacob says something a bit strange:

וּמוֹלַדְתְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁר־הוֹלַ֥דְתָּ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם לְךָ֣ יִהְי֑וּ עַ֣ל שֵׁ֧ם אֲחֵיהֶ֛ם יִקָּרְא֖וּ בְּנַחֲלָתָֽם׃

But progeny born to you after them shall be yours; by their brothers’ names they shall be called in their inheritance. (Gen. 48:6)

This verse doesn’t translate smoothly, AKA it begets slightly varied translations. The crux is that Jacob drew a line in the sand in adopting Joseph’s two current sons, clarifying that any future children are of a different status.

Now that he’s claimed Joseph’s sons as his own, he moves on to blessing them:

הַמַּלְאָךְ֩ הַגֹּאֵ֨ל אֹתִ֜י מִכׇּל־רָ֗ע יְבָרֵךְ֮ אֶת־הַנְּעָרִים֒ וְיִקָּרֵ֤א בָהֶם֙ שְׁמִ֔י וְשֵׁ֥ם אֲבֹתַ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם וְיִצְחָ֑ק וְיִדְגּ֥וּ לָרֹ֖ב בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃ וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹסֵ֗ף כִּי־יָשִׁ֨ית אָבִ֧יו יַד־יְמִינ֛וֹ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣רַע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ יַד־אָבִ֗יו לְהָסִ֥יר אֹתָ֛הּ מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשׁ־אֶפְרַ֖יִם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃

The Angel who has redeemed me from all harm — Bless the lads. In them may my name be recalled, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they be teeming multitudes upon the earth.” When Joseph saw that his father was placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he thought it wrong; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. (Gen. 48:16–17)

Jacob seals the deal, so to speak, linking their names with his own name — using shem — and that of his forefathers.

We again encounter the theme of sibling rivalry — including the younger usurping the older’s spotlight — appearing with Joseph’s children, though it appears to be handled smoothly in the ensuing verses.

Jacob moves on with blessing each of his 12 sons roughly in order of birth. The blessings for Judah and Joseph are noticeably longer than the others.

Afterward, he discusses his burial arrangements with them, at length, just as he had done with Joseph earlier. Why does he repeat his dying wish to his other sons, did he not trust Joseph to get the job done? Maybe he was trying to fix an earlier mistake he made in clearly favoriting Joseph over the others, and wanted to ensure all his sons felt included in his dying wish.

Joseph begins to make funeral arrangements immediately following his father’s death, dutifully carrying out his request. He formally requests permission from Pharaoh to leave Egypt for this mission and Pharaoh permits him, citing the oath he made to his father. Perhaps Jacob understood Joseph’s new political status all too well and that’s why he earlier insisted on the formal oath.

וַיַּ֡רְא יוֹשֵׁב֩ הָאָ֨רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֜י אֶת־הָאֵ֗בֶל בְּגֹ֙רֶן֙ הָֽאָטָ֔ד וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵֽבֶל־כָּבֵ֥ד זֶ֖ה לְמִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ אָבֵ֣ל מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

And when the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning at Goren ha-Atad, they said, “This is a solemn mourning on the part of the Egyptians.” That is why it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. (Gen. 50:11)

It was the world’s first great diplomatic funeral, attended by foreign heads of state and admirers alike. The entire Egyptian nobility and more accompanied viceroy Joseph and his illustrious family all the way to Canaan/Israel.

Ironically, the location gets named after the Egyptians’ suffering rather than Jacob’s own family’s. This indicates the great respect accorded to Jacob in Egypt.

Quite a ‘way to go’ for Jacob — quite a legacy he lived, quite a legacy he left behind, and quite a legacy still quite unfinished.

After Jacob’s passing, the brothers fear Joseph’s wrath over their past wrongdoings and decide to dispatch a message begging forgiveness, thinly dressing up the request as their father’s dying wish. Joseph cries when he hears it. He assures them he harbors them no ill will — first reminding them to fear God not him, then essentially repeating his faith in the dictum ‘it’s all part of God’s plan.’

It’s a sad episode that leaves the reader with a foreboding feeling. The brief reconciliation after Joseph’s big reveal didn’t inspire, and this final piece certainly doesn’t feel like a real reconciliation between brothers in arms.

Still, after what we’ve witnessed in sefer Bereishit, civility among brothers isn’t to be taken for granted. More than that, Joseph and his brothers stay together until the end. This marks a contrast against the previous generations where just one son was singled out to carry on the tradition and all the rest were sent away.

Jacob succeeds in bringing his entire family into God’s inner circle — they each serve the One true God. Instead of just one male serving as humanity’s generational link, all do. God’s mission goes from one torchbearer to a dozen family branches of torchbearers. And from there, beginning in the book of Shemot, literally: ‘names,’ we meet a nation of torchbearers.

In the book’s final verses Joseph follows his father’s lead and asks his brothers — by solemn oath — to bury him in Israel. Unlike his father, though, Joseph understands that he wont actually be buried in Israel for a long time. Rather, he would be buried in Egypt and his remains would need to be carried up. Why must he be buried in Egypt?

Joseph lives a mixed legacy pulled in two directions. On the one hand, he’s the son of a Patriarch and chosen heir of the Abrahamic legacy. On the other, he’s the second-in-command and CEO of the world’s greatest empire. We meet this tension in naming his sons, in his Egyptian residency, and generally with the Torah’s accounting of his various governmental maneuvers.

At the end, though, he makes his loyalties clear:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו אָֽנֹכִ֖י מֵ֑ת וֵֽאלֹהִ֞ים פָּקֹ֧ד יִפְקֹ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֗ם וְהֶֽעֱלָ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֛ע לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹֽב: וַיַּשְׁבַּ֣ע יוֹסֵ֔ף אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר פָּקֹ֨ד יִפְקֹ֤ד אֱלֹקים֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהַֽעֲלִתֶ֥ם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַ֖י מִזֶּֽה

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am going to die; God will surely remember you and take you up out of this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” And Joseph adjured the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely remember you, and you shall take up my bones out of here.” (Gen. 50:24–25)

Joseph realizes his influence and Egyptian legacy is too great to afford him the foreign burial granted to his father, and settles for his ‘bones’ to be carried up in the eventual exodus — the secular name of sefer Shemot — when God will return His people to the promised land.

It’s Israel or bust, the legacy of sefer Bereishit in a nutshell.