Parashat Shemot- Names Have Power

V’eileh shmot b’nei Yisrael habaim Mitzraimah et Yaakov ish uveito ba’u.

And these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Yaakov; every man with his household came. (Shemot 1:1)

Thus begins the book of Shemot, of Exodus. The process of naming is an interesting one. In the Torah we name parshiyot and books for the first unique words. We have Breishit, Shemot, Vayikra, B’midbar and D’varim. However we also use the English chapters and names that have come to us through others. Chapter and verse numbers provide easy reference, but the changing of names becomes a different issue. English names are given to biblical books based on perceived themes: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. While there is some overlap, the meaning in most of the names changes.

Breishit - In beginning                            Genesis - Origin

Shemot - Names                                      Exodus - Departure

Vayikra - And He called                         Leviticus – Of the Levites

B’midbar - In the wilderness                   Numbers - Quantities

D’varim - Words                                     Deuteronomy – Second Law

The names begin with a connection to ours. Progressing from the start of humans to the line of Shem, and then to Avraham, Breishit is certainly our origin story. However, the similarity of meaning ends there. Sefer Shemot tells the story of the exodus from Egypt, but it is so much more. It is the story of our growth from family to tribes to a nation. These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt. We came down few in number, and there we became a nation, great and mighty. The book continues well past the actual departure. Without a doubt it is a dramatic moment, but not the only one. When we focus on the departure, we forget revelation at Sinai and our connection to Torah and the Mitzvot. Vayikra is filled with laws and rituals for the Levi’im and Kohanim. Then again we are to be a kingdom of priests. This knowledge is not meant for an elite few. Sefer B’midbar speaks of time and place. It is not just a book of censuses. We are searching for a way out of the wilderness, both physically and spiritually. Finally, D’varim. Actually named Eileh HaD’varim, These Are the Words,” it is a repetition of the laws through Moshe’s farewell speeches. It is a book of reminders, a summation. The English can also be interpreted this way, coming from the translation of Greek Jews, Deuteronomion. However, in light of the Christian use of the term, it can also provide an open door. If there can be a second law, why not a new law?

Words, and especially names, have power. Our tradition teaches that each person is given three names: one his parents give, one that his friends call him, and one that he acquires. Each name speaks to who we are and the relationships we share. The same is true for the Torah. The names we use describe and inform our relationship to it and to Jewish life.