Biblical Verses For Personal Names (Hebrew)
Wed, December 18, 8:30 to 10:00am EST (8:30 to 10:00am EST), Virtual Zoom Room 16Abstract
It is a common custom among Ashkenazi Jews to say at the end of the standing prayer a verse from the Bible that is related to one's first name. Some attribute the first source of this custom, in the words of Rashi. Different reasons have been given to this custom, which is common to all who are in the field of Jewish mysticism. The spoken verse will start with the first letter of his first name and end with the last letter. For example, a person whose name is Yaacov will say the verse
ימינך ה' נאדרי בכח ימינך ה' תרעץ אויב
"Your right hand, O Lord, I will pray by the strength of your right hand, O Lord, you will defeat the enemy" [Exodus 15:6]. And she whose name is Rivka shall say the verse,
רבות בנות עשו חיל ואת עלית על כלנה
Many daughters have made a mighty one, and you are the best [Proverbs 31:29].
In the literature of customs in recent generations, a question has been asked about a man or woman bearing two first names. Will they say two verses as mentioned above, or will we see the two names as one long name, and will they say one verse starting with the first letter of the first name and ending with the last letter of the second name.
The discussion of this question passes through other areas that are required for the question of whether two given names are separate or are they one long name.
[A]. In the laws of writing a divorce, it is explained that the name must be written in one line. If so, it must be discussed whether it is possible to write the two names of the man who divorces or of the woman who divorces on separate lines.
[B]. We must also discuss what is the ruling on a person whose name is Yosef Shimon, and in his ketubah they mistakenly wrote Shimon Yosef, whether this is a mistake that invalidates the ketubah or not. If the two names are one long name, then surely the inscription is invalid. After all, it is like one whose name was Gad and whose name was written in the ketubah Dag. But if the two names are two separate names, it is possible that it should be said that since they wrote both of his names, and only changed the order, it is not a problem.
[C]. Another issue will be regarding the will of Rabbi Yehuda the Chassid who ordered that a man not marry a woman whose name is the same name as his mother's. When there are two women who each have two names and one of the two is the same for both of them. If two names are considered as one long name then the names are different and there will be no problem at all. But if you consider each name separately, then there is a realy problem.
[D]. As such, the question arises as to whether parents can name one of their sons Yosef Haim, and another son Yosef Shimon. If it is one long name, apparently there is no problem.
[E]. And from this derives a general question in naming. When you commemorate the name of the grandfather who had two names, and call the child only one name, or add a different second or third name. Likewise, when the grandfather has one name and the child is given this name and another name, it is also common to give the child two names to perpetuate the memory of two grandfathers or other persons. Does this have the virtue of memory. This matter is much more complex. Because here the question is not only whether two names are one long name, but whether when commemorating a person's memory, should exactly the same name be given. So even if two names are separate, one should not name Yosef Haim in memory of the grandfather Yosef Shimon.