Names of God – Va’era
The sidra tells us (Ex. 6) that Almighty God has various names.
There are two main names that are used for the Divine – E-lohim (“God, Power, and Authority”) and YHVH (a concentration of “Existence, Compassion, and Concern”).
The so–called Biblical Critic argues that these two names reflect differing ages and differing places, so that texts using one or the other name were eventually combined and sometimes confused.
Tradition recognises that God has a range of names but asserts that the text used whichever name denoted the particular Divine attribute that was relevant at the particular time. Thus E-lohim is God in His capacity as objective universal Judge whilst YHVH (pronounced Ado-nai) is the God of love and compassion. God also has other names (like Shaddai) which He reveals when necessary.
