I just signed a letter, a thank you note and struggled over how. I have many names: Margaret, Joy, Frisch,  Klein, Miriam Simcha Bat David v’Neily, Mom, Mommy, Rabbi, Fawn, Princess. Our Torah portion this past week is like that. Last week we began reading the book of Exodus, in Hebrew Sh’mot, because it begins, “And these are the names.” But in Chapter One, there are no names. Slaves lack an identity. They are interchangeable cogs.

This past week we received a genealogy. We can begin to put these people into time and space. They become real. Chapter 6 begins with the story of Reuven and Shimon, tells us about Levi so that Amram who we meet in Chapter One can take a wife, Yocheved and together they can give birth to Aaron and Moses. Jerome Chanes, a professor at the Academy for Jewish Religion, teaches us “In the chapter six genealogy, verses 16-25 give us a full description of the Levite family, a full explanation.  At this point Moses, who was introduced to his “father” at the seneh (the bush)-“I am the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”-knows fully who his family is, and who he is. The text is telling Moshe, in effect, “You are a covenantal child.”  Moses has an identity, and his job now is to tell Benai Yisrael who they are, to give them an identity.”

As always when I read the Academy D’var Torah, this got me thinking. Names are important. But why? Knowing someone’s name as we learn from the Odyssey creates a certain power. More importantly I think it creates a certain intimacy. You know me well enough to call me by name. Any of my names. Those who know me really well call me by my middle name–which is the name I call myself. It seems more familiar, more intimate.

This week’s portion expands upon the names of G-d as well. Yes, G-d tells Moses at the burning bush, “I am the G-d of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Yes, G-d is Eheyeh Asher Eheyeh, however one translates that. I will be who I will be. I am that I am.  But here, at the very beginning of Chapter Six we learn more. G-d appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shaddai, but did not make Himself fully known. Now we know that the name of G-d is YHVH.

There are many names for the One G-d. Each name teaches us something more about G-d. Each one allows us more intimacy with G-d and a deeper relationship. Sometimes G-d is just El, G-d. Elah, the Aramaic form is related to the Arabic word Allah, the Muslim name for G-d. Sometimes G-d is El Shaddai. Sometimes G-d is Elyon, G-d on High. Hagar the first to name G-d, El Roi, The G-d of Seeing. Sometimes G-d is YHVH, which we pronounce as Adonai and translate as Lord or Master. Sometimes G-d is Rachum, the Compassionate One, coming from the root for womb. Others call G-d, Rofeh Cholim, Healer of the Sick, or Matir Asurim, Freer of Captives. Others call G-d Yotzer Or, Fashioner of Light, or Borei et HaKol, Creator of Everything or Oseh shalom, Maker of Peace. Sometimes G-d is Tzur, Rock or Rachaman, Merciful One. Sometimes G-d is all of those and more!

Other names include Shechinah, the Divine Presence, frequently seen as the feminine side of G-d. Or Avinu Malkeinu, Our Father, Our King. And while I believe G-d is neither masculine or feminine, Hebrew is a gendered language and it is hard to express the totality of G-d. Some call G-d HaMakom (the Place or the Omnipresent One). Some call G-d, the Eternal One, striving for gender-neutral language which is easier done in English than Hebrew.

So now we know the names: Amram, Yocheved, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Shifrah, Puah, Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Nachson ben Aminidav. Even Pharaoh’s daughter is named in the mid rash: Batya. We are rooted in that history. And we know the names of G-d. On any given day I can find a name for G-d that fits the image I need. Knowing all these names makes my relationship with G-d deeper and richer. I think that is what is happening with Moses when G-d reveals more of G-d’s nature to him. It allows Moses, who is slow of speech, to call on all the parts of G-d Moses needs. In the process it allows all of us to do that as well. In the process we receive an identity and we are no longer slaves. We leave the narrow spaces.