Seek Yahweh: Jewish Tradition by Rev. John Cortright 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; The Scriptures are inspired by God. Our doctrine, which holds the principles upon which we base our faith, should come from Scripture. Through the years, men have added many traditions in Christian and Jewish practice, which are not necessarily biblical. Sometimes these traditions do not impact right practice and actually may enhance one s relationship with God. However, many times, these traditions can put unnecessary bondage on a person of faith and, in some instances, actually contradict the commandment of God. Jesus had this issue with the religious leaders of his day and time. Matthew 15:1-3, 8-9 Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."and He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT
IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN. The Jewish sect of the Pharisees held to traditions that were in contradiction to the commandment of God. This same sect of rabbinical Pharisees continued after the time of Jesus and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. Moreover, it is from this sect that modern rabbinical Judaism developed. These oral traditions were written down in the Mishnah and the Talmud, hundreds of years after the time of Christ. By 500 AD, one tradition that developed, and is still entrenched in Jewish thought today, is regarding the name of God. Today, Jews will not write or say God s name, according to its Hebrew letters hwhy (YHWH). Rather, they say the words Adonay or Ha Shem (the name). However, no commandment from the Torah (the first five books of Moses) or any of the other Hebrew Scriptures prohibit a person from speaking or writing God s name, hwhy (YHWH). Three biblical texts are used to try and support not using or not saying God s name. They are Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 24:16, and Amos 6:10. Exodus 20:7 You shall not take the name of the LORD [YHWH] your God in vain. Leviticus 24:16 Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD [YHWH] shall surely be put to death;
Amos 6:10b Then he will answer, "Keep quiet. For the name of the LORD [YHWH] is not to be mentioned." In the case of Exodus 6:10, the meaning is understood right in the verse You will not take the name of the LORD [YHWH] in vain. This is one of the Ten Commandments. This is not a verse about speaking or writing the name, but rather it is about using the name of God inappropriately. The word vain means emptiness, nothingness, or for no good purpose. The people of God are not to use the name of YHWH with no purpose nor use it in a demeaning, unholy, disrespectful way. To use the name of God in cursing would certainly fall into this category as well. The name of God, YHWH, should be used with respect and reverence. However, to remove His name completely, to never speak His name, and to restrict the use of God s name for any reason are not indicated in this third commandment. That tradition is not part of the written Torah, but rather came into practice at a much later time in history. The context of Leviticus 24:16 starts in verse 10 and records an event in which one Israelite, who had an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father, got into a struggle with another man of Israel. During this strife, the son blasphemed and cursed the name. Moses then sought guidance from God. God instructed Moses to have this son stoned to death. Then verse 16 states anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord (YHWH) is to be put to death. The meaning of the Hebrew word blaspheme means to curse. Clearly, this man broke
the third commandment by taking the name of God in vain. Again, this is not a command to restrict speaking or writing the name of God universally, but rather it was dealing with a specific incident in which God s name was used inappropriately. Interestingly, the Greek Septuagint renders this verse as he who names the name of the Lord, let him die the death. This seems quite different from blaspheming the name. Perhaps such a translation in the Greek Old Testament influenced later rabbinical traditions about uttering the name. However, even in the Septuagint, the context from verse 11 clearly shows this instance of using the name involved cursing. Finally, the context of Amos 6:10 is a prophetic story about two men who have come to bury the bones of relatives who had been burned in a house and apparently were punished by YHWH. And when they go to bury these bones, they are told not to mention the name of YHWH. According to Anderson and Freedman, this phrase probably refers to normal funeral rites, which include invoking YHWH s blessing on the dead. This normal procedure should not be used in this instance. God had judged His people, and it would be inappropriate to mourn after the usual custom. 1 Also, Sean McDonough points out in his book, YHWH at Patmos, that Amos 6:10 is not introduced in later Judaism as a proof-text for supporting the prohibition against saying the name. 2 The Old Testament has more than 6,000 uses of YHWH, and these are the only three texts utilized to give reasons where using the name is banned. Yet, these verses are not about not using, writing, or saying the
name of YHWH; rather, they are about using the name of YHWH improperly, inappropriately, at the wrong occasion, or using it in a demeaning way. To take the name of YHWH in vain or to blaspheme the name of YHWH is far different than writing, translating, or saying the name of YHWH. However, several verses do indicate God wanted His name to be made known. There are countless verses about declaring, singing, and praising the name of YHWH. Yet, in Judaism today, the name is considered too holy to be uttered; therefore, mentioning the name is restricted. How did this happen? A study of Judaism in early New Testament times reveal that the name YHWH was still being written and still used at the time Christ. There are indications that certain practices, restrictions, and surrogates for YHWH had started to make their way into usage in the First Century but not the wholesale removal as is in today s Jewish culture. These will be explored in future articles. Today, in Jewish tradition, the name of God is not written or spoken. Is the practice a commandment from God, or rather is it a tradition derived from the dictates of men? May each of us seek the LORD God and find Him as we seek Him with all our heart and soul. ------------------------------------------------------- 1 F.I. Anderson and D.N. Freedman, Amos,AB (New York: Doubleday, 1989), pp 572-4. 2 McDonough, Sean, YHWH at Patmos, (by J.C.B Mohr, P.O. Box 2040, D-72010 Tubingen, Printed in Germany, 1999) p.65.