What is the proper pronunciation of YHWH, the Ineffable Name? What is the related “12-Letter Name of God” and the mystical “42-Letter Name of God”? Are they allowed to be verbalized? Why do we say “Adonai” in place of YHWH, and who was the first to do this? Plus: How do we deal with physical descriptions of God in Scripture? And what is so special about turning 35 years old?
Tag Archives: Octagrammaton
Kabbalah of Music (Video)
What role did music play in Creation? And what is the song of Mashiach? Which instruments did King David play? Find out in this class where we explore the mystical power of music, the divine octave, the musical notes of the Torah, and much more. Also discussed: where did the Breslover Hasidic “Na Nach” concept come from? Can a Jew listen to the church music of Bach? And what is the significance of the number 91?
This class is based on the essays ‘Kabbalah of Music and the Piano’ and ‘Listening to Non-Jewish Music’ from the newly-released third volume of Garments of Light, available here.
The Meaning and Power of “Amen”
In this week’s parasha, Ki Tavo, the Israelites are presented with a list of curses that they would bring upon themselves if they did not fulfil God’s commands. In the first set of curses, the Israelites answer each statement with “amen”, a term connoting agreement and acceptance. The now-ubiquitous term is actually quite rare in the Tanakh. In the Torah itself it appears in only one other context with the same meaning (Numbers 5:22). What does “amen” really mean, and why is it recited at the end of blessings? Why does it have the power to include its reciter in another person’s mitzvah? Continue reading