The Divine Name Uttered in Israel
FOR centuries traditional Judaism has strictly forbidden its adherents to pronounce the divine name, Jehovah. According to the Mishnah, anyone who utters God’s name will have “no portion in the world to come.”—Sanhedrin 10:1.a
On January 30, 1995, the former Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel deliberately pronounced the divine name. He did this while reciting a tikkun, a Cabalist prayer of correction. This prayer is uttered so that God might restore a degree of harmony to the universe, which, according to the worshipers, has been disrupted by evil forces. The newspaper Yedioth Aharonoth of February 6, 1995, stated: “This is a liturgy of such incredible power that its wording appears only in a special booklet that is not sold to the public.” Invoking God’s name in this context is thought to lend special force to the request.
It is noteworthy that the Bible commands God’s servants to use the divine name, Jehovah. (Exodus 3:15; Proverbs 18:10; Isaiah 12:4; Zephaniah 3:9) In the original Hebrew text of the Bible, that name appears almost 7,000 times. However, the Bible warns against misusing God’s name. The third of the Ten Commandments states: “You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.” (Exodus 20:7) How might God’s name be taken up in a worthless way? A commentary by The Jewish Publication Society notes that the Hebrew term translated “in a worthless way” can include not only “frivolous use” of the divine name but also “the recitation of an unnecessary blessing.”
How, then, should we view the Cabalist tikkun prayer of correction? What is its origin? In the 12th and 13th centuries C.E., a mystical form of Judaism, called Cabala, started gaining popularity. In the 16th century, Isaac Luria, a rabbi, introduced “tikkunim” into Cabalist liturgy. God’s name was used as a mystical charm with special powers, and it became a part of Cabalist ritual. Do you feel that this is a proper use of God’s name?—Deuteronomy 18:10-12.
However you answer that question, you will agree that the open utterance of God’s name in modern-day Israel was a most unusual event. Yet, God himself foretold: “In that day you will certainly say: ‘Give thanks to Jehovah, you people! Call upon his name. Make known among the peoples his dealings. Make mention that his name is put on high. Make melody to Jehovah, for he has done surpassingly. This is made known in all the earth.’”—Isaiah 12:4, 5.
Happily, in Israel, as in over 230 lands worldwide, Jehovah’s Witnesses are making every effort to help their neighbors to gain accurate knowledge about Jehovah. Their hope is that many more will yet come to appreciate the meaning of such scriptures as Psalm 91:14: “Because on me [Jehovah] he has set his affection, I shall also provide him with escape. I shall protect him because he has come to know my name.”
[Footnote]
a The Mishnah is a collection of commentaries supplementing Scriptural law, based on the explanations by rabbis called Tannaim (teachers). It was put into written form in the late second and early third centuries C.E.
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Here in the Negeb, Jehovah’s name and his Word are made known by his people
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Poster showing the divine name