a question | Imamother

amother

Sun, Oct 30 2011, 3:56 pm

it is said that the Hebrew name is so important in one's life because this is the only time a person (parent) is given a little power of prophecy to know what the child's life path will be and so accordingly what name Hashem wants them to have in this lifetime.

but then, what about those children who are given an English name only? ok, some are given Hebrew names as well, though they are not called by that, is that the name that fulfills this prophecy nonetheless?

and what about Jews who are given no Hebrew name whatsoever??

grin

Sun, Oct 30 2011, 4:08 pm

those who were never given a Hebrew name are usually advised to choose one for themselves, and those how have one but don't use it are encouraged to use it more in order to tap into their soul source.

YaelB

Sun, Oct 30 2011, 5:51 pm

My family was extremely assimilated--so my mother and I were not given Hebrew names at birth.
When I was going into surgery when I was 12, one of our religious friends wanted to say 'refuah shleima' for me, but knew I didn't have a Hebrew name. She said that she could say (for example), "Jessica bat Patrice," but that she would rather have had a Hebrew name.

I choose my Hebrew name based on its meaning, which was similar to my given name. But, my mother chose hers based on it sounding similar to her English name.

yo'ma

Sun, Oct 30 2011, 6:02 pm

Well, what if they only have a yiddish name? It's still not hebrew, lashon hakodesh.

amother

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 5:16 am

I guess they would choose their own name..at that moment, that's the name Hashem wants them to have, whatever they decide is the one. if they don't choose to create a Hebrew name, if they were not born with one at all, equally that's their choice

so you are either born with one (the predestined name at birth), or you choose one for yourself (equally that is Hashem that puts it in the person's mind at that point)