Pronouncing Shem HaMeforash
Friday, March 7, 2014
I have been asked on more than one occassion as to whether the Shem HaMeforash should be pronounced and used in a mundane setting. Certainly the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) uses this name extensively, however, it has been forbidden in it's pronunciation. There are people in our society that now believe that this is THE proper name of the Creator and that by not using it routinely we negate the admonition in the Torah to honor and safeguard this Name. These sincere people are interested in preserving their concept of a sacred term, which for them identifies their perception of an authentic "God" over and above all the other so-called gods.
Why does Judaism not pronounce this name? I could answer by saying that the exact pronunciation has been lost and the most minor mispronunciation would be an abrogation of the Divine Identity. However, this is not my answer. My thoughts on this subject run much deeper and express an issue of paramount importance. Let me give a summary of why we don't pronounce this "name."
There are many so-called names of Divine quality in the Hebrew Bible and each of these expresses a certain quality of emanation. Within Torah cosmology and theology the idea of a Divine Essence is a simple and complete Oneness. There are no distinction of appelations or attributes an their are no titles or names given to It. It is not an It at all but simply No-Thing. No-Thing can only be No-Thing because if it became Some-Thing then it would cease to be No-Thing. Transcendence and Infinity ceases to exist whenever it takes on characteristics (positive or negative). Characteristics, which are assigned by names and titles, defines Some-Thing. Some-Thing is finite and immanent by it's very nature of being. Some-Thing is also created it is not the creator. Further, the finite cannot in anyway relate to No-Thing because that is beyond the conceptual abilities of Some-Thing.
The No-Thing conceals No-Thingness, meaning that potentiality comes into existence. Within a state of potential a seed of Consciousness is planted. Consciousness though has No-Thing to be Conscious of so it internalizes it's perception so that it may become Conscious of Itself. All of creation is generated in a manner of Self-actualization: Consciousness becoming Self aware.
All of the names, titles, description, analogies of a Creator in the Hebrew Bible are a description of this evolutionary process of Self-awareness. It's is the unfolding of Consciousness, which is taking place in the context of an immanent Some-Thing.
With this knowledge it becomes important to understand that their is not a Creator Deity with a proper name. The assertion and application of a proper name hinders the process of evolving Consciousness. Consciousness must become aware of its Self in order to fulfill Itself. The culmination of this process leads to the ultimate Conscious state of realizing that their is no Self. At the end of the evolutionary period the No-Thing will behold the Some-Thing and ultimately fulfill the words of the Ramabam: It will be the "Knower, the Knowledge and the Known."
So where are the people who cry out to a Deity via a proper name mistaken? They are mistaken because through the application of a proper name they "objectify" the process of Consciousness. This objectification causes them to look at the process and perceive it as a proper Being. They create a "god" in their mental perception. This "god" of their has a name and attributes, it possess emotions and personality. In other words, they create an "image," albeit a mental one and this is a violation of the Torah's command to not create any images. The objectification of the Divine process, which creates a Deity of some sort is avodah zara (idolatry).
Now that I have explained why it is imperative that we understand that YHVH is not a proper name we must understand what it means. In context of the description of the unfolding of Consciousness, which I have expounded upon thus far you should now understand that "YHVH" is one of the descriptive titles/names of the finite emanation of Some-Thing.
"YHVH" is better understood not as a noun but as a verb. In actuality it is an acronym that is descriptive of the relationship of the No-Thing with the created Universe through the Some-Thing. The YHVH acronym is as follows:
* HaYa- He Was
* HoVeh- He Is
* YeHeH- He Will Be
This acronym contained within YHVH is a description of the unfolding Consciousness from No-Thing to Some-Thing and then to No-Thing (in actualization). YH is No-Thing and VH is Some-Thing. It is our job as the tranceivers of Consciousness to unite the two. This is why the term "YHVH" doesn't appear in the Torah narrative until Genesis 2- mankind is fully Assiyatic in Gen. 2 and thus at that point in the narrative he existed in all 4 worlds and had the potential to engage in Conscious evolution. (This is the secret behind the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as well.)
Why does Judaism not pronounce this name? I could answer by saying that the exact pronunciation has been lost and the most minor mispronunciation would be an abrogation of the Divine Identity. However, this is not my answer. My thoughts on this subject run much deeper and express an issue of paramount importance. Let me give a summary of why we don't pronounce this "name."
There are many so-called names of Divine quality in the Hebrew Bible and each of these expresses a certain quality of emanation. Within Torah cosmology and theology the idea of a Divine Essence is a simple and complete Oneness. There are no distinction of appelations or attributes an their are no titles or names given to It. It is not an It at all but simply No-Thing. No-Thing can only be No-Thing because if it became Some-Thing then it would cease to be No-Thing. Transcendence and Infinity ceases to exist whenever it takes on characteristics (positive or negative). Characteristics, which are assigned by names and titles, defines Some-Thing. Some-Thing is finite and immanent by it's very nature of being. Some-Thing is also created it is not the creator. Further, the finite cannot in anyway relate to No-Thing because that is beyond the conceptual abilities of Some-Thing.
The No-Thing conceals No-Thingness, meaning that potentiality comes into existence. Within a state of potential a seed of Consciousness is planted. Consciousness though has No-Thing to be Conscious of so it internalizes it's perception so that it may become Conscious of Itself. All of creation is generated in a manner of Self-actualization: Consciousness becoming Self aware.
All of the names, titles, description, analogies of a Creator in the Hebrew Bible are a description of this evolutionary process of Self-awareness. It's is the unfolding of Consciousness, which is taking place in the context of an immanent Some-Thing.
With this knowledge it becomes important to understand that their is not a Creator Deity with a proper name. The assertion and application of a proper name hinders the process of evolving Consciousness. Consciousness must become aware of its Self in order to fulfill Itself. The culmination of this process leads to the ultimate Conscious state of realizing that their is no Self. At the end of the evolutionary period the No-Thing will behold the Some-Thing and ultimately fulfill the words of the Ramabam: It will be the "Knower, the Knowledge and the Known."
So where are the people who cry out to a Deity via a proper name mistaken? They are mistaken because through the application of a proper name they "objectify" the process of Consciousness. This objectification causes them to look at the process and perceive it as a proper Being. They create a "god" in their mental perception. This "god" of their has a name and attributes, it possess emotions and personality. In other words, they create an "image," albeit a mental one and this is a violation of the Torah's command to not create any images. The objectification of the Divine process, which creates a Deity of some sort is avodah zara (idolatry).
Now that I have explained why it is imperative that we understand that YHVH is not a proper name we must understand what it means. In context of the description of the unfolding of Consciousness, which I have expounded upon thus far you should now understand that "YHVH" is one of the descriptive titles/names of the finite emanation of Some-Thing.
"YHVH" is better understood not as a noun but as a verb. In actuality it is an acronym that is descriptive of the relationship of the No-Thing with the created Universe through the Some-Thing. The YHVH acronym is as follows:
* HaYa- He Was
* HoVeh- He Is
* YeHeH- He Will Be
This acronym contained within YHVH is a description of the unfolding Consciousness from No-Thing to Some-Thing and then to No-Thing (in actualization). YH is No-Thing and VH is Some-Thing. It is our job as the tranceivers of Consciousness to unite the two. This is why the term "YHVH" doesn't appear in the Torah narrative until Genesis 2- mankind is fully Assiyatic in Gen. 2 and thus at that point in the narrative he existed in all 4 worlds and had the potential to engage in Conscious evolution. (This is the secret behind the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as well.)
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