mpc@entropy.cis.upenn.edu (Michael Campbell) (06/03/91)
Recently, while reading "Angels an Endangered Species", I noticed reference to the secret name of God. The first, and obvious question is why does He have a secret name? The book refers to Biqa trying to trick Michael the Archangel into revealing it to him. (page 117) Which brings me to my second question. What would be the benefit in it being revealed. Yes, I've read "The Nine Million Names of God", so please refrain from making any jokes about that. Lastly, has anyone read the aforementioned book? What are your opinions on it. What flaws/anomalies have you noticed. Some of it seems pretty far fetched. But it does bring up interesting topics if nothing else.
mejicovs@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (06/04/91)
In article <Jun.3.00.15.34.1991.29513@athos.rutgers.edu> mpc@entropy.cis.upenn.edu (Michael Campbell) writes: >Recently, while reading "Angels an Endangered Species", I noticed >reference to the secret name of God. The first, and obvious question >is why does He have a secret name? This could have been referring to any of about 10 different things, but I will try to address the issue nonetheless. First, to say that the name is `secret' is the wrong connotation. It is more along the lines of `hidden' or `unknowable'. The idea (as it comes from Judaism) runs along these lines G-d is the Creator and as such cannot be described in terms of positive qualities but only in negative ones. This means that we can say that G-d is `not finite' but not that he is `good'. The reason for this is that he must somehow contain everything that is created and therefore to talk about him in terms of isolated attributes is disguising his true "all-in-oneness". Therefore G-d is, by the nature of his being, hidden from us. Knowledge of G-d would imply an extra-creational knowledge and one with this knowledge would, quite probably, cease to exist on terms that we understand. Therefore, Moses saw G-d, but G-d was disguised. The idea behind the name of G-d is that it is somehow a `true' representation of him. This implies many things which are quite complicated but some of the implications are that the name holds the power of the named (not the other way around like you learn in the fantasy games). What this means is quite difficult, but perhaps you can see the lines along which it is progressing so that I can make my following statement. Some believe that knowledge of the name of G-d gives one access to his creational ability, and therefore to great power. This would explain why someone would want his name. There are many names of G-d, all of which are disguises, or selective representations of his true being. There is postulated, however, the existence of a true name. Some of these disguises have, in turn, been elevated (or are elevated by virtue of their existence) and are no longer pronounced, nor is it known how they are to be pronounced. The most obvious example of this is "Y-d H-h V-v H-h" which is written but only pronounced as AD-NAI. Observant Jews do not pronounce this name except in the context of thanking him or other types of prayer. All of this falls under the category of Jewish learning called Kabbalah. There are many restrictions on the learning of Kabbalah, and one is told to refrain from learning it before he has gained a reasonable knowledge of other areas (like Talmud). A further restriction is that one be of the age of 40 and married (and have a beard). Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, is well beyond me, but it is a valid area of study, with the same legal aspects as the rest of Jewish scholarship (although they aren't always as apparent). Note that this isn't Xianity, in fact it is part and parcel of the greatest disagreement Jews have with Xians. Further, Kabbalah has been characterized as being quite dangerous to those who aren't ready for it (almost everyone) and as such it probably shouldn't be looked into very deeply without the assistance of someone expert in the field. James mejicovs@eniac.seas.upenn.edu