“Ha Shem” is a term frequently used in Judaism as a substitute for the name of .
In English ‘ha shem’ simply means ‘the name’ . As such it can appear to mean nothing more than what someone is ‘called’.  A name chosen for a variety of different reasons, for a newborn child is just that, it is simply what the child is ‘called’.

However in Hebrew the word “Shem” carries much more meaning than merely what a person is called.

This is very important to understand otherwise the statement in Yoel2:32 can be sadly misunderstood.


Ha Shem, from the Hebrew understanding , carries with it the implication of reputation; character and authority

Spelt ‘shin-mem’  The word pictures for the word ‘shem’ are:-
‘shin’ =‘teeth’, meaning ‘to consume, to destroy’
and ‘mem’ = ‘water’ meaning ‘chaos’, ‘liquid’, “massive”
Those word pictures don’t actually seem to picture our western ideas of a ‘name’, do they?. This is where we need to consider that Hebrew is an Eastern language and as such is composed of Eastern thinking, which is concrete, rather than our abstract western thinking or language. We will come back to these word pictures before the end of the study. So keeping these pictures in mind, let’s look at something else that will help our understanding of the word ‘shem’

The word ‘shem’ is a ‘root word’ that is; many other words are made by adding letters to it. Those words help us to understand what is meant by the root word ‘shem’ . We will look at just three of them in this study.

Gen 1:1  In the beginning Elohim Alef Taw created the heavens and
the earth.

The Hebrew word for ‘heavens’ is ‘shamayim’ the plural of ‘shamah’ it is always used as plural. Shamayim is spelt (as pictured in modern Hebrew) shin-mem-yode-mem, we have underlined the word ‘shem’ in the word Shamayim
Shamayim is listed as Strong’s number H8064 defined by BDB as:-
1) heaven, heavens, sky
1a) visible heavens, sky
1a1) as abode of the stars
1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc
1b) Heaven (as the abode of G-d)
We see that this word covers the visible universe; the atmosphere and the invisible place of Elohiym

The second word we wish to look at is ‘neshamah’
Gen 2:7  And Elohim formed the man out of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils breath of life. And the man became a living being.

‘Neshamah’ is the Hebrew word for ‘breath’ used above in Bereshith2:7
Seen here it is spelt noon-shin-mem-hey, once again we have underlined the word ‘shem’ within the word ‘neshamah’
It is H5397 in Strong’s, the BDB definition is as follows:-
1) breath, spirit
1a) breath (of God)
1b) breath (of man)
1c) every breathing thing
1d) spirit (of man)        (Part of speech noun feminine)

Neshamah refers to both breath and spirit of man and Elohiym. As we saw in the study Yahuweh or Yahuwah, this word referring to ‘spirit’ is once again a feminine word. The word Neshamah is said to be from or related to ‘Nasham’ and this is the last word that we wish to look at right now. It is only used once in Scripture in Yeshayahu 42 and as we can see from the three versions below it has been variously translated.
 Yeshayahu (Isaiah)42:14  “I have kept silent from of old, I have been still and held Myself back. Like a woman in labour I now cry out, I pant and gasp at once. (The Scriptures)

Yeshayahu 42:14  I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. (KJV)

Yeshayahu 42:14 I have kept silent from of old, I keep silent, I refrain myself, As a travailing woman I cry out, I desolate and swallow up together. (YLT)

Similarly ‘nasham’, spelt noon-shin-mem, has been defined differently by Strong’s and BDB Numbered H5395 the Strongs definition is as follows:_
H5395 nâsham naw-sham'
A primitive root; properly to blow away, that is, destroy: - destroy.

While the BDB definition is:-

1) to pant
1a) (Qal) to pant
1a1) of a woman in travail or labour

Still we get the general idea that the meaning is of, strong breath or wind. A woman in labour breathes hard and strong and a strong wind can desolate and destroy.
So now we see, that while in English to our western thinking, breath and spirit are two different things. The one a physical action of breathing and the other an abstract idea of emotion coupled with thought. The Hebrew understanding is of breath  being able to transport both emotion and thought, the breath being the very essence of a person.

Now let us recall the word pictures for the word “Shem” that we saw earlier.The word pictures for the word ‘shem’ are:-
‘shin’ =‘teeth’, meaning ‘to consume, to destroy’
and ‘mem’ = ‘water’ meaning ‘chaos’, ‘liquid’, “massive”

We have seen from the three words we looked at that word ‘shem’ is associated with the heavens and the breath of every living thing. So it is fairly easy to see how the word picture for ‘shin’ fits into this concept.
The atmosphere is everywhere so it could be said to be all consuming. Strong wind can certainly destroy much and a tornadoe can destroy everything in it’s path.
Yeshayahu 45:7  forming light and creating darkness, making peace and creating evil. I, , do all these.
’
The word translated evil in the scripture above carries many English definitions,
From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun: - adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.]
so from this we can see , that while an ‘all consuming’ breath or atmosphere that gives life to everything is an attribute of Elohiym that we welcome; also has attributes and characteristics that we would rather avoid, His ability to destroy is something few wish to think about.

What of the word picture for ‘mem’  “water”??
Gen 1:6  And Elohim said, “Let an expanse come to be in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”
Gen 1:7  And Elohim made the expanse, and separated the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse. And it came to be so.
Gen 1:8  And Elohim called the expanse ‘heavens.’ And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, the second day.

That seems like a lot of water, doesn’t it? Water above, water below.
Have you ever considered the many qualities and nature of water? Like breath/air; water is essential to life.
A baby in the womb develops in water. So even before birth we are dependent on water for our survival. Not only to keep hydrated but also for protection and hygiene. But water can also destroy, as the folk of Noah’s day and many since have experienced.Too much water can certainly cause chaos.

Water is also very flexible from ice to steam and everywhere in-between water adapts reforms and comes again.

Water is humble, water does not mind coming from the high mountains and travelling down to settle in the low places, it happily rolls along over things under things and around things, water does not resist but humbly accepts the conditions it finds, water is happy just to ‘be’. Yet still,  water is strong, resilient, and potentially dangerous, mixed with strong wind it can be harsh but then again, in time and place water is so refreshing. Water is many things. Yahushua said “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.  “As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water.*”(from Yohanan 7 v37&38)
(* see right-hand side border Yirmeyahu 2:13)

So, we clearly see water associated with the Ruach of Elohiym. The heavens(skies) are air (breath) and water, all consuming, capable of destroying and creating chaos but also capable of refreshing, sustaining  life and bringing comfort. So we see that the word ‘shem’  means much more than just an identifying title, it denotes the whole character and attributes, the breath, the life force of a person. Also of our Elohiym,

The Shem of is His very essence and character. His Shem carries His authority, power, righteousness, mercy, strength, fame , His Majesty and above all His Love. To call upon His Name, His Shem, is to call upon all His Power and Authority, His Love and Mercy so we need to be walking in His ways developing His character.
Yohanan 3:5 Yahushua answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he is unable to enter into the reign of Elohim.

Merely calling out the correct pronunciation of the Name, will not be sufficient as Yahushua himself said.
Mat 7:21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens.
Mat 7:22 “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’
Mat 7:23  “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!

To be able to say that we did something in His Name is not merely about declaring His Name verbally, we need to be doing it with His Authority and character, to be able to do that it is essential that we be walking in His Torah, developing His Character, led by the Set Apart Ruach,
It requires both indepth knowledge of His Torah and understanding of the application of Torah . Which requires study and endeavour.
2Ti 2:15  Do your utmost**(see sidebar) to present yourself approved to Elohim, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth.
2Ti 2:16  But keep away from profane, empty babblings, for they go on to more wickedness,
2Ti 2:17  and their word shall eat its way like gangrene. Humenaios and Philetos are of this sort,
2Ti 2:18  who have missed the goal concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and overthrow the belief of some.
 2Ti 2:19  However, the solid foundation of Elohim stands firm, having this seal, knows those who are His,” ***and, “Let everyone who names the Name of Messiah turn away from unrighteous-ness.”[***See Bemidbar (Numbers). 16:5 ]

Let us all, keep in mind and heart the 3rd Commandment
 “You do not bring the Name of   your Elohim to naught, for   does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught

 so that we can all say,  “ For our heart does rejoice in Him, For we have put our trust in His Set Apart Name” (Tehillim 33:21)t2133meet
and be there to witness the crystal clear water proceeding from the throne of Yahuwah.
And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb.
In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And no longer shall there be any curse, and the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
 And they shall see His face, and His Name (His Shem) shall be upon their foreheads.

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