Karaism and the Name YHWH

[Gaura Priya]

I was wondering if there are any Karaites here? I have a strong interest in the Karaite movement, and especially their usage in the name of God revealed in the Bible as Yehowah/Yehovah.

I ask of this because my tradition, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, puts an immense importance in chanting, calling and glorifying the names of God. For us, Krishna or Vishnu is the Name of the Lord, and we chant:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Because the Names of God are revealed and revered, by calling upon God's name is nondifferent from His presence Himself. Thus, we believe that by complete glorification of God's Name and remembering Him 24/7, we can purify our hearts from material contamination and enter into the Kingdom of God.

I am exceptionally amazed at the idea that during the time when the temple was still untouched, the high priest would call on the Name of YHWH and all the males (?) would give prostrations on the ground from mere utterance. That totally goes in line of our reverence for the Holy Names of God.

And of course, we strongly consider Lord Moses and Lord Abraham as acharyas (preceptors of spiritual teachings) and shaktyavesha-avataras (empowered Messengers of Krishna, or God). Thus, to us, YHWH and Krishna are one and the same, but with different moods for the time, place and circumstance.

I still wonder about the ban of even uttering YHWH in any way now among Jewish circles... it truly confounds me... Especially when the name YHWH is used so abundantly in the Tanakh, of which we accept as Vedic literature too...

 

[Zardoz]

Shalom,

In answer, I will quote myself on another thread, on this topic:

The topic of this thread is problematic for Jews to discuss. Especially since an even closer pronunciation follows in replies (still wrong thankfully but dangerously closer). We Jews do not use this name lightly. We us alternatives such as HaShem (the name) and Adonai (Lord) even in prayer. Even substitute names get substitutes, like 'G-d' and 'Kel-Shakkai' and 'Adoshem'. Written scripture with The Name in Hebrew must be buried, like a deceased human body, when no longer usable.

Understand the power of The Name.

When the Temple stood, this name was said out loud by human lips but once a year. The high priest, after a long and intense preparation, said the name at the culmination of the High Holy Days, inside the Holy of Holies. A rope was tied to his leg to extract him should his soul leave him and he perish during this ultimate risky act. When this name was uttered, the priests gave a signal to the throngs waiting outside the Temple. Everyone had to know when this service occurred. The uttering of The Name in the Holy of Holies negated time and space. The throngs in the courtyard, though they were jammed shoulder to shoulder, fell prostrate on the ground without touching the persons nearby. Boulders split asunder. The very Host of Heaven, the Angels, bowed trembling to the Throne, for even the Angels are judged.

Thus my Rabbi taught us.

So, you will understand why few Jews are likely to participate in threads like this.

Hope this sheds some light on the subject.

Shalom

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Hope this sheds some light on the subject.

It's pompous nonsense, laced with such silliness as ...

... an even closer pronunciation follows in replies (still wrong thankfully but dangerously closer) [and] The uttering of The Name in the Holy of Holies negated time and space.

There is a charming yet laughingly naive expectation of discovering the key to obscure wisdom in the archives of obscure sects, somewhat like looking for diamonds in crackerjack boxes. And there's always folk like Zardoz willing to play the game.

The Karaites are addressed here, here, and here. They have no more special knowledge concerning the tetragrammaton than does your average rabbi.

 

[Gaura Priya]

Thank you for the post, Zardoz, but it doesn't explain why God uses the Name more than 6000 times in the Tanakh. He constantly tells us in the Scriptures to use His Name and to call upon Him.

Despite the knowledge of the tetragrammaton (or lack thereof) among the Karaites (I have already looked at those websites), I still like the fact that the Karaites make an effort to utilise the Tetragrammaton in their lives, since it is so intimately intimated for the people of God.

I just don't understand why other Jews do not try. I mean, it is a nice feature about God, Him having a personal Name and all...

 

[herushura]

I have read somewhere the Ancients Egyptian would chant Hora,Hora,Hora to there god.
that is like 5000 years ago. to the Egyptian whom at the time were big spiritualist, that share so many quality's with the Hindus

 

[Gaura Priya]

I have read somewhere the Ancients Egyptian would chant Hora,Hora,Hora to there god.
that is like 5000 years ago. to the Egyptian whom at the time were big spiritualist, that share so many quality's with the Hindus

Well, I do not know about that. The Egyptians during the time worshipped many demigods, and I am sure they may gave even worshipped demons or rakshasas (since other than Ganesha, all the demigods are beautiful). Vaishnavism is a monotheistic religion, and I would only accept the idea of Aten (which merged with characteristics of Ra, Amun and Horus), who was Supreme Lord (Vishnu, Krishna, or YHWH) for the Egyptians.

But the Egyptians wanted to worship their demigods and did not accept the idea of One Supreme Creator and Lord of the Universe, and so after Akhenaten tried to remove demigod worship and establish monotheism and then died, the people reverted back to their erroneous form of worship.

It says in the Gita 9.23: "Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kuntī, but they do so in a wrong way." Krishna, or God, says that worship of demigods is a lower form of worship.

Sorry for the theological note; I have a high fascination with the cult of Aten, lol.

 

[Zardoz]

It's pompous nonsense, laced with such silliness as ...There is a charming yet laughingly naive expectation of discovering the key to obscure wisdom in the archives of obscure sects, somewhat like looking for diamonds in crackerjack boxes. And there's always folk like Zardoz willing to play the game...

This is not a debate forum, but you have insulted the memory of my Rebbi ZTz"L who was a true Tzadik in every meaning of the term and passed these truths on to us. For in truth when the Temple stood miracles were a daily occurrence and HaShem's presence was among us. Some even then chose to ignore what was obvious, so I do not fault your skepticism in this age when HaShem's presence is all but gone from the world.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

This is not a debate forum, but you have insulted the memory of my Rebbi ZTz"L who was a true Tzadik in every meaning of the term and passed these truths on to us.

Don't get me started ...

 

[Evee]

Hey, I know I 'm a little late, but I thought this might be of use, anyway.

In investigating the names of G-d a few weeks ago, I came across an article that I think might be of interest. Here is the particularly interesting part, with a link to full article.

Some people render the four-letter Name as "Jehovah," but this pronunciation is particularly unlikely. The word "Jehovah" comes from the fact that ancient Jewish texts used to put the vowels of the Name "Adonai" (the usual substitute for YHVH) under the consonants of YHVH to remind people not to pronounce YHVH as written. A sixteenth century German Christian scribe, while transliterating the Bible into Latin for the Pope, wrote the Name out as it appeared in his texts, with the consonants of YHVH and the vowels of Adonai, and came up with the word JeHoVaH, and the name stuck.

www-jewfaq-org / name . htm
(I don't have the required number of posts to give a real link)
The site also has some information on Karaites and a link to the Karaite Jews of America website, if you're interested.
EV

 

[Gaura Priya]

Hey, I know I 'm a little late, but I thought this might be of use, anyway.

In investigating the names of G-d a few weeks ago, I came across an article that I think might be of interest. Here is the particularly interesting part, with a link to full article.

www-jewfaq-org / name . htm
(I don't have the required number of posts to give a real link)
The site also has some information on Karaites and a link to the Karaite Jews of America website, if you're interested.
EV

Well, I'm just thinking of this: What is the name of the Creator? Yahweh, Yahuweh, Yehovah, Yehowah? Because the Karaite Jews still stick to "Yehovah" as the pronunciation of God's Name in the Tanakh. Yehovah makes more sense grammatically in the sense of sound changes when syllables string together than with Yahweh...

 

[Malkut Yehudah]

Karaites of of Malkut Yehudah are the descendants and followers of King David, Zadok (Zadokim/ Sadducees), Hasmoneans, Maccabees, Herodians, Karaites and Masoretes. Whom have been standing righteous before The L-rd G-d for over 3000 years.

a. The true ancient Aramaic name of G-d is “Alahayim,” meaning; Aa means; “First,” La or Le means “big or greatest.” “ha” means; “the.” and “yim” means; “all living;” the heavens, earth, waters, plants, and animals.
　
Alahayim means; “The First, and The Greatest of “all living;” the heavens, earth, waters, plants and animals. See page on the name of G-d.
　
“Alahayim,” is similar to Abra”ham,” meaning; father of the “nations.” Abram is singular, ham (nations) is plural. In the same way Aala (First and
Greatest) is singular, Yim (all living) is plural. One G-d to “all living.”
　
b. G-d said; “Let us make man in “our” image;” G-d was speaking to what he had already created, “our” is; the heavens, earth, waters, plants and animals. Man is created in the image of “the living”; the heavens, earth, waters, plants and animals.
　
c. “Elohim” used by the Pharisee Rabbis, is the Canaanite corruption of the ancient Aramaic name of G-d.

 

[xkatz]

I personally use YHWH, G-d, El, or Adonai. I don't like Elohim TBH b/c it's plural, which I find kind of odd (although Levite did make an excellent reason it could of been used).

 

[Karaite Felipe]

Thank you for the post, Zardoz, but it doesn't explain why God uses the Name more than 6000 times in the Tanakh. He constantly tells us in the Scriptures to use His Name and to call upon Him.

Despite the knowledge of the tetragrammaton (or lack thereof) among the Karaites (I have already looked at those websites), I still like the fact that the Karaites make an effort to utilise the Tetragrammaton in their lives, since it is so intimately intimated for the people of God.

I just don't understand why other Jews do not try. I mean, it is a nice feature about God, Him having a personal Name and all...

I can answer your questions...email me at [email protected] I am karaite and our synagogue praises His Name alone as do I...we do not follow the man made ban on the Name...because it is REMOVING FROM TORAH which is forbidden...and to replace His Name with a title...is blasphemy and contrary to Tanakh...email me or message me back...His Name is well known by myself and many Karaites and even Rabbis...they know the vowels and so do we...and to prove it...they say...even when you see these vowels...you ARE NEVER TO PRONOUNCE IT.. .BUT YOU MUSST PRONOUNCE AS ADONAI OR HASHEM....BUT YHWH SAID...THE NAMES OF OTHER GODS YOU MUST NOT EVEN MENTION...PERIOD...AND TORAH SAIS ONLY TO SWEAR TO YHWH....SO THIS IS CLEAR TEXT ...HIS NAME BEING REPLACED WITH ANY OTHER....OR COMBINED OR COMPARED TO ANOTHER IS BLASPHEMY....IF HE DIDNT WANT HIS NAME UTTERED...HE WOULD NOT HAVE IT THERE 6828 TIMES IN THE HEBREW. SHALOM