72 Names- Introduction

   In Judaism, it is believed that G-d is not so much a being, as we understand, for G-d has never existed within the physical constraints of matter. Rather, G-d is an action, an aspect, if you will, of consciousness. Therefore, G-d has not one name, but 72. In the Torah, the 3 consecutive verses of Exodus 14:19-21, each contain exactly 72 letters.

                 וַיִּסַּ֞ע מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַהֹלֵךְ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּסַּ֞ע עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃

The angel of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now moved and followed behind them; and the pillar of cloud shifted from in front of them and took up a place behind them,

                וַיָּבֹ֞א בֵּ֣ין ׀ מַחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֗יִם וּבֵין֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְהִ֤י הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶר אֶת־הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְלֹא־קָרַ֥ב זֶ֛ה אֶל־זֶ֖ה כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃

and it came between the army of the Egyptians and the army of Israel. Thus there was the cloud with the darkness, and it cast a spell upon the night, so that the one could not come near the other all through the night.

                וַיֵּ֨ט מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶת־יָדוֹ֮ עַל־הַיָּם֒ וַיּ֣וֹלֶךְ יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אֶת־הַ֠יָּם בְּר֨וּחַ קָדִ֤ים עַזָּה֙ כָּל־הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם לֶחָרָבָ֑ה וַיִּבָּקְע֖וּ הַמָּֽיִם׃

Then Moses held out his arm over the sea and the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind all that night, and turned the sea into dry ground. The waters were split. 

   The letters of each verse can be lined up to create 72 triplets of letters. In Kabbalah, it is taught that if you reverse the letters of the second verse, you get the 72 names or aspects of G-d. The Zohar explains (II:51b) that these 3 verses, in sequence, refer to the Divine attributes of Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet. Together, these 3 attributes form the basis for how G-d relates to the world. Chesed is lovingkindness, Gevurah is strength, and Tiferet is the balance between the two. The first verse is a direct revelation of G-d’s Goodness, the second is indirect and the third is a perfect blend of both. Thus, the letters of the first verse are lined up in their proper order, the second in reverse. Now, you may think the letters of the third verse should be split, yes? But no. In Tiferet, Chesed dominates over Gevurah, and since it is a balance of the two, it becomes a direct revelation of G-d’s Goodness, thus, the third verse is placed in its proper order. 

   Taking the first letter of v19, the last letter of v20, and the first letter of v21, you get והו, the First Name of G-d. If you repeat this pattern, you get all 72 Names. Each one represents a different aspect of G-d, which is why, in Judaism, G-d is not a noun, but a verb. It becomes an action.  In this series, I will explore each name and meaning to bring about a better understanding of our relationship with, and how we understand G-d.