Calling the Name

Last week, with the building of the Tower of Babel, we learned a bit about the importance of names. We saw the defiance of those who sought to oppose G-d, trying to make a name for themselves. In Parshat Lech Lecha, we have several encounters between Avraham and the Divinity we frequently refer to as Hashem – literally, the Name. We see Avraham learning the Names of the Divine, and he ends up having his own name changed. Much of Ramban’s commentary on this week’s parsha turns on the names, but in the space allotted to us we will examine the first instance.

Upon entering the Land that will be promised to him, Avraham (then still Avram) builds an altar, a mizbe’ach, in the vicinity of Shechem in honor of the Hashem who had appeared to him (Bereisheit 12:7). Soon afterward, Avraham moves his camp to the mountain in the vicinity of Bet El. He builds another mizbe’ach and calls out the Name of Hashem (ibid. 8).

Ramban explains that, prior to these events, Avraham had never had a vision or apparition of Hashem. Somehow, he received the command to depart his homeland and head to the land that would be designated, but there was no imagery to accompany this. Once he is in the land, upon building the mizbe’ach and bringing his offerings, Avraham finally merits receiving this vision. He makes his offerings to the Hashem that appeared to him – there, in that exact place. Immediately afterward, when he brings his next set of korbanot, Avraham cries out the Name. Onkelos compares this to praying, as David HaMelech sometimes associated calling out the Name of Hashem with prayer.

But Ramban wants it to be understood that when Avraham built this second mizbe’ach, he stood in front of it and cried out the four-letter Name of Hashem in a loud voice. This action recalls the service of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur, when he called out the Name of Hashem in a loud voice to bring absolution to the People of Israel. We learn from Moshe Rabbenu and recall on Yom Kippur the power of this Name. The Name can forgive, and it also brings blessing and redemption into the world. Ramban says that Avraham was calling out this Name to initiate that process and that, in turn, Hashem showed him that his work would begin to succeed here, in the Land now promised to him. While in Ur of the Chaldeans, Avraham had served Hashem alone or with his wife and nephew, but had not made any difference in the world that he could appreciate. Going forward, as Avraham taught about Hashem in the Land of Canaan, people would be drawn to him and internalize his teachings. The process of the redemption of mankind would begin taking its first tiny steps in history.

Ramban points out that Yitzchak also called out the name of Hashem when promised Divine protection; he did this in a similar way and for the same reason as his father before him. However, we never see Yaakov do this. Ramban explains that from Yaakov sprang twelve perfect sons who all served Hashem and together form the community of Israel. The Name of Hashem is embodied in the community of Israel, and when we serve Him righteously, then it is as though Yaakov is calling out the Name.