hmm, never noticed that before

[cellio]

The torah uses different names for God in different places, with the most common being Elo[k]im and the tetragramaton (yud - hey - vav - hey). When I've been paying attention they've been distinct -- the first creation story is the E-name, the revelation at Sinai is the Y-name, and so on.

In preparing this week's portion (specifically the binding of Yitzchak) I've noticed something odd. The God who commands Avraham to sacrifice his son is the E-name, and Avraham uses that name when he tells Yitzchak that God will provide the sacrificial animal (there's some nice ambiguity here, but that's a tangent). Then, when the angel intervenes, it's suddenly an angel of the Y-name, and Avraham names the place "awe of Y-name".

Is the mingling of these two names in a single passage common and I haven't been paying enough attention? Is it uncommon but random/not meaningful? Uncommon but meaningful in some way?

Comments

[nobble.livejournal.com]

I have seen an archeological program on this topic that looks at the origins of the different references within passages (Elohim and Yhvh). There is some (heretical??) view that the origin of the separate references refer to different sexes of g-d and that in the time before the establishment of Judaism (pre 0) as we know it there were two recognised parts of the single g-d (masculine and feminine). I dont know how correct this is, it flies generally in the face of a theory of a unified, single entity - but some archeologists seem to support this view. The program discussed some actions on ancient temples and apparently archeological significant tablets that obliterated representation of the Yhvh element of Elohim. I dont know if it is all bunk. Sounds like some historian's attempt to make history :-) There is a lot written about the subject (via convenient google search) again lots bunk, but this is interesting:

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Names_of_God_in_Judaism/id/1894968

[cellio]

Interesting. I knew about the theory of different authors but hadn't heard a gender connection.

Judaism teaches that God has different aspects, at least one of which is understood to be feminine. (Of course, God does not have physical form so this is all metaphor.)