A Tale of Two Names: Elokim and YHVH (Part 1 of 12)

The Bible uses many names to refer to God, the two most well-known being Elokim and YHVH (an unpronounceable name composed of the Hebrew letters yud-hey-vav-hey). What do these names mean, and why do they appear when they do? This is one of the Bible's greatest mysteries. Perhaps even more mysterious is that we find the highly uncommon "YHVH Elokim" — a combination of these two names — in the Bible's opening pages: in the story of God's creation of the world. Join Rabbi Fohrman for an exploration of what these names mean on their own, what they mean in combination, and how understanding God's names can, perhaps, help us to lead more godly lives.

An earlier version of some of these ideas can be found in the course What is the Meaning of Life?

For more on A Tale of Two Names, be sure to listen to the following lecture series: A Tale of Two Names: Why Were There Days of Creation? and A Tale of Two Names: From The Garden To The Flood.