Bamidbar

Finding Our Spiritual Name: Preparing for Shavuot

Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan

Towards the beginning of Parshat Bamidbar, we learn the names of the leaders of each of the tribes of Israel, who help guide the tribes through the challenges of the wilderness. If we read the names only in Hebrew, we hear a list of reasonably familiar Jewish names. But if we translate them into English, we have an opportunity to linger on their meaning. The names include: "God's Peace born of God's Light"; "Diviner born of God My Rock"; "God's Abundance born of Knowing God. "

Perhaps, upon becoming leaders, each of these men chose a symbolic public name, expressing the values of their tribe. Or perhaps, on the way to leadership, each conducted a serious spiritual self-examination, and then chose a name expressive of the spiritual qualities he would personally commit to expressing in his life.

During 7 weeks of the Omer, Jewish tradition encourages us to reflect on Jewish values, universal ethical values, and spiritual questions. Specifically, we are invited to reflect on love, discipline, beauty, endurance, gratitude, grounding, and majesty. If we have reflected, we may be prepared to formulate a personal spiritual name for the season, one that expresses our path of spiritual development. With this name in hand, we can enter Shavuot, holiday of receiving the Torah, with our hearts open to receive the teachings that can guide us on our particular path.

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