Pinchas 5786 | Rabbi Shlomo Friedman

🎬 Watch this shiur on YouTube **── Shiur Outline ──** (0:08) What's in a name? Intro at Kerem B'Yavne (1:45) Eliasaf ben Deuel vs. Reuel – name meanings (3:26) The name of God and the mitzvah of Torah study (4:27) Torah as a metaphor for the Holy One (5:48) Rav Aharon Kotler’s Yeshiva anecdote on purpose AI-Generated Summary (AI can be inaccurate. Check important information): 1\. **Meaning behind names** — Unlike secular names which may serve as mere labels, a Hebrew **shem** reflects an underlying essence or shared connotation, as seen in the dual names of **Shimon’s** son and the **Nasi** of **Gad**. 2\. **Essence and definition** — The power of naming was first demonstrated by **Adam HaRishon**, whose naming of the animals was not random but a result of Divine wisdom identifying each creature's true **etzem**. 3\. **Torah as God’s Name** — The **mitzvah** of **Talmud Torah** is intrinsically linked to the name of **HaKadosh Baruch Hu**, leading **Chazal** to derive the obligation of **Birkas HaTorah** from the verse regarding calling upon the "Name of Hashem." 4\. **The Ultimate Mashal** — According to the **Chofetz Chaim** and **Rav Schechter**, the Torah is referred to as **Meshal Hakadmoni**, acting as a multi-layered **mashal** that allows us to connect with the infinite Creator. 5\. **Reverence in study** — The **Ramchal** in **Derech Hashem** emphasizes that the spiritual influence and **bracha** brought by Torah study are contingent upon the student maintaining proper **yiras shamayim**. 6\. **Torah for its own sake** — As **Rav Aharon Kotler** clarified regarding the mission of **Beth Medrash Govoha**, while Torah study produces leaders, its primary purpose is the act of connection to God through His wisdom, regardless of external outcomes.