“The God of Israel has a proper name. There is no fact in Jewish theology more significant than this.”

With these words, Michael Wyschogrod cuts to the heart of the Jewish theological tradition.  Ultimately, all Jewish theology is meditation and reflection on the mystery of the Divine Name.

That Name is the Tetragrammeton—the sacred four Hebrew letters that were pronounced only in the Jerusalem temple, only on the Day of Atonement, and only by the High Priest.  When the biblical text is read in synagogue, that Name is pronounced Adonai —“my Lord.”  When it is employed in daily conversation, one simply says Hashem—“the Name.”

This practice conveys two messages.  On the one hand, God remains an eternal mystery, hidden behind a heavenly veil.  On the other hand, the infinite One has a proper name, and thus a personal identity.  God is an “I” and a “You” rather than an “it.” By revealing those four letters to Israel, God grants access to the divine “I,” who may now be addressed as “You.”