Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Names from the angels

I just read a webpage about naming your child. It says:

"The naming of a Jewish child is a most profound spiritual moment. The Sages say that naming a baby is a statement of her character, her specialness, and her path in life. For at the beginning of life we give a name, and at the end of life a "good name" is all we take with us. (see Talmud - Brachot 7b; Arizal - Sha'ar HaGilgulim 24b)
Further, the Talmud tells us that parents receive one-sixtieth of prophecy when picking a name. An angel comes to the parents and whispers the Jewish name that the new baby will embody. "

I am not Jewish, so I have no idea whether this is a widely held belief, but it seems to me a lovely way to think about naming a new baby.

http://www.aish.com/literacy/lifecycle/Naming_Your_Child.asp

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