People say a person’s name doesn’t matter. Other people say a conversation about names is inevitable. Certainly, a conversation about the names people have is part of the human condition.
And so it follows that those with great names have the most conversations. The famous and the powerful have thought about names far more than anyone else.
The invention of name separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. The more name you have the further from the animals you are, that much is true. Commoners are limited to just three names while royalty sometimes have half a dozen names. A powerful man often considers his name his most valuable asset. Within the name is somehow everything.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking negatively of someone with a bad name. It is better to refrain from this, merely thinking positively of one with a good name.
The word name is “shem” in Hebrew. Shem is a man from the bible whose name means name. Hebrew has something to teach us about the connection between names and spirituality. Again, names are what separates humanity from the rest of the animal kingdom. A shemite is simply a person with a name. Did you know there was a time when not everyone had a name?
With Hebrew and Chinese we also have the word chai / chi which means life-force. Together these words give us the special word shemchai which means name-life-force. The largest city on Earth is Shanghai and it indeed has the greatest name-life-force. Shemchai is the life force of your name.
Shemchai is also seen as the combined force of you as a human being and your name. If you were to speak publicly your name would precede you, first your shem then your chai. When we divide the word Moshiach (Messiah) into two words in Hebrew we have the same characters that make up “Shem Chai.”
The importance of name goes back as far as civilization itself, even further.
Super Hebrew 101
Shem: Name
Shemite: a person with a name
Hashem: literally means “the name” (a word for G-d)
Antishemitism: hatred based on name
Shemchai: name-life-force
Meshaich: ???
This lesson explains why the Hiltons and Waltons suffer antishemitism along with the Jews. When antishemitism rises everyone with a name suffers.
Certain names are considered spiritually significant due to their historical, cultural, or linguistic connections to religious or mystical concepts. For example, names may derive from religious texts, saints, or spiritual symbols, signifying a connection to the divine or expressing particular virtues or qualities.
In various cultures, names often carry spiritual or symbolic meanings that reflect the beliefs and values of the community. In Christian theology, priests believe that invoking the name of Jesus holds spiritual power. They may use it in prayer, exorcism, or blessings, relying on the belief that the name of Jesus carries authority over spiritual forces and can bring divine intervention or protection.
As a final thought, consider what your shemchai level is and how you might increase it.
