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Shimkha</a>'<br />
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<p>We close Birkhas Hoda’ah (“Modim”)
<em>“‘HaTov’ shimkha, ulkha na’eh lehodos</em> —
your Name is “The Good”, and it is pleasant to praise
You.”</p>
<p>And yes, it does mean that Hashem’s name, the way we perceive Him, is
“HaTov — The Good”. The more intuitive translation, that
Hashem’s name is Good (good being an adjective), would have been
“<em>shimkha tov</em> — Your name is Good” or
“<em>shimkha hatov</em> — Your name which is good” (perhaps
in contrast to other names).</p>
<p>Let’s think about that for a minute. What does it mean that
Hashem’s name is “<em>HaTov</em>“? We all know that Hashem
is Good, but when I stopped to think about the implications of saying that
this is His name, the essence of how He shows himself with us… It was an
epiphany.</p>
<p>And even though it’s notoriously difficult to share an epiphany, not
just the idea but that feeling we’re facing the fully profound. But I
hope to try anyway, as I think it’s an essential thought to bring
into<em> Yamim Noraim</em>.</p>
<p>A<em>havas Hashem — “HaTov” Shimkha!</em></p>
<p><em>Yir’as Hashem — </em> <em>“HaTov”</em>
<em>Shimkha!</em></p>
<p><em>Qiddus hasheim, chillul hasheim </em> —
<em>“HaTov”</em> <em>shimkha!</em></p>
<p>When we speak of love, fear or awe of G-d, or sanctifying or desecrating
His reputation in this world, we might think first and foremost of heaven and
spirituality. But our primary focus should be “<em>HaTov</em>”
— G-d as the One Who is good to us.</p>
<p>As Rav Shimon Shkop puts it:</p>
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<p>For everything He created and formed was according to His Will (may it be
blessed) only to be good to the creations. So too His Will is that we walk in
His Ways. As it says, “and you shall walk in His Ways.” <span
style="font-size: 14px;">(Devarim 28:9)</span></p>
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<p dir="rtl">שכל מה שברא ויצר היה רצונו יתברך רק
להיטיב עם הנבראים, כן רצונו יתברך שנהלך
בדרכיו כאמור ״וְהָלַכְתָּ֖
בִּדְרָכָֽיו״,</p>
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<p>That is, that we, the select of what He made—should constantly hold as
our purpose to sanctify our physical and spiritual abilities, for the good of
the many, according to our abilities. In my opinion, this whole concept is
included in Hashem’s mitzvah [of] “Be holy, [for I am Holy].” <span
style="font-size: 14px;">(Vayiqra 19:2)</span></p>
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<p dir="rtl">היינו, שנהיה אנחנו בחירי יצוריו,
מגמתנו תמיד להקדיש כוחותינו הגופניים
והרוחניים לטובת הרבים, כפי ערכנו, ולדעתי כל
ענין זה נכלל במצות ה׳ של ״קְדֹשִׁ֣ים
תִּהְי֑וּ״.</p>
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<p>The Midrash says about this verse: “Can it [truly] be ‘like Me’? This
is why [the Torah] continues, ‘For I am Holy,’ (ibid) to teach that My
Sanctity is above yours.” <span style="font-size: 14px;">(Vayiqra Rabba ad
loc)</span></p>
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<p dir="rtl">דהנה במדרש ויקרא פרק כ״ד אמור על
מקרא זה: ״יכול כמוני? תלמוד לאמר ׳כִּ֣י
קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י׳, קדושתי למעלה
מקדושתכם״,</p>
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<p>Our holiness is in imitation of Hashem’s holiness, and our imitation
of Hashem, “<em>vehalakha bidrakhav</em>” means acting with the
<em>middos</em> we find in His behavior to us. So that <em>qedushah</em> is
not primarily in prayer, even in Qaddish, Qedushah, or other <em>tefillos</em>
that qualify as <em>devarim shebiqdushah</em>. It isour commitment to
benefiting others. These tefillos that declare Hashem as Eternally Blessed are
to connect us to Hashem and His Ways. Because <em>haTov shimkha</em> —
Your name is “The Good”.</p>
<p>The Rambam (<a
href="https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Foundations_of_the_Torah.6.2">Yesodei
haTorah 6:2</a>) lists seven names that appear in Tanakh that are subject to
the prohibition against erasing Hashem’s name. The Tur and the Rosh add
two more. But the Rambam says that Y-HV-H is unique, it is the <em>shem
hameforash</em> — Hashem’s proper name, rather than a descriptive
label. Hashem is E-lokim, but the leaders of the Hittites are <em>elohim</em>.
The name E-lokim refers to Hashem being the Source and Master of every force
and potential in existence. But <em>Sheim Havayah</em> is His name in a more
absolute sense.</p>
<p>Chazal note the <em>sheim E-lokim</em> is used in Tanakh when
Hashem’s actions look to us like those of Someone who is acting out of
Justice. <em>Sheim Havayah </em>is used when the actions show <em>Rachamim
</em>— Divine Compassion and Empathy.</p>
<p>Literally, the ineffable name appears to be (we can’t be sure, since
the vowels were lost) the causative form of “<em>hoveh</em>“, to
exist. Hashem as the Source of our existence.</p>
<p>The Source of our existence whose actions are compassionate. Sounds like a
pretty intuitive definition of “Good”.</p>
<p><em>HaTov Shimkha</em>.</p>
<p><em>Ulekha na’eh lehodos.</em></p>
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