Working for the Word - a Bible translation podcast

Part 5 - Pronouncing & Translating the Divine Name - Jewish Tradition & Variation

Jan 31, 2026
A deep dive into Jewish traditions about pronouncing the divine name, tracing early Israelite use through later rabbinic shifts. Discussions cover rabbinic texts and Talmudic reasoning that endorsed vocalization, Karaites who insisted on saying the Name, and modern advocates and critics. The episode also explores emotional and interfaith tensions around using Yahweh and practical questions for Christians.
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INSIGHT

Divine Name Was Originally Spoken Freely

  • Early Israelite practice freely used and sang God's personal name without avoidance.
  • The later Jewish taboo on pronouncing the Name is a secondary development, not original practice.
INSIGHT

Rabbis Endorsed Naming God In Greetings

  • Rabbinic sources (Berachot, Judges, Ruth) defend invoking God's name in greetings as legitimate practice.
  • Sages may have reinforced vocalizing the Name to counter sectarian distortions and emphasize God's reign.
INSIGHT

Customs Can Create Halakha

  • The Gemara uses multiple biblical examples to make halakhic (legal) claims from customary practice.
  • Longstanding communal customs can serve as valid precedents in Jewish law.
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