The Name: A History of the Dual-Gendered Hebrew Name for God

by Mark Sameth

Overview

The God of ancient Israel--universally referred to in the masculine today--was understood by its earliest worshipers to be a dual-gendered, male-female deity. So argues Mark Sameth in The Name.

Needless to say, this is no small claim. Half the people on the planet are followers of one of the three Abrahamic religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--each of which has roots in the ancient cult that worshiped this deity. The author's evidence, however, is compelling and his case meticulously constructed.

The Hebrew name of God--YHWH--has not been uttered in public for over two thousand years. Some thought the lost pronunciation was "Jehovah" or "Yahweh." But Sameth traces the name to the late Bronze Age and argues that it was expressed Hu-Hi--Hebrew for "He-She." Among Jewish mystics, we learn, this has long been an open secret.

What are the implications for us today if "he" was not God?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781532693830
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	05/04/2020
Pages:	190
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Named “one of America’s most inspiring rabbis” by the Forward (inaugural list, 2013), Mark Sameth is featured in Jennifer Berne and R. O. Blechman’s God: 48 Famous and Fascinating Minds Talk about God (2017). His essays appear in books and periodicals, including CCAR Journal, Journal of Jewish Education, Reform Judaism, and the New York Times (“Is God Transgender?,” August 12, 2016).

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Rabbi Mark Sameth takes us on a thrilling journey shrouded in mystery into the very heart of faith. The Name is traditional and revolutionary, historical and mythical, rational and mystical. I couldn’t put it down. This book is a blessing you will want to share with your friends, a work that will open you up to new and healing visions of God, of self, of humanity, and of our world.”

—Naomi Levy, author of Einstein and the Rabbi



“Sameth reveals a secret hidden within the very Name of God. He weaves history, Bible, theology, Kabbalah, linguistics into a teaching about the nature of sexuality and the Holy One of Being. Indeed, this may just be the most interesting thing written about God since the Jews figured out there was only One.”

—Lawrence Kushner, author of Kabbalah: A Love Story



“This is the freshest thinking that I have come across in nearly forty years as a rabbi. This insight into our understanding of the theological worldview of the rabbis is revolutionary. It has the potential to change our entire understanding of the past.”

—Kerry Olitzky, co-author of The Book of Job: A Modern Translation and Commentary

Editorial Reviews

Rabbi Mark Sameth takes us on a thrilling journey shrouded in mystery into the very heart of faith. The Name is traditional and revolutionary, historical and mythical, rational and mystical. I couldn’t put it down. This book is a blessing you will want to share with your friends, a work that will open you up to new and healing visions of God, of self, of humanity, and of our world.”

—Naomi Levy, author of Einstein and the Rabbi



“Sameth reveals a secret hidden within the very Name of God. He weaves history, Bible, theology, Kabbalah, linguistics into a teaching about the nature of sexuality and the Holy One of Being. Indeed, this may just be the most interesting thing written about God since the Jews figured out there was only One.”

—Lawrence Kushner, author of Kabbalah: A Love Story



“This is the freshest thinking that I have come across in nearly forty years as a rabbi. This insight into our understanding of the theological worldview of the rabbis is revolutionary. It has the potential to change our entire understanding of the past.”

—Kerry Olitzky, co-author of The Book of Job: A Modern Translation and Commentary

From the Publisher