divine essencefeatured in 40 works

HaShem and Elokim (The Two Names)

ha-SHEM ("the Name") and el-o-HEEM

Two of God's primary names in Jewish tradition — one associated with mercy, one with justice — understood as complementary dimensions of a single divine reality.

Jewish tradition recognizes that the Torah uses different names for God, and the two most prominent — the Tetragrammaton (rendered as HaShem, 'the Name') and Elokim — came to be associated with distinct divine qualities. HaShem is traditionally linked to mercy, compassion, and God's transcendent essence. Elokim is linked to judgment, power, and God's presence within creation as the enforcer of order and consequence. Rabbinic literature already draws this distinction; it became a major theme in medieval Jewish philosophy and mysticism.

Kabbalistic thought developed the idea further, placing these two names within an elaborate map of divine attributes (sefirot) and arguing that the world depends on their balance. The Zohar and later Lurianic Kabbalah saw the relationship between these names as reflecting the dynamic interplay of mercy and judgment that sustains all of existence. Hasidic teachers carried this further still, teaching that recognizing both names — in prayer, in daily experience, in moments of blessing and difficulty — is itself a spiritual practice.

Beneath all the theological elaboration, the core idea is simple: the one God encompasses what looks like opposing qualities. Unlimited compassion and clear moral accountability are not contradictions but two facets of a single reality.

How it traveled

Sha'arei Orah
Guadalajara · 1260
explains
Zohar
Guadalajara · 1280
explains
Tikkunei Zohar
Guadalajara · 1280
redefines
Zohar Chadash
Guadalajara · 1290
explains
Recanati on the Torah
Recanati · 1300
redefines
Avodat HaKodesh (Ibn Gabbai)
Cairo · 1523
redefines
Ketem Paz on Zohar
Tzfat · 1561
redefines
Sha'ar HaPesukim
Tzfat · 1570
explains
Pri Etz Chaim
Tzfat · 1572
explains
Reshit Chokhmah
Tzfat · 1575
explains
Ohr HaChammah on Zohar
Tzfat · 1620
redefines
Mikdash Melekh, RaMaZ Commentary on Zohar
Tzfat · 1680
explains
Mikdash Melekh on Zohar
Tzfat · 1750
explains
Sefer Baal Shem Tov al HaTorah
Medzhybizh (Ukraine) · 1750
redefines
Ben Porat Yosef
Polonne (Polnoye, Volhynia) · 1760
redefines
Kedushat Levi
Berditchev (Ukraine) · 1772
redefines
Be'er Mayim Chaim
Czernowitz (Chernivtsi) · 1775
redefines
Toldot Yaakov Yosef
Polonne (Polnoye, Volhynia) · 1780
explains
Arvei Nachal
Krakow (Cracow) · 1780
redefines
Tzofnat Paneach
Polonne (Polnoye, Volhynia) · 1782
redefines
Noam Elimelekh
Lizhensk (Poland) · 1786
explains
Yahel Ohr on Zohar
Vilna (Vilnius) · 1790
explains
Yismach Moshe
Sátoraljaújhely (Ujhel) · 1790
redefines
Mareh Yechezkel on Torah
Karlsburg (Alba Iulia) · 1800
explains
Agra DeKala
Dinov (Dynów) · 1801
redefines
Likutei Moharan
Breslov (Ukraine) · 1802
explains
Likkutei Torah
Liadi · 1810
redefines
Zera Kodesh
Ropshitz (Ropczyce) · 1810
redefines
Torah Ohr
Liadi · 1813
redefines
Bat Ayin
Tzfat · 1820
redefines
Bnei Yissaschar
Dinov (Dynów) · 1820
redefines
Likutei Tefilot
Breslov (Ukraine) · 1822
explains
Beit Yaakov on Torah
Izhbitz (Izbica) · 1830
redefines
Beit Aharon
Karlin (Pinsk) · 1830
redefines
Likutei Halakhot
Breslov (Ukraine) · 1840
redefines
Sod Yesharim
Radzin (Radzyń Podlaski) · 1859
redefines
Sefat Emet
Ger (Gora Kalwaria) · 1900
explains
Shem MiShmuel
Sochaczew · 1925
redefines
Sulam on Zohar
Jerusalem · 1945
explains
Sources and References on Likkutei Torah
Liadi
explains

Key passages(20)

Recanati on the Torah, Noach:28↗explains

Recanati on the Torah · Menachem Recanati · 1250 CE