The Mask of G - d

B"H

The first sentence of the Shema Israel – prayer:

"Shema Israel A – do – nai E – lo – heinu, A – do – nai ECHAD".

"Hear Israel A – do – nai – E – lo – heinu, A – do – nai is ONE".

In order to understand this first sentence of the Shema we have to realize that G – d appears under different names. Each of His names is used for different actions. He acts according to His names or attributes but He never looses His Oneness.

As soon as the name Y – H – V – H appears, we know that this is one of the highest names of G – d. Professional kabbalistic literature mentions another few names but let us, so far, deal with the above mentioned name also called HAVAYAH. Generally Havayah is the root of all names of G – d. We don't pronounce the name Y – H – V – H literally because no one in our times knows the right pronunciation. The name was used in the Temple but after its destruction, the knowledge about its correct pronunciation got lost. In prayers as well in the Torah we pronounce the name A – do – nai and as soon as we use the name not for holy purposes, we say "HaShem – The Name".

Basically G – d acts with the Havayah name when He shows mercy.
E – lo – him is another name of G – d but not at all to understand in plural, as Christian missionaries love to claim.
E – lo – him means ONE G – d acting with different character traits (Sefirot) and powers at the same time but, at the same time, G – d keeps is Oneness and is only one single G – d. Whoever claims something different has no understanding of Torah. Generally E – lo – him is used when G – d appears judge. This name is the only one used in the creation process.

Due to Hebrew grammar purposes, E – lo – him transforms into "E – lo – he – nu – Our G – d".

Further differences are that the name Havayah stands for the "Hidden G – d" because this particular name stems from the highest spiritual spheres. Therefore we don't know the character traits of Havayah and are hardly able of grasping its meaning. The letters of Y – H – V – H (Havayah) are eternal and are seen as the source of any existence. Rashi comments in Sifrei that there is another level in the "Oneness" of G – d in the Shema prayer. "A – do – nai E – lo – henu, A – do – nai ECHAD".

The question is why the name Havayah is mentioned twice in the first Shema sentence.

"Shema Israel A – do – nai E – lo – heinu, A – do – nai ECHAD".

Twice A – do –nai. Why didn't G – d make it easier by saying "Hear Israel, A – do – nai (G – d) in ONE".

Hear Israel means that the hidden or the merciful G – d many times acts as an obvious judge. At the same time, He acts with both - mercy and judgment together but the source (Y – H – V – H) remains hidden. It seems like He acts behind a mask and therefore, He is remains invisible to us. However, He is always ONE even if He acts with different names and powers.

It depends how close we are to Him at the moment and vice versa. Sometimes He acts very obvious and direct and, at other times, He is hidden behind a mask and it is hard to approach Him. In case G – d acts in a hidden matter, then we might have to face many negative consequences. The more G – d keeps Himself far away or hidden, the more our world depends on nature. And this hidden side of G – d, when He doesn't control everything and lets other sources react instead, is probably the cause of catastrophes, sicknesses, etc.