Vayakhel Pekudei from Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

"See, Hashem has called by name Bezalel..." (Exodus 35:30)

The holy Zohar says that a person's entire power comes from their name. "See, Hashem has called by name Bezalel"—Bezalel means B'tzel-Kel (In the Shadow of God). Already in the name his father gave him, it was hinted that he would make the Mishkan (Tabernacle). His father possessed Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration); he knew that his son would make the Mishkan, so he gave him this name so that he would truly merit it. He gave him the name Bezalel, implying he would make a Tzel (shadow/shelter) for Kel (God)—that he would make a dwelling place for God. Therefore, the Zohar says in Parshat Pekudei that he was chosen to make the Mishkan solely because of his name. Only in the merit of his name was he chosen over any other man, and he built the Mishkan. At the age of 13 or 14, he already built the Mishkan and knew things that even Moshe did not know. Moshe wanted to make the Ark first and afterwards the Mishkan structure. Bezalel said, "First we make the Mishkan, and afterwards the Ark." Moshe said to him, "You were B'tzel-Kel (in the shadow of God)!" Thus, there were things that, so to speak, Moshe did not know, but Bezalel knew.

"Who has placed desolations (shamos) in the earth" (Psalms 46:9)—do not read it as shamos (desolations), but as shemos (names). Hashem placed names in the earth. Hashem decreed at the creation of the world how many names of Reuven there would be, how many names of Shimon there would be, how many names of Nachman there would be, and how many Natan. Through the name, a supernal power from above is awakened upon the person, and with this power, he can do wonderful things. For by giving a child the name of tzaddikim, the name of the tzaddik causes the child to be a tzaddik as well. By giving the child the name of the tzaddik, that same light of the tzaddik after whom the name was given is awakened. The light from the Upper World awakens, descends, and hovers over the child for his entire life.

A person's name is not a simple matter at all. The holy Baal Shem Tov says that a person's name contains awesome secrets. A person needs to know his name, to contemplate his name. A person needs to know what is hinted at in his name, for his name is the root of his soul. Everyone has a soul-root according to their name. In a person's name, everything he must undergo is hinted at—everything that passes over a person throughout his life is all hinted at in his name. It is fitting that everyone should know after which tzaddik they are named, because a person lives through the name. A person must live according to his name; a person's entire vitality is his name. Therefore, when a person ascends Above (after passing away), they ask him: "What is your name?" [Meaning:] You did not live according to your name! You should have followed the path of your name! If you had followed your name, you would have achieved everything in the world.

A person's name hints to him everything he must undergo in this world, everything he must do, and everything he must learn—it is all hinted at in the person's name. Hashem already proclaimed all the names before they were created: Bezalel would make the Mishkan; Shlomo HaMelech would build the Temple. Shlomo HaMelech is gematria (numerical value) 470; Mikdash Havayah (Sanctuary of Hashem) is gematria 470. Shlomo came to build the Sanctuary of Hashem. Shaul came to kill Agag, King of Amalek; Shaul is gematria 337, Agag Melech Amalek is 337. So, in a person's name, all his matters, everything he needs to do, and all his roles in this world are hinted at.

The "Noam Elimelech" says that the names of the tzaddikim are truly a very limited number. Hashem has a treasury of tzaddikim, but they are very few. Who will merit the names of these tzaddikim? If a person wants a righteous son, the first thing is to give him the name of a tzaddik; that is the first step. The greater the tzaddik whose name is given, the more certain it is that this child will be a tzaddik. You are giving names? Search for the greatest tzaddikim; perhaps, just perhaps, this will protect the child. After giving the name, one must also educate him, guard him, and not go to sleep on Shabbat but rather sing zemiros (Shabbat songs) with him. And this is what the "Noam Elimelech" says: when one gives a child the name of a tzaddik, that tzaddik protects the child, guards him from bad friends, and guards him from bad things. The soul of the tzaddik accompanies the child everywhere. The moment one gives the name of a tzaddik, a spark from that tzaddik is impregnated within the child. One must have intent that this name—that this tzaddik—should be impregnated within him and protect him, because the tzaddik has already sanctified this name and has already served Hashem according to this name, and this causes the child to be a tzaddik as well.

To call a child by the name of tzaddikim is a very, very great test. The souls of tzaddikim are few. In truth, there is a Hall of Names, a world of names. When a person goes to name his child and has an idea to call him by the name of a tzaddik, immediately there are obstacles. Immediately, this idea is snatched away from him, and he says, "Maybe a name like this, maybe I'll choose that name, maybe a different name." He does not understand that Heaven is pushing him away. Therefore, one must fight for the names, to struggle. And by giving the child the name of a tzaddik, the light of the tzaddik in the Upper World will hover over the child all his life and protect him from every bad thing until he merits reaching the level of that tzaddik.

Courtesy of the "Tzam'ah Nafshi" leaflet 052-763-9126