Hebrew Names

Our names define us, from the moment we're given a name it becomes our signature. In Judaism our names have a mystical quality, the Hebrew letters used to form them are the same thing god used to create and sustain the world. I've always had a lot of trouble with my given Hebrew name: Mordecai and I felt like I needed to resolve the tension. So this week I went to the Old City's local Chabbad, Rabbi Schloss and talked it over this is what I found out. Mordechi literally means a warrior, my given English name of Myles is derived from miles in Latin, literally soldier. Interesting... Given my discomfort with Mordechi I recently asked my mom what she thought and she suggested my Grandfather Sydney's Hebrew name: Shalom. Which I liked immediately, especially given that I've been told by everyone in my family how much I remind them of him. When I mentioned this to the Rabbi he loved it. Shalom means peace. He suggested that I add it on to make Mordechi Shalom which happen to think is a beautiful name, it works especially well since the names represent opposite ideas, in Ecclesiastes it states:

"Everything has an appointed season, and there is a time for every matter under the heaven (Ch 3, verse 1)...a time for war and a time for peace"(Ch 3, verse 8) Read it, its short and beautifully wirtten.

As for the last part of the name Jew's when called up to the Torah are referred to by their name plus son of ... usually their tribe. You get this from your dad and since mines not Jewish I never knew what to do about this, the Rabbi's advise was to use Adom which means earth in Hebrew, since Adam the first man was made from the earth.

And so I've finally come to peace with my Hebrew name. Mordechi Shalom ben Adom. My translation is: Warrior servant of god bringer of peace son of man. A Good Shabbat to you all.