The Divine Names and the Tradition of Permutations

Jewish tradition surrounds the names of God—the Tetragrammaton, Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai, and the Names of forty-two and seventy-two letters—with great sanctity. Kabbalists meditate on their permutations, numerical values, and vocalizations as paths toward the divine. This onomastic speculation nourishes both contemplative prayer and learned amuletic practices.