God did not quite say his name was I AM.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by 7luminaries

It is traditionally associated with God's essence, revealed to the people intimately in their hearts...and is associated with the divine attribute of mercy. Often the name is associated with being, sometimes translated as I am that I am...

Typically the term Adonai is and has been used...which implied a personal relationship for all (the lord, who is my lord and your lord...). Interestingly, in the modern era, "God" is sometimes used instead of Adonai, the thought being it's a more personal and less hierarchical term...and I think there is something there.

IMO, it's really all about our relationship to the divine, and how we balance the the love and the awe involved.

Peace & blessings,
7L

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, a highly respected Rabbi from Brooklyn whose books are among the best Jewish books that I've read, has described the "Adonai" in the Shema as "that for which the mind has no category". That is very well put.

However, as another poster wrote, the "I AM" and the "I am...THAT...I AM" work perfectly for me as well......from a purely experiential level.

Let the scholars say whatever they want.