The Name Game

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The Bible places great emphasis on names and their meaning.

Ya'akov was so named because "his hand took hold on Esau's heel, and his name was Jacob" (Gen.25:26) because the Hebrew word for heel is "Ekev" and that turns into Ya'akov.

Brilliant!

When my older brother was living in South Dakota about ten summers back, he stayed with a family of Native Americans. The N.A. closest in age to my brother was named Raymond, his last name... I am not kidding... "Uses The Knife." I know this because when my brother would call home the caller I.D. would show "USES THE KNI," because that's all the room there was on the little I.D. screen. My Dad would ask, "Are you sure it's your older brother calling?"
Hm... Yeah, Dad, pretty sure. Unless our phone is turning "super-computer smart" and urging me to begin murdering on its behalf.
And my mom would tell friends, "Yes, our eldest son is living with a Native American fellow, Raymond Holds The Knife."
I would interrupt-- "Mom! It's USES The Knife!"
To which she would respond, "So what? It's probably like Goldsteen and Goldstein."

You say Tomato.... I say Potato.


"I'm American, Sweetie. Our names don't mean shit."
-- Butch, "Pulp Fiction"
(Quentin Tarantino)
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