עברית
Faith
Should One Be Called by Both of Their Names?
Question
I wanted to ask a question regarding the additional name a person has. I have two names, and in my everyday life, everyone calls me by my first name and not the second one. Sometimes my father calls me by both names about once a day, or he forgets, so sometimes every two days, only because he knows that one should be called by both names once a day. My question is: should I introduce myself by both names? And should I tell people and family to call me by both names? Thank you very much.
Answer
Greetings,
There is no obligation for you to be called by both names.
However, some say it is worthwhile to ensure that you are called by both names—at least occasionally—because by the pronunciation of a person's name, one touches the channels of abundance of that person and activates them. If part of the full name is missing, it diminishes their positive influence.
However, it must be emphasized that this is a matter of preference; indeed, according to Halacha, there is no obligation in this regard (see the book Shemot Baaretz, page 88, in the name of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a).
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs
