Shem, Ham and Japheth

Question

What do the names Shem, Ham, and Japheth mean?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The name Shem literally means “name”. When we refer to God in Hebrew He is often called Hashem which means “The Name”. According to the Rabbis, Noah’s son, Shem, is representative of the spirituality in this world. The name Ham means “hot,” and The Rabbis explain that Ham is representative of extreme emotions. The name Japheth is closely related to the word for beauty in Hebrew, and the Rabbis explain that Japheth represented the concept of aesthetics in the world.

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