There is much to learn from the name Yerushalayim, which is actually a combination of two different names of the holy city.
So when is Yerushalayim first mentioned in the Torah?
After Avraham Avinu defeats four powerful armies and frees the hostages (sound familiar?), he returns to a place called “Emek Shaveh Hu Emek Hamelech” — the Valley of the King. There he meets the king of Shalem, Malkitzedek. Onkelos translates the place called “Shalem” as Yerushalayim, as do many of the commentators.
So if Yerushalayim was called “Shalem,” how did it become “Yerushalayim”?
The answer appears in the parsha following this series of events. In Parshat Vayera, we read about the Akeidah — Avraham taking his son Yitzchak to Mount Moriah to sacrifice him in response to Hashem’s command, as a test of faith. After this event, Avraham names the place “Behar Hashem Yera’eh” — Hashem will be seen — referring to the future Beit Hamikdash and aliyah la’regel (see Bereshit 22:14 and Rashi).
This name uses the root letters Yud, Resh, Alef, and Heh — “Yeru.”
The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 56:10) tells us that Hashem was deciding which name to give the city: “Shalem,” as Malkitzedek had called it, or “Yera’eh” (or Yeru) as Avraham named it. In the end, Hashem chose to combine the two names — creating Yerushalayim. In English it is known as Jerusalem — preserving the original Shalem vowels (see Tosafot Taanit 16a).
From this Midrash we see that each name has its own deep significance. Yerushalayim was and always will be a city of unity — but unity of what? What do “Yeru” and “Shalem” each represent?
Here are a few explanations that have been suggested:
Yeru expresses Yirah — fear or awe of Hashem. At the Akeidah, Avraham proved his fear of God: “Now I know that you fear Hashem,” as he was willing to sacrifice his son. Shalem represents love of Hashem. The city unites both key elements in our relationship with Hashem — love and awe.
Shalem represents interpersonal ethics — bein adam le’chavero — kindness and justice between people. This is implied in the name Malkitzedek — “King of Justice.” Later, in Sefer Yehoshua, we meet “Adoni-Tzedek,” a king of Yerushalayim. The Malbim explains (Tehillim 110) that all the kings of Yerushalayim were named “Tzedek” (just as all Egyptian kings were called Pharaoh). This suggests that justice was a central theme in the city. The Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because of injustice, as the prophets warned, and will be rebuilt when justice is restored. In contrast, “Yeru” or “Yera’eh” represents bein adam la’Makom — the relationship with Hashem. Some explain that Shalem refers to refining character traits (tikkun ha’middot), while Yeru expresses avodat Hashem — service of God.
Yerushalayim shel mata — the lower, earthly Yerushalayim — is associated with Shalem. The meeting with Malkitzedek took place in a valley, “Emek Shaveh.” Yerushalayim shel ma’alah — the higher, heavenly Yerushalayim — is represented by the Akeidah, which took place on a mountaintop, where angels appeared to Avraham (see Ramban on Bereshit 14).
Shalem represents the universal role of Yerushalayim. Rashi explains that Emek Shaveh is where the nations of the world gathered and agreed to appoint Avraham as their leader. Yeru, on the other hand, represents the unique spiritual mission of the Jewish people. At the Akeidah, Avraham asked Eliezer and Yishmael to remain behind and not continue with him (Bereshit 22:5; Kiddushin 68a), indicating that this encounter was reserved for him and Yitzchak alone.
Shalem means whole, complete — from the root of “shalom,” peace. It represents the ideal future state, where the mission is complete and the world is at peace. Avraham returns from war, victorious, having freed the hostages — a glimpse of the end of days. Yeru, by contrast, reflects yearning and striving — the desire to fix the world, overcome challenges, and grow spiritually. Rav Kook refers to this as “shleimut” — completion — and “hishtalmut” — the ongoing process of becoming.
In short, the name Yerushalayim combines and unites two deep values and missions of the holy city:
Love and awe.
Justice between people and service of Hashem.
Heaven and earth.
A universal mission and a unique national calling.
Peace — and the striving for greater spiritual heights.
May we merit to see all of this fulfilled in our days.
ותחזינה עינינו בשובך לציון ברחמים
