" For the Hebrews, names provided a direct link with the Creator. They understood words as being the creative fire of God, the ‘black fire on white fire’ of His Law. Every utterance and every act of creation through which He revealed Himself was not only word made flesh but fire made flesh.
The word for ‘being’, yesh, ‘to exist’ or ‘to have substance’ was flame–breathed.
The word for ‘fire’, esh, was embedded in the word for ‘being’ and in the very notion of ‘being human’.
The rabbis were said to have asked: Why is the word for ‘woman’, ishah? Because she is fire, esh. Why is the word for ‘man’, ish? Because he too is fire, esh.
They noted that when the Hebrew letters for ‘man’ and ‘woman’ came together they produced a new word as part of the union: yah, a reference to Yahweh, the Name of God. "
― Anne Hamilton , God's Poetry: The Identity and Destiny Encoded In Your Name
