An Intriguing Insight from the Megaleh Amukos concerning the “Yud” of "ירושלים"
It is with immense pleasure that we will introduce to our royal audience a fantastic chiddush concerning the name "ירושלים" complete with the “yud” from the impeccable teachings of the Megaleh Amukos (Nasso). He asserts that the reason the “yud” was added to the name Yerushalayim is because it is the first letter of the Tetragrammaton—the sacred four-letter name Havaya.
As a loyal servant in the presence of his master, I would like to embellish the insight of the Megaleh Amukos. We will attempt to explain the practical significance of the dispute between Avraham—who named the place "יראה"—and Shem the son of Noach— who named the place “Shaleim.” We also learned from the Midrash that in order not to disappoint and offend either of these two tzaddikim, HKB”H named it "ירושלים"—a combination of these two names.
I would like to suggest an explanation based on a passage in the Midrash related to the tefilah of Avraham Avinu at the time of the Akeidah (Bereishis 56, 10):
ה אשר יאמר היום בהר ה' א ר יההוא ה' "ויקרא אברהם שם המקום אה" ר י—Avraham named that place “Havaya will see,” as it is said to this day: On the mountain, Havaya will be seen. Here is a translation of the passage:
Rabbi Yochanan said: He said before Him: Master of the Universe, when You said to me (ibid. 22, 2): “Please take your son, your only one,” I could have responded to You: Yesterday you said (ibid. 21, 12): “For it is through Yitzchak that offspring will be considered yours,” and now You say: “Please take your son, your only one . . . (and offer him up).” But, chas v’shalom, I did not do so. Rather, I suppressed my compassion to do Your will. May it be Your will, Hashem, our G-d, when Yitzchak’s descendants happen to commit transgressions and wicked deeds, may this Akeidah be remembered for them, and may You become filled with compassion for them.
Understood in this light, we can suggest that Shem the son of Noach, the King in Yerushalayim at that time, adopted a position of “din”—divine judgment. Therefore, he named the site Shaleim—indicating that in the King’s residence one must be complete and perfect. For, it is improper to come before the King if one is unworthy and flawed even to the slightest degree—even if one’s sins and misdeeds are minimal. This is evident from the passuk (ibid. 33, 18): "ויבוא יעקב שלם עיר שכם"—Yaakov arrived intact at the city of Shechem. Rashi comments: "שלם בגופו... שלם בממונו... שלם בתורתו"—intact in his body . . . intact in his finances . . . intact in his Torah.
Avraham Avinu, however, the paradigm of “chesed,” appealed to HKB”H: "ה' יראה אשר יאמר היום בהר ה' יראה". As the Midrash expounded, Avraham beseeched the Almighty to remember the Akeidah whenever Yitzchak’s descendants would sin in the future and to be compassionate. In other words, he wanted HKB”H to treat them with “rachamim”—divine mercy—even in Yerushalayim, until they would eventually perform sincere, complete teshuvah.
It appears that we can substantiate the claim that Shem the son of Noach embraced the policy of “din” based on the teaching in Pesach Eliyahu (Intro. 17b) that "צדק" refers to “midas hadin. Thus, it says of Yerushalayim (Yeshayah 1, 21): "צדק ילין בה"—“tzedek” (righteousness) lodged in her; and the Zohar hakadosh (Nasso 137b) teaches that “midas hadin” prevails in Yerushalayim more so than in any other place, since it is the residence of the King.
Accordingly, Shem the son of Noach was called Malkitzedek, because according to his opinion the governance of Yerushalayim should be based on “midas hadin”—an expression of “tzedek.” In this manner, we can interpret the words “and Malkitzedek, King of Shaleim” as follows: He was called Malkitzedek, because the governance in Yerushalayim was based on “midas hadin.” Hence, as the king, he named Yerushalayim Shaleim, indicating that one must behave with the utmost integrity and propriety there.
