קבלה אויף שמות 3:14

(The matter of the Divine names and principles pertaining to them)
60. [When our teacher Moshe was about to go down to Egypt to redeem the children of Israel, he asked God,⁶¹Exodus 3:13 “Now, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your forefathers sent me to you,’ and they will ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I say to them?” He was asking to know the Essential Name HaShem-יהו"ה, which is called Shem HaEtzem-the Name of His Essential Self. Since this Name cannot be grasped by any being other than HaShem-יהו"ה Himself, HaShem-יהו"ה did not fulfill his request, but instead answered, “I shall be as I shall be – אהי"ה אשר אהי"ה.”]⁶²See at length in Ginat Egoz of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Vol. 1, The Gate of Intrinsic Being (Shaar HaHavayah), section on Eheyeh-אהי״ה. In Midrash Rabba, our sages, of blessed memory explained,⁶³Midrash Rabbah, Shemot, Parasha 3. “HaShem-יהו"ה said to Moshe, ‘You wish to know My name? [In My relationship to My world] I am called according to my deeds. I may be called El Shaddai-א"ל שד"י, Tzvaoth-צבאות, Eloh”im-אלהי"ם or HaShem-יהו"ה. When I judge the creatures, I am called Eloh”im-אלהי"ם, when I battle the wicked, I am called Tzvaoth-צבאות, when I suspend the sins of man, I am called⁶⁴The Lunar year consists of 354 days. The forty days from the beginning of the month of Elul are days of Judgement. Minus these days, there are the 314 days of the rest of the year, the numerical value of Shaddai-שד"י-314. El Shaddai-א"ל שד"י and when I have mercy upon My world, I am called HaShem-יהו"ה.’” In His relationship with His world the name HaShem-יהו"ה always denotes the quality of mercy, as stated, “HaShem-יהו״ה, HaShem-יהו״ה is a merciful and gracious God.”⁶⁵Exodus 34:6 This is the meaning of “I shall be as I shall be,”⁶⁶Exodus 3:14 that is “I will be called according to my deeds.” (The sages stated that also the names of the angels correspond to their mission, and differ accordingly.)⁶⁷Rashi, Genesis 32:30 based on Midrash Rabbah, Bereshit, Parsha 78.

[Sec. 20] 42. There exist “palaces” and “garments” for these Names. They are the ten [divine] Names which are not to be erased. The Name for Keter is Ehyeh.²⁷Cf. Exod. 3:14. This [Name] indicates the sublimity of Keter, which is to be revealed in the future but which has not [yet] been revealed at all.²⁸Cf. Zohar III, 152a, in which the righteous, in time to come, will be destined to look upon the “soul of the soul” of the Torah, which is identified with Keter. Therefore this Name is pronounced according to its letters, since its pronunciation teaches its sublimity. This Name appertains to Keter from the aspect of Binah [inherent] within it. From the aspect of Ḥokhmah [inherent] within it, its name is the four[-letter] Name. It itself has neither name nor vowel.

Know therefore, that the act of the upper name Eheye”h-אהי״ה, is one of complete mercies-Rachamim. That is, this is the name that acts with goodness, freely bestowing beneficence as a gift, and is not merciful merely in accordance with judgment, but solely out of pure mercies-Rachamim, in accordance with the verse,²⁶⁵Exodus 33:19 “I shall call out with the name HaShem-יהו״ה before you; I shall show favor to whomever I shall show favor, and I shall show mercy to whomever I shall show mercy.”²⁶⁶See Talmud Bavli, Brachot 7a – “Even though he is not worthy.” That is “to whomever I choose to show favor,” and “to whomever I show mercy,” all is according to the desire-Ratzon-רצון that no created being has any knowledge of. It is through the quality of this name Eheye”h-אהי"ה, which is completely merciful-Rachamim, that they left Egypt.²⁶⁷See Exodus 3:14