Many people have the custom to recite at the end of the Amida a verse which is associated with their names. They recite a verse that starts with the first letter of their name, and which ends with the last letter of their name.
The earliest source for this practice is a remark by Rashi, in his commentary to the Book of Micha (6:9), where he parenthetically observes that it is customary to recite such a verse each day, and doing so saves a person from punishment in Gehinam. (Although, Rashi does not mention reciting this verse specifically in the Amida; he writes simply that the verse is recited each day.)
This custom is mentioned later by the Elya Rabba (Rav Eliyahu Shapiro of Prague, 1660-1712), in Siman 123, where he writes that he observed people following this practice, and adds that this saves one from Hibut Ha’keber – suffering in the grave. The Elya Rabba comments that he saw this custom mentioned in a source to which he refers with the abbreviation "Bet" "Yod." Many assumed that the Elya Rabba speaks of the Bet Yosef, but in truth, this custom appears nowhere in the Bet Yosef. The Kisur Shulhan Aruch (Rav Shlomo Gantzfried, Ukraine, 1804-1886) cites the Elya Rabba (in Siman 18) and mentions as its source the abbreviation "Kaf" Yod," instead of "Bet Yod," referring to a "Ketab Yad" – a handwritten manuscript. It appears that this is what the Elya Rabba meant, and later copyists mistakenly wrote the letter "Bet" instead of "Kaf."
In any event, this practice is mentioned by several other scholars, as well, including the Shela (Rav Yeshaya Horowitz, d. 1630), in Kisur He’Shela; the Kaf Ha’haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939), in Siman 123; and the Aruch Ha’shulhan (Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein of Nevarduk, 1829-1908).
The Hafetz Haim (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) does not mention this practice in his Mishna Berura, surprisingly enough, but he does discuss it in his famous work on the laws of Lashon Ha’ra (negative speech about other people), Shemirat Ha’lashon. There he offers a novel explanation for this custom, citing earlier works which state that reciting this verse each day helps ensure that one will remember his name in the next world, when standing judgment. The Hafetz Haim explains that one who regularly speaks Lashon Ha’ra about other people receives culpability for the sins committed by those about whom he spoke. And so when he is judged in the next world, he will be presented with all the sins committed by other people – the people about whom he spoke inappropriately during his lifetime. Therefore, the Hafetz Haim writes, one should recite each day a verse corresponding to his name to remind himself that he must ensure to have only one name in the next world, that he will not leave this world being held culpable for other people’s wrongdoing. And the way one ensures this is by avoiding Lashon Ha’ra. The Hafetz Haim adds that this is why it is customary to recite this verse specifically at the end of the Amida, in the paragraph of "Elokai Nesor," in which we pray for assistance in guarding our tongue against inappropriate speech about other people.
Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1924-1998) writes that according to the Hafetz Haim’s explanation of this custom, it should be observed by both men and women, for they both need this daily reminder to avoid Lashon Ha’ra. Rav Meir Mazuz (contemporary), however, noted sources indicating that the primary reason for this custom is to protect against punishment for the sins of Bittul Torah (wasting time which could be used for Torah learning), and Zera Le’batala (wasteful bodily emissions), both of which are unique to men. Therefore, this custom is relevant only for men. In later writings, however, Rav Mazuz conceded that this practice is relevant even for women. He noted that women are responsible to help their husbands avoid Bittul Torah, and women customarily recite the bedtime Shema, which is associated with the concern to avoid nocturnal emissions. In any event, the common custom is for both men and women to recite a verse associated with their names each day at the end of the Amida.
Most Siddurim instruct reciting this verse immediately before the second recitation of the verse, "Yiheyu Le’rason Imreh Fi." Some, however, instruct reciting this verse earlier, before "Lema’an Yehalsun Yedidecha," because of the Kabbalistic tradition, mentioned by the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) in Parashat Beshalah, that no interruption should be made in between the verses "Lema’an Yehalsun Yedidecha" and "Yiheyu Le’rason Imreh Fi." Nevertheless, most Siddurim – including, ironically, Siddurim which follow the rulings and customs of the Ben Ish Hai – instruct reciting this verse immediately before the second recitation of "Yiyehu Le’rason."
Interestingly enough, Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in a responsum in his Yabia Omer (vol. 9), cites a third view, from the work Me’oreh Or. The author of this work argued that since this custom is not mentioned in the Zohar or in any early Halachic works, there is no justification for disrupting "Elokai Nesor" to fulfill this custom, and therefore, those who wish to follow this practice should recite the verse only after stepping back and reciting "Oseh Shalom" (before the "Yehi Rason" prayer for the rebuilding of the Temple). Hacham Ovadia justifies the common practice, explaining that one may make an interruption in "Elokai Nesor" after completing the supplications, before concluding with the verse "Yiheyu Le’rason." (It should be noted, incidentally, that although there is some discussion as to the legitimacy of the author of Meoreh Or, as some claim that he was actually a heretic, Hacham Ovadia clearly felt he was a legitimate, upstanding Torah scholar. Hacham Ovadia’s son, Hacham Yishak, writes in his En Yishak that he saw his father’s copy of Meoreh Or, and Hacham Ovadia wrote in the beginning of the book that the author was not a heretic, and that those who make such a claim require atonement for smearing the reputation of a great Torah sage.)
Although there is a prohibition against reciting verses in the Tanach from memory, we generally rely on the position of the Bah (Rav Yoel Sirkis, Poland, 1561-1640) that verses which people know fluently may be recited from memory. Therefore, since people obviously know by heart verses which they recite every day, one may recite the verse corresponding to his name from memory.
One need not recite the same verse each day. One may recite any verse he chooses that has the same first and last letters as his name.
In conclusion, it is worth noting the observation made by the Shebet Ha’levi (Rav Shmuel Wosner, 1913-2015). He notes that if a custom developed to ensure that we remember our names – something which is deeply entrenched in our memory – then certainly we must make a special effort to retain our Torah knowledge. Torah is far more difficult to remember than our names – to put it mildly – and so if we make an effort to remember our names, then all the more so, we must make an effort to constantly learn and review so we remember our Torah when we live this world.
Summary: Many people have the practice to recite at the end of the Amida a verse which is associated with their names. They recite a verse that starts with the first letter of their name, and which ends with the last letter of their name. The commonly accepted custom is to recite this verse before the second recitation of the verse "Yiheyu Le’rason Imreh Fi" at the end of the Amida. This custom is observed by both men and women. One need not recite the same verse each day; one may recite any verse he chooses that has the same first and last letters as his name. Several sources mention that observing this custom helps one avoid harsh punishments in the afterlife.
