Naming of a daughter

Can you please clarify the yekkish minhag regarding when to name a
daughter? Because I didn't give the name at the first kriyas Hatorah
afterwards, I was subject to ridicule by certain community members who
said that she doesn't have a neshama until she gets a name.


Alexander

R' Hamburger has a piece on this topic in SMA volume 1, entitled "The first time a mother who just gave birth goes to the synagogue on Shabbos." (I have never read it as I don't own the sefer). In the Madrich, he writes that the wife come to shul the first time approximately a month after childbirth (on Shabbos). The female child is named on this special Shabbos and not before. Besides for special Minhagim done in the Teffila on this Shabbos (like singing Simachim Bitzesam), the husband is a chiyuv for an Aliyah. After, the family makes a Kiddush. I believe the point of waiting thirty days is as follows. First, the wife can attend when the baby is named. Second, a child under thirty days may not (Chas V'shalom) live. (One does not sit Shiva for a child who is niftar under 30 days). Once thirty days has passed, the child is considered healthy (or perhaps viable is a better term) and is named. These reasons are my own conjecture and I am not sure if they are correct. As far as your child having a Neshama: Perhaps people who have no knowledge of such mystical topics should not discuss them and should instead examine themselves. We Yekkes merely follow our Torah and Massorah which states that “The hidden are for Hashem, our God, but the revealed are for us and our children forever, to carry out all the words of this Torah.”
Mazel Tov,
Daniel

Obviously a living child has a neshomo, that is what makes them alive. It seems like the ridiculers may have a name and neshomo, but are lacking in seichel and sensitivity.

If they stated that the baby has no neshomo before it gets a name, that seems totally wrong, and someone who would say that is lacking in understanding.

It seems like they may be alluding to a possibly Kabbalistic notion re a certain part/segment of a neshomo and a name coming together. One wonders however, if they are so concerned about such a thing, why do they, according to their custom, wait until a day with krias haTorah to give a name, why don't they name the child immediately upon birth? Evidently even they wait.....so your minhog waits a bit longer.....so it's just a question of how long to wait....so who are they to cast aspersion? I am sure that the Minhag Ashkenaz has sound reason behind it, let alone the weight of the holy mesorah of Ashkenaz. The scoffers should keep quiet and you should stand steadfast, as brought in Shulchan Oruch, that 'al yisbayeish bifnei hamaligim...' (do not be embarrassed before the scoffers that scoff at him in his service of Hashem).

Biezras Hashem you will have much nachas and the scoffers will regret and repent from their improper remarks.

Litvak