A short Insight into Judges, Chapter 17 By Rabbi Nisson Dov Miller

The B'er Moshe paints a picture for us of Micha, the central figure of our perek. As is clear from the beginning of our introduction to Micha, at first Micha was an upstanding Jew. When his mother gave him silver to make an idol, Michah refused. Only some time after his mother made the idol herself did Micha succumb and eventually became dependent on idol worship. When he was an “ish kasher” - “an upstanding man' he was called Michayahu, concluding with three of the four letters of Hashem's name “Yud- Kay- Vav- Kay”. After he began idol worship, though, the “yud” and “vav” are truncated from the end of his name. From then on he is referred to as Michah.