Shalom and thank you for your question! You wish to find a respectful way of dealing with Jewish books that have HaShem’s name in them, and this is definitely correct according to Jewish law. Jewish history is replete with stories of self sacrifice that Jews have done to save holy Jewish objects such as Torah scrolls and precious manuscripts, including hair-raising stories involving fire and water. Jewish law enumerates categories of items that have been used for holy purposes, and how to deal with them. This includes items that have been used for prayer and study.
These actually constitute a long list, which includes:
Torah scrolls and their coverings, Mezuzah scrolls and their wrappings and cases, the cloth Ark covering, and many more items. Additionally. written or printed material containing G-d’s name, or three consecutive words of a biblical verse, when written on one line with the intent to quote the verse, and other Torah ideas and laws. This includes schoolwork, homework and test papers with Torah content, according to some opinions.
The language may be Hebrew, Braille, or any other language.
There are two categories of holy objects:
1. Those that have been used to perform a Mitzvah directly, such as a Shofar, (ram’s horn,) used on Rosh haShana and the month before it, or the fringes on a prayer shawl, (Tallit,) called Tzizti, and more.
2. Objects that have been used as accessories to the Mitzvah, such as the inner wrapping of a Mezuzah scroll or the covering of a Torah scroll, and more.
The first category of items may actually be disposed of, but in a respectful way, by double wrapping them in paper or plastic beforehand.
The second category, namely the accessories, actually have to be buried, just as
the Torah scrolls, Mezuzahs, and holy reading material do.
In a talk on the Torah portion of Pinchas, the Lubavitcher Rebbe points out the importance of the allotment of Tribal inheritance in the Holy Land, while the Jews were still in the desert. The allotment was done in a manner similar to today’s voting booths, and the ballot cards were made of wood. Tribal members approached the ballot box and drew out a ‘card’, which miraculously shouted out the specific allotment. The Rebbe teaches us that we can learn from this miraculous procedure that the preparation for a Mitzvah, (in this case inheriting the Holy Land of Israel,) is at least as important as the Mitzvah itself! This gives us a little insight as to why we must relate with such respect even to the accessories of holy objects.
Pictures of holy individuals are not technically considered holy objects, but should be treated respectfully also.
Computer disks, pictures without text, audio or video materials, and kippot, may be discarded. Misprints which were not actually used for learning may be double wrapped and disposed of, and it is desirable to try and prevent this happening as much as possible.
There are magazines and newspapers which have columns dealing with Jewish law or other Torah topics. One option is to remove these columns and put them in ‘Shaimos’, (literally ‘Names’, meaning Holy names, referring to holy reading material which is designated for burial.) Another option is to double wrap these papers and magazines and discard them.
Care should be taken not to include items in Shaimos which should not be there. The above constitutes some of the basic laws and customs concerning this topic.
To answer your question on a practical level, it depends on where you live. Some synagogues or Jewish communal organizations arrange burial for holy materials that require it, sometimes there is a fee due to costs involved.
It is worthwhile contacting your closest orthodox community Rabbi, or Chabad emissary, for more exact information pertaining to your situation, and in fact for many other issues that may come up in your new dwelling place, and for Jewish support and companionship in general!
The Lubavitcher Rebbe would bless people who were about to move with this blessing: “A change of place is a change of fortune, for good and for blessing!”
