Ask The Rabbi

Ask The Rabbi

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Names of G-d in written publications

Shalom:
Many non-religious Jews do not know the prohibition on throwing away books or other written materials that contain the name of G-d.
There are many books on various aspects of Judaism that continue to be written and read by Jews and non-Jews alike that contain G-d’s name that I imagine are discarded after having been read..! May I offer a suggestion…That Rabbis around the World contact publishers of Jewish books and ask them to include a sentence similar to this one: “Please do not throw away this book after reading it as it contains the name of G-d”. This request, coming from Rabbis would no doubt carry much weight. Thank you for your consideration.

To answer your question, we must first define the term “exile.” In secular terminology, exile is defined as ‘the state of being barred from one’s native country, typically for political or punitive reasons.’
This is not the true Jewish connotation of exile. The Torah concept of exile includes being sent out of our country, but not only. The land of Israel is not called ‘the Holy Land’ as a sentiment. It truly is holy, and when the first and second Temples, the Batei Mikdash, were standing, G-d’s presence was felt there by ongoing miracles. Exile for the Jewish people means that the Temples were desecrated, G-d’s presence was not manifested by these miracles, and as is still true today, even though many Jews live in Israel, thank G-d, many Jews still look to the nations of the world for approval, and there is not enough awareness of the Divine plan.
Regarding the fifth exile, there is much discussion among the commentaries, but the whole concept of exile can be on a spiritual plane, and does not have to involve being under the actual physical rule of a foreign power.

The important thing is, what are we doing to bring about redemption from our personal spiritual state of exile?

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