Ask The Rabbi

Ask The Rabbi

category:  Chassidut

Names of G-d in written publications

The Rav Name: Rabbi Yitzchak Arad

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.

Shalom and thank you for your question! Your concern about mistreatment (accidental or otherwise,) of God’s Name, (or for that matter other holy content such as complete sentences from the Torah,) is very valid and much appreciated. Many Torah publications actually do include statements such as you mentioned.

It is worthwhile sharing your thoughts on this subject on the many available forms of social media, to increase awareness about the subject.

Another option is to email the publishers directly to raise their awareness. Additionally, the topic of ‘Genizah’ or ‘Shaimos’ can be mentioned. As you point out, people may be disposing of these things,G-d forbid. It is definitely a good idea to inform people that in their nearsst orthodox synagogue, there is usually a collection point for used Torah literature. The holy material gets taken away from time to time and buried in a special manner.

If a person does not have such an option, he may bury such material himself, double wrapped in plastic, but it’s best to consult a Rabbi for details relevant to the situation.

Wishing you all the best…

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