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Writing
Divine Names
QUESTION:
WHY DO YOU NOT SPELL OUT "G-O-D"? Something wrong with that?
> David
ANSWER
: The source for this custom is Deuteronomy 12:3-4. In verse 3, the Israelites
were commanded that when they entered the Land of Canaan, they were to destroy
the pagan alters, pillars, idol-trees and idol-statues, and to destroy the
NAMES of the idols from that place. Then verse 4 says, "You shall not do so to
the L-rd your G-d."
In practical terms, this means in part that we should take precautions so that
printings or inscriptions of names of G-d will not come to be "desecrated" -
erased, torn, destroyed, or otherwise treated disrespectfully. This applies to
a name of the One True G-d in ANY language. Books of scriptures or prayer books
are usually treated with proper respect, so it is not a problem to print a
Divine name in such books. But other types of printings could easily come to be
thrown away, so in that case it is best if a Divine name of G-d is not written
out completely. Then the real forming of the holy name is within our mind, and
not on the actual page.
More generally, it is proper to shown this respect for G-d's printed names,
because it is an expression of the awe and fear of G-d which we should have.
If one has a document that contains a name of G-d but which is no longer
needed, it is best to set it aside in a safe place so that it will not be
thrown into the garbage, etc. When one accumulates a number of such items and
they need to be disposed of, it is considered to be appropriate to respectfully
bury them, so they will decompose within the ground.
Although an image on a computer monitor is not considered a permanent
inscription that needs to be guarded, the concern is with the pages that may be
printed out. |
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