Re: Typing "Hashem" on the net

Michael J Broyde (relmb@emory.edu)
Wed, 28 Aug 1996 09:35:12 -0400 (EDT)

One writer while discussing whether the word god can be written out
quotes the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch stating:
> This does not only apply to the unique
> name of G-D but this also applies to any name that specifically refers
> to G-d. This does not only apply to Hebrew names of G-D but the names of
> G-d in ANY LANGUAGE. (Skipped text) It is also prohibited to write the
> name of G-d in any letter in any language. There are many that
> mistakenly write the names of G-d in German or they write Ad-ieu in
> French which means with G-d. This is strictly prohibited because
> eventually the letter ends up in the trash....
He then continues:

> As we see from his words writing ANY name of G-d in any language is
> prohibited. (As Rabbi Adlerstein pointed out Rabbi Solevechick was a
> competent posek and he apparently, at least according to Reb Hillel
> Markowitz's account, did not agree with this. He was in the minority and
> the majority opinion is that it is prohibited)

This misunderstands, I beleive, the approach of Rabbi Soloveitchik and the
many other poskim who agreed with his psak. They ruled that the English word
"god" is NOT a classical unique name for the the One above, but rather is
a generic term used for any diety, including for example the gods of
olympus or even in an adjectival sense of "a godly person." It was only
in those langugues that have unique words for the Almighty (like French)
that are always refernces to the One above that the kitzur is refering to.
English is not such a langugue.

In addition, there remains a fundamental dispute as to whether the halacha
really is in accordance with the psak of the kitzur shulchan aruch on this
matter. One can find a wealth of poskim -- early, late and modern -- who
rule that secular names for the One above are, even if unique -- are not
kodesh.

Michael Broyde