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People often say "Elokim" instead of "Elohim" when speaking in order to avoid taking God's name in vain. I have observed, however, that some people always substitute the word "elokim" for "elohim" even if they are not specifically talking about Hashem. For example, I have heard the posuk quoted,

לא יהיה לך אלוקים אחרים על פני

You shall have no other gods before me

I also have often heard the word "keil" substituted for "eil" when the word does not refer to God. Is this an error on the part of the person speaking, or is there some real reason why one should substitute these words?

In Likutei Sichos 22 page 453, the Lubavitcher Rebbe writes

מורגל בפי העולם לומר אלקים אחרים (בקו"ף, אף שמדובר בעבודה-זרה). ואולי יש לקשר עם פירוש הרמב"ן דברים (כא, כב) כנען כו' שחשש כו

I take this to mean that this is a widespread custom, and he makes a possible connection to something from the Ramban.

Clarification: The Ramban that is quoted comes from Ramban's commentary to Deuteronomy chapter 21, verse 22.

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  • 6
    it seems to be an error since i think a sofer can erase it.
    – ray
    Commented May 29, 2013 at 17:46
  • 5
    And I think it's an error.
    – Seth J
    Commented May 29, 2013 at 17:53
  • 1
    Did you hear it from anyone of stature?
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented May 29, 2013 at 18:24
  • 2
    @Daniel Finding/including such a detail would help a potential answerer know how strong a 'defense' of such practice he ought to aim to mount.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented May 29, 2013 at 18:45
  • 2
    I once read or heard somewhere that the Lubavitcher Rebbe would always say Elokim Acherim, based on the Tanya that explains that everything gets its life-giving force from G-d, even Impurity, and the definition of Elokim Acherim is that that they receive their life from the Achorayim aspects of G-d's life-giving force. -- See that Tanya here chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tDate=9/20/2013 -- I don't remember where I saw it though, it might have been somewhere on this site.
    – Menachem
    Commented May 29, 2013 at 22:13

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