0

Jewish law takes extreme precaution when writing out Hashem's name. We famously have locations for placing old Siddurs and texts in order to keep Hashem's name and word in places of sanctity.

When it comes to hand-written scrolls, we find the opposite to be true. If a scroll for a Mezuzah or Tefillin is printed, we don't consider it Kosher as we establish the need for it to be done on animal parchment and written by hand.

My question, does destroying the printed name (printed being electronically) have the same sin weight as if you actively wrote out the name in the proper written form and on parchment paper?

Logically speaking, the act of writing out the name by hand is more personal and more of an activity than clicking a button and producing a print. I would think that the investment in creating the name print and then desecrating it would have a heavier weight on one's soul than if they nonchalantly printed the name on paper.

Does this logic make any sense or am is my rationality emphasizing the sin in the wrong fashion?

Improve this question
3
  • 1
    The isur of destroying Hashem's seems to be with any permanent medium as you see with siddurim or divrei torah printed from the internet. I do not see what your problem may be.
    – sabbahillel
    Commented Dec 25, 2017 at 14:02
  • I don't see any difference as to how the name is printed. Once it's on paper, it has a degree of holiness. As to what, exactly constitutes "shaimos" and how it can be disposed, that's a separate story that I think relates more to the general content and usage, not as to whether the name has been printed or hand-written.
    – DanF
    Commented Dec 25, 2017 at 18:07
  • 1
    @sabbahillel That you don't know that the form if writing may make a difference, hardly invalidates the question. In fact, there is solid reason to suspect this: see e.g. judaism.stackexchange.com/a/15863/8775.
    – mevaqesh
    Commented Dec 25, 2017 at 20:20

0

Reset to default