From: yair@huha.cs.huji.ac.il (Yair Friedman)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Re: God's Hyphen (Re: Mezuzah question)
Keywords: Even if they *do* say Jehovah!
Date: 28 Dec 92 09:16:19 GMT
Reply-To: yair@cs.huji.ac.il
Organization: The Hebrew U. of Jerusalem, Computer Science Dep.
NNTP-Posting-Host: huha.cs.huji.ac.il

In article <1992Dec25.042131.11863@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, dkhaikin@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Dmitry Khaikin) writes:

|> >
|> >Besides which, I don't believe there is a "rule", or law, that
|> >one has to treat the names of God with the same respect when they
|> >are written with non-Hebrew (and non-Aramaic) letters.

In fact, it applies only to square hebrew letters (Ktav ashuri).
Writing on other fonts such as "ktav rashi" has some lesser status.

|> >Accordingly, one need not use the hyphen or change the spelling
|> >when writing them. I believe this applies even to permanent
|> >media, like paper and ink; kal v'chomer one needn't worry about
|> >it with an EPosting. Yes, changing the spelling is an appropriate
|> >and pious practice, but it's not a "rule". In this case, there is
|> >a strong reason to override that practice.
|> >
|> 
|> For the last comment - I already showed an alternative to what was
|> written.
|> As for the Name, well, is your name different if you write it in
|> some other language? No, it is not. But again it is just an opinion.

Not Really, God's name in other names has lesser status since languages
other than Lashon Ha Qodesh are secondary languages - punishment for
Babel torwer sin.

|> Another thing is that you can look at it as just pixels making an image
|> and not really being written. Well, it is an opinion again. I would not
|> complitelly agree though. For example, if you write His Name on a board
|> using a piece of chock, there is no possible way to connect all the
|> particles of chock, so, one might think that it could be ok too. Well,
|> maybe it is. But I think, what is important here is what you see and you
|> see G-d's name spelled out. 

The big difference is that computer media is not writing. Writing on a terminal
has a temorary status. When you write you know the characters will be erased
when you finish the page or move to other application.  Therefor if you
"write" something on your computer in Shabat you are not 'kotev' but
'make be patish'

|> It is just a modern way to write.
|> In any case, I think we should try to respect the Name as much as
|> possible. There would not be any problem if it was written
|> 'A-d-o-n-a-i'.

I am sorry, but I never understood the respect claim.  If I write
your name as Dmi-try, would I shoow more respect to you?

I know that if you write my name as Ya-ir I wouldn't feel more
respectable.

|> 
|> CHappy Chanukkahhhhh,
|> Dima

Hanuka already gone :(

|> --
|> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|>   "A word is worth one coin; silence is worth two."_____ The Talmud.
|>   "Silence is good everywhere, except in connection with Torah."____ The Zohar.
|>   dkhaikin@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu  ( Dmitry Khaikin, Columbus Ohio )

-- 
					Yair Friedman.
yair@cs.huji.ac.il
yair%cs@hujivms.BITNET
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish