sheimos Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

15 11, 2020

Quilt Embroidered With Sheim HaShem

November 15th, 2020|Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Northwest, USA

We received a quilt with Jewish themed squares from a relative. Some of the printed fabric squares depict the Shema including Sheim HaShem spelled with two yodim as well as Elokeinu spelled out. Is this sheimot? Does the quilt need to go to the genizah, or at least those squares? Can one use it on a bed in a bedroom where one will be naked occasionally? I don’t know how the fabrics is made. It wasn’t hand-painted, but I don’t know how it was printed or dyed. Online a similar product is

12 10, 2020

Handling Sheimot That are Soaking Wet

October 12th, 2020|Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Maryland, USA

Unfortunately, we have some papers with sheimot on them that got sopping wet. If I pick them up the paper will certainly turn to mush and sheim HaShem will be destroyed. I can also wait for it to dry potentially and then put in sheimot but that requires leaving it on the ground. Thoughts?

ANSWER

There are definitely positions that mass printed papers made for disposal don’t have a din of sheimot. Although that is not the lekhatchilah position I take, it is worth keeping in mind.

25 09, 2020

Using Text of the Chumash for Blackout Poetry

September 25th, 2020|Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Riverdale, NY

Can I assign blackout poetry assignment for my chumash students to use the Torah text for their blackout poems — issues of blacking out God’s name. Do I just ensure the initial document is not sheimot? It would be black marker over printed paper so כתב על גבי כתב. I assume with English “God” vs. “G-d” is not nearly as big a deal as having אלהים.

ANSWER

Independent of the status of sheimot, the actual act of blacking our Gods name is deeply problematic religiously

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