1אלו שמות שאין נמחקין הכותב אל"ף למ"ד אל"ף דל"ת יו"ד ה"י שדי צבאות אהיה אשר אהיה רבי יוסי אומר צבאות חול אמר ר"ש בן אלעזר של בית אגודה היו כותבין בירושלים והיו מוחקין צבאות שהיו נוהגין בו חול שנאמר (דברים כ׳:ט׳) ופקדו שרי צבאות בראש העם:
The following divine names may not be erased,1lit. ‘he who writes’. viz. Alef-lamed,2Pronounced ’El (God). Alef-daleth,3The first two letters of the divine name Alef-daleth-nun-yod (Lord). Yod-he,4The first half of the Tetragrammaton and also constituting a name of God, Yah. Shaddai,5Almighty. Ẓeba’oth,6[Lord of] hosts. ’Eheyeh ’asher ’Eheyeh.7‘I am that I am’ (cf. Ex. 3, 14). R. Jose says: Ẓeba’oth is a secular noun.8And may be erased. R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: The Aguddah9[H reads חגירה in agreement with j. Meg. 71d.] family, who were scribes in Jerusalem, used to erase Ẓeba’oth, because they treated it as a secular noun, as it is stated, Captains of hosts shall be appointed at the head of the people.10Deut. 20, 9. Here צבאית refers to the army of Israel.
2הכותב אל"ף למ"ד מארבע אותיות יו"ד ה"י מד' אותיות אינן נמחקין מפני שיש שמות כיוצא בהן שי"ן דל"ת משדי צבא מצבאות א׳ ה׳ מאהי' הרי אלו נמחקין מפני שאין שמות כיוצא בהן:
If one writes Alef-lamed of the four letters [of Alef-lamed-waw-he]11Meaning ‘God of’. or Yod-he of the four letters [of Yod-he-waw-he]12The Tetragrammaton. they may not be erased, because there are divine names corresponding to them.13אל and יה. Shin-daleth of Shin-daleth-yod (Shaddai) or Ẓadi-beth-alef of Ẓadi-beth-alef-waw-taw (Ẓeba’oth) or Alef-he of Alef-he-yod-he (’Eheyeh) may be erased, because there are no divine names corresponding to them.
3כל האותיות המשמשות לשם בין מלפניו בין מלאחריו הרי אלו נמחקין בה׳ כה׳ לה׳ וה׳ בכל"ו הרי אלו נמחקין וכיוצא בהן ומלאחריו אלהינו אלהיכם אלהיהם נ"ו כ"ם ה"ם הרי אלו נמחקין וכיוצא בהן ויש אומרים כ"ם מאלהיכם אינו נמחק:
All prefixes and suffixes connected with a divine name may be erased. [Prefixes such as] in the Lord, like the Lord, to the Lord, and the Lord [represented respectively by the letters] beth, kaf, lamed, waw and suffixes such as our God, your God, their God [represented respectively by the letters] nun-waw, kaf-mem, he-mem and others of the same kind, may be erased. Some Sages say: The kaf-mem of ‘your [God]’14And so also all other suffixes (cf. Y.D. 276, §9), because the divine name which precedes the suffix imparts sanctity to it (N.Y.). must not be erased.
4וכל שמות הדיוטות שאותיותיהם אותיות השם הרי אלו נמחקין כי יודע אלהים כי ביום אכלכם ממנו ונפקחו עיניכם והייתם כאלהים (בראשית ג׳:ה׳) הראשון קודש והשני חול כי ה׳ אלהיכם הוא אלהי האלהים (דברים י׳:י״ז) הראשון קודש והשני חול:
All ordinary nouns the letters of which are the same as those of a divine name may be erased.15Since they possess no sanctity [For instance in] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God,16Gen. 3, 5. the first [divine name] is sacred and the second17as God; according to the Targum it means ‘as angels.’ is secular; in For the Lord your God, He is God of gods,18Deut. 10, 17. the first19i.e. the first two, your God, He is God. is sacred and the second20of gods, signifying judges or princes. is secular.
5ואדני האדנים (שם) הראשון קודש והשני חול אלהי אברהם (בראשית ל״א:נ״ג) קודש ואלהי נחור (שם) חול אלהי אביהם (שם) חול אלהים לא תקלל (שמות כ״ב:כ״ז) משמע קודש וחול ר"ש אומר קודש (שנאמר) (בראשית ל״ג:י׳) כי על כן ראיתי פניך כראות פני אלהים הרי זה חול מחנה אלהים (שם לב) הרי זה קודש:
In Lord of lords,21Deut. 10, 17. the first is sacred and the second is secular; in the God of Abraham22Gen. 31, 53. it is sacred; in the God of Nahor23ibid.; Nahor did not worship the true God. it is secular; in the God of their father24ibid.; Terah (their father) was an idolater. it is secular. In Thou shalt not revile God25Ex. 22, 27. [the noun may bear] a sacred or secular meaning.26It may denote God or judges. R. Simeon maintains that the noun is sacred.27V inserts ‘as it says’ within brackets, the words being redundant. [H omits and reads ‘Ishmael’ instead of ‘Simeon’.] In Forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of God28Gen. 33, 10. the noun is secular;29Because it refers to an angel or prince. in God’s camp30ibid. XXXII, 3. the noun is sacred.
6כל השמות האמורים באברהם קודש חוץ מאחד שהוא חול שנא׳ (שם יח) ויאמר אדני אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך וי"א [קודש] (שם כ) ויהי כאשר התעו אותי אלהים ר׳ חנינא אחיו של ר׳ יהושע אומר קודש שאלולי אלהים כבר התעו אותי:
All the names [signifying God] mentioned in connection with Abraham are sacred, except one which is secular, viz. where it is stated, And he said: My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight.30a(30a) ibid. XVIII, 3. My lord was addressed to the leader of the three angels. Others say that it is sacred.31My Lord was addressed to God. In And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander32ibid. XX, 13. the name is secular.33So GRA. By ‘God’ is meant princes or rulers who were the cause of Abraham’s wanderings. R. Ḥanina the brother34[He reads ‘nephew’ in agreement with Shebu. 33b (Sonc. ed., p. 205). The correct form of the name is Ḥananiah, Bacher, Ag. d. Tannaiten, I, p. 385.] of R. Joshua maintains that it is sacred [since the verse means] that, had it not been for God,35Who protected him. they36The wicked rulers. would long ago have caused me to wander.37The verse will accordingly bear the following interpretation: And it came to pass, when they (the wicked men) caused me to wander, God of my father’s house was with me (to help me). [For various interpretations of the verse, cf. Midrash Rabbah, Genesis, LII, §11 (Sonc. ed., I, p. 457).]
7כל השמות האמורים בלוט חול חוץ מהאחרון (שם יט) ויאמר לוט אליהם אל נא אדני. כל השמות האמורים במיכה חול ר׳ יוסי אומר ביו"ד ה"י קודש באל"ף למ"ד חול חוץ מבית האלהים (אשר) בשילה (שופטים י״ח:ל״א) וכל השמות האמורים בנבות קודש חוץ מברך נבות אלהים ומלך (מלכים כא) וכל השמות האמורים בגבעת בנימין ר׳ אליעזר אומר חול ר׳ יהושע אומר קודש אמר לו רבי אליעזר וכי היאך (יכול) אפשר שהמקום מבטיח ואינו עושה אמר לו ר׳ יהושע המקום (כבר) מבטיח ועושה :
All [divine] names mentioned in connection with Lot are secular38There is only one secular name in the Lot passages. The Tetragrammaton, which is of course sacred, occurs twice. The word ‘all’ is not intended to be taken literally (cf. N.Y.). except the last, viz. And Lot said unto them: Oh, not so my Lord.39Gen. 19, 18. Lot’s address to the angels is taken to end at not so, and then his petition to God begins, My Lord, behold, etc. [So the Targum and Shebu. 35b (Sonc. ed., pp. 205f).] All [divine] names mentioned in the story of Micah40Judg. 17f. are secular. R. Jose says: When they begin with Yod-he41The Tetragrammaton. they are sacred, but when with Alef-lamed42The word for ‘God’. they are secular except in the phrase the house of God was in Shiloh.43ibid. XVIII, 31. All the [divine] names which occur in the story of Naboth are sacred except in the sentence Naboth did curse god44Referring to one of the strange gods introduced by Jezebel. E.V. God. and king.451 Kings 21, 13. All the [divine] names which occur in the narrative of Gibeah of Benjamin46Judg. 20f. are secular according to R. Eliezer, but R. Joshua says: They are sacred. R. Eliezer said to him, ‘Is it possible that the Omnipresent would promise [victory]47According to Judg. 20, 18, 23 God told Israel to wage war against Benjamin, which implied that they would be victorious. and not fulfil?’48Israel was defeated on both occasions (ibid. 21, 25). R. Joshua replied, ‘The Omnipresent promises and fulfils’.49The Israelites did not appreciate that on the first two occasions God only told them that they may go to war but promised no victory. Only on the third occasion were they assured that Benjamin would be delivered into their hands (ibid. XX, 28). [37a]
8אספרה אל חוק (תהילים ב׳:ז׳) הרי זה (קודש וחכ"א הרי [זה]) חול אל אלהים בציון (שם פד) הראשון חול והשני קודש להלוך אל אל במשפט (איוב ל״ד:כ״ג) הראשון חול והשני קודש עמנואל (ישעיה ז) ועמנו אל (שם ח) הראשון (נחלק) [חול] והשני קודש הראשון [אינו] נחלק והשני (אינו) נחלק:
In I will tell [’El] of the decree50Ps. 2, 7. the word ’El51Heb. אל with a difference of vowels may mean ‘God’ or ‘to’. is sacred;52The sense of the text being ‘I will tell God of the decree’. but the Sages maintain that it is secular.53The text means, as in E.V., I will tell of the decree. In ’el God in Ẓion54Ps. 84, 8. the first is secular55’El meaning before (E.V.). and the second is sacred. In When he should go ’el God in judgment56Job 34, 23. the first is secular and the second [’Elohim] is sacred. In the case of Immanuel57Isa. 7, 14. and Immanu’el58ibid. VIII, 8. the first is secular59Being the name of a child. and the second60Meaning ‘God is with us’. is sacred. The first must not be divided61Into two words, since it forms a single name. but the second is divided.62Because it consists of two separate words, עמנו (with us) אל (God). The reading adopted here is that of H and N.Y.
9ויהי כאשר התעו אותי אלהים (בראשית כ׳:י״ג) ומי אל כמוך (מיכה ז) הראשון חול והאחרון קודש תאשם שומרון כי מרתה באלהיה (הושע י״ד:א׳) הרי זה קודש רבי נתן אומר בבית אלהיו (שם ט) הרי זה קודש ואתה באלהיך תשוב (שם יב) הרי זה קודש אלהים נצב בעדת אל בקרב אלהים ישפט (תהלים פב) משמש קודש וחול יסגירני אל אל עויל (איוב ט״ז:י״א) הראשון קודש והשני חול כי אל אל (העמוד) [האמר] נשאתי (שם לד) הראשון חול והשני קודש ואמר ר"א בנו של ר"י הגלילי ואל יהי מקום (לשועתי) [לזעקתי] (שם טז) יש לאל ידי (בראשית ל״א:כ״ט) ואין לאל ידך (דברים כ״ח:ל״ב-ל״ג) בהיות לאל ידך (משלי ג׳:כ״ז) אל (מותי) [מות] (שם ב) כולם חול ואלהים אמר לבהלני (דברי הימים ב ל״ה:כ״א) קודש חדל לך מאלהים אשר (עמדי) [עמי] (שם) קודש כדברי ר' יוסי בר יהודה אלוהים זדים קמו עלי (תהלים פו) קודש אלא שהקורא צריך שיהא מפסיק בקריאתו אלהים. זדים קמו עלי. אבל רחום וחנון ארך אפים ורב חסד מלך מלכים מרומם גדול עליון צדיק וישר חסיד תמים גבור הרי אלו נמחקין והמקלל בהן עצמו וחבירו חייב גוים ומתים אחד חייב דיין ונשיא חייב שתים וי"א על הנשיא חייב שלש המקלל (בהן) אביו [ואמו] בשם המיוחד הרי זה טעון סקילה ועל הכינויים הרי הוא באזהרה:
[In the verses] And it came to pass when they63Foreign princes or rulers. E.V. God. caused me to wander, God, etc.,64Gen. 20, 13. Cf. Rule 6 above. and Which god65E.V. who is a God. is like unto Thee66Micah 7, 18. the first67The pronoun ‘they’ in Gen. 20, 13 and god in Micah 7, 18. are sacred and the second68God in Gen. and Thee in Micah. are secular. [The divine name in] Samaria shall bear her guilt, for she hath rebelled against her God69Hos. 14, 1. is sacred. R. Nathan says: [In the phrase] in the house of his God70ibid. IX, 8. it is sacred. In therefore turn thou to thy God71ibid. XII, 7. it is sacred. In God standeth in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges72The Heb. has the divine name. He judgeth73Ps. 82, 1. it is used as sacred74In God standeth. and secular.75In the sense of ‘judges’. In God delivereth me to76Heb. אל (to) which has the same consonants as the word for ‘God’. the ungodly77Job 16, 11. the first is sacred and the second78’el in the sense of ‘to’. is secular. In For hath any said unto God: I have borne79ibid. XXXIV, 31. the first [’el] is secular and the second sacred.R. Eleazar the son of R. Jose the Galilean said:80So M. V and H read ‘and R. Eleazar … said’. [In the verses] And let my cry have no81Heb. ’al, the same consonants as for the name of God. resting-place;82Job 16, 18. It is in the power83Gen. 31, 29. The Heb. for power (’el) equals the divine name. of my hand; And there shall be nought in the power of thy hand;84Deut. 28, 32. When it is in the power of thy hand;85Prov. 3, 27. Unto death,86ibid. II, 18; unto is ’el in Heb. all [the words whose consonants are the same as those for God] are secular. In God hath given command to speed me872 Chron. 35, 21. it is sacred. In Forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me88ibid. it is sacred according to R. Jose b. Judah. In O God, the proud are risen up against me89Ps. 86, 14. it is sacred but the reader must pause in reading [after God]:90In the absence of the pause, the adjective proud might erroneously be taken as qualifying God. God, the proud are risen up against me.[The terms] merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abounding in lovingkindness, king, kings, exalted, great, Most High, righteous and upright, pious, perfect, mighty, may be erased.91Although attributed to God, they do not possess the sanctity of the divine name. He who curses himself or his neighbour by [any of] these92Using any of these attributes instead of the divine name. incurs guilt. [If he curses] heathens or the dead no guilt93So M and N.Y. V and H read ‘guilty of one [offence]’. is incurred. [If he curses] a judge or a prince he incurs twofold guilt;94Since a judge or prince must not be cursed as any other person, and as men holding offices of responsibility. according to others he incurs threefold guilt for cursing a prince.95The two mentioned in the preceding note, and a third because the Heb. word for ‘judge’ in the text is identical with the divine name. If a person curses his father or mother with the Tetragrammaton96lit. ‘the distinguished name’. he is liable to the penalty of stoning,97Cf. Lev. 24, 14. Stoning is one of the major penalties imposed by a court. but if only with the attributes he is liable to a warning.98i.e. he is guilty of transgressing a negative commandment, the penalty of which is scourging with thirty-nine stripes.
