Many people are not familiar with the halachos of shaimos. The problem with the volume of shaimos, only developed fairly recently with the advent of cheap, commonly utilized printing methods. After reviewing these halachos one will have a clear understanding of what is indeed shaimos and how to properly dispose of them.

The posuk[1] tells us that there is a requirement upon all of klal yisroel to destroy and break any idol, and to remove their names from our midst, and one is forbidden to do this to Hashem’s name. The issur to destroy or break a name of Hashem is called Lo Sason Kein L’Shem Elokaycheim.” The Gemorah[2] says that included in this issur is the prohibition to erase the name of Hashem. The Rambam[3] says that whoever destroys any of Hashem’s names receives malkos. The Chinuch[4] says the reason for this mitzvah is in order to come to fear Hashem. Whoever is not careful with the kedusha of seforim will have to give a din and chesbon over it after 120 years.[5]

If one gives the right respect to something which deserves to be buried then Hashem will have compassion on us and He will make sure that klal yisroel does not get destroyed.[6] The Mishnah[7] says if one honors the Torah then he will be honored and liked by the world.

There is a big discussion in the poskim if something is not hand written but rather printed if it has kedusha.[8] The consensus of the poskim is that it is equal to being hand written.

The Names of Hashem

As previously mentioned one is forbidden to erase the name of Hashem. Those names are:שם הויה, אדנות, א-ל, א-לוה, אל-הים, ש-די, צב-אות.[9] These names are required to be put into shaimos.[10] Rachum, Chanun, Hagodel Hagibbur are not required to be placed in shaimos.[11] There is a dispute if the name of Hashem in English (G-d) may be erased.[12] The following does not need geniza and one may throw items containing these names in the garbage.[13] Writing a Daled,[14] Hashem (in English or Hebrew),[15] Hakodesh Boruch Hu,[16] B’ezras Hashem[17] and writting BS’D (bais samach daled).[18] Some are careful and did not write a BS’D on top of a letter.[19] Some question if writing a kuf instead of a heh does not require shaimos, but the minhag is to be lenient.[20] There is a dispute in theposkim if one writes the letters Bais and Heh if they require to be put into shaimos. Some were careful about writing these letters on top of a letter if they will be thrown away.[21] The overwhelming custom is to permit the writing of bais and hey on top of a letter even if the letter will be thrown away[22] (but not in a disgraceful place).[23] This is how the Brisker Rav was noheg as well.[24] Writing the name Eibishtar is permitted and does not need to be put into shaimos.[25] Many say even if one breaks up the letters of a name ofHashem by placing a hyphen between the letters, it still requires geniza,[26] while others are lenient.[27] According to the lenient opinion, if one is concerned that the writing may end up in a disgusting location he should hyphenate the name of Hashem (for example G-d).[28] Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l was stringent with hyphenated Hashem’s name.[29] When writing the numbers in Hebrew of 16 and 17 the minhag is to write tes vov and tes zayin instead of yud heh, and yud vov.[30] (One should not say Hashem’s name even in English for no reason.[31] When one says “thank G-d” it is not considered saying Hashem’s name for no reason since it is the derech for people to say it and he does not have intention of Hashem’s name to be mentioned per ‘se).[32]

Sending out Papers with Hashem’s Name

One should not send out advertisements with the name of Hashem written on it because most people just throw it in the garbage without knowing they are not allowed to and it comes to a disgrace. Many organizations do this and it is not correct.[33] One may do so if one is not writing the complete name.[34]

Chocolate “Gelt”

During Chanukah chocolate gelt is available on the market which says “in G-d we Trust” on it. The question arises how one is allowed to eat it since he is erasing the name of Hashem (albeit in a different language) This does not make a difference according to someposkim.[35] Some say l’chatchilah one should not purchase such chocolates, however, if they were purchased already they can be eaten since when one eats it that is not considered erasing since it is the normal manner to eat it.[36] Others say one can purchase it even l’chatchilah and rely on those poskim who maintain the name of Hashem written in a different language is permitted to be erased. This seems to be the custom of most people.[37] There is a custom to give a child who is getting his hair cut by his upsherin a piece of cake with honey and a posuk written on it.[38] The reason for it is to open the child’s heart to Torah by licking the honey and eating the cake.[39] Some say that one may eat the piece of cake that contains a posuk because it is made for that purpose and has nokedusha.[40] Others took issue with this and did not permit it.[41]

Lights with Hashems Name

Some poskim maintain that lights which spell out the name of Hashem are permitted to be turned off and it is not considered that one is erasing the name of Hashem.[42]

The Name Shalom

Shalom is a name of HHHNJashem,[43] therefore it should be treated with more kedusha than other names that people are called. One may not greet someone in an inner bathhouse by calling out Shalom.[44] Many are lenient with this and simply drop off the last letter of Shalom.[45] Some maintain if a person is writing Shalom on a letter it should be abbreviated and written either without the mem or without the vov,[46] while others maintain this is not necessary.[47] If one is writing Shalom as a greeting, then he may write it in the regular way (Shalom).[48]

Tapes/Discs/Computer

Many times one has tapes with Hashems name recorded on it and after a while he wants to copy over the tape (or a C.D) in order to copy something else on to it.  If one wants to copy over it he should let a goy do it for him or a young child.[49] Some say he can do it himself and it is not considered erasing Hashems name since there is no real substance to the words on the tape.[50] Horav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l said other Torah should be copied over a Torah tape.[51] If there is no posuk or name of Hashem many poskim are lenient to erase it.[52] These tapes when finished with them may be thrown in the garbage.[53] Others say one should wrap the tape in a bag prior to throwing it out.[54] One should initially try not to record any of Hashem’s names on a tape.[55] One is permitted to erase the name of Hashem or a posuk that is written on a computer screen since it is not considered erasing.[56] Divrei Torah written in microscopic letters or on microfilm should be treated with the same kedusha as a regular sefer. If one cannot put it in shaimos he should wrap it in a bag before discarding it.[57]

Writing Torah on a Blackboard

Many times a teacher writes Torah on a blackboard. Some poskim say that they can write Torah and erase it, since the intention is to write more Torah on the blackboard.[58] Some say the reason why it is permitted is because there is an unspoken condition made that no kedusha should be placed on this Torah.[59] The eraser is not required to be put into shaimos.[60] One is not allowed to erase something on a blackboard that contains the name of Hashem.[61] The custom seems to be, to permit the erasing of BS’D (in Hebrew) on top of a blackboard.[62]

Seforim

The Magen Avraham[63] says just as a sefer Torah which is unusable needs to be put into a earthenware utensil and buried, so too regarding seforim. The minhag is not like this Magen Avraham.[64] A T’nach, Gemorah, Mishnayos, Siddur, Halacha, or Mussar sefer[65] that is unusable has to be put into shaimos.[66]

Horav Moshe Feinstien zt”l[67] said an old sefer of Torah Sh’bal Peh may be thrown out if it becomes unusable (if it does not contain the name of Hashem).[68] The reason is because Torah Sh’bal Peh only has kedusha if one is learning from it. Once the initial use is gone one may throw it out. This is a big chiddush and he says it is only true if the gedolim in Eretz Yisroel would agree with him. The gedolim in Eretz Yisroel hold one may not rely on this, and chas v’sholom to throw an old Gemorah etc in the garbage.[69] Horav Moshe zt”lhimself never paskined to throw out an unusable Gemorah etc. as a matter of halacha l’maseh.[70]

Some say if a new, corrected version of a  sefer is published, the old one may be put into shaimos.[71] One should not place a sefer which one does not want to bind into shaimos, rather he should see to it that it is bound.[72] A bookmark that was used for a sefer may be thrown in the garbage.[73] A sefer that was never used may be placed in shaimos because it does not have kedusha.[74] If a page of a Gemorah ripped out and one would not use the rest of the Gemorah one may put the sefer into shaimos.[75] When the binding of asefer falls off it should be put into shaimos.[76] Many times the string that a sefer was bound with comes off. These strings require to be put into shaimos since they were in the sefer for a long period of time it is considered as part of the sefer.[77]

One who writes mareh mekomos on a paper which only he can read does not have to be placed into shaimos.[78] Some say this refers to a sheet which has mareh mekomos for a shiur without any halacha or gemorah on them.[79]

Children who come home with Torah sheets from Yeshiva should place them in shaimos.[80] Others say one can be lenient and place them in a plastic bag in the garbage.[81]

Rough Drafts

Many poskim dealt with the problem they had at hand which was the printer’s rough drafts. The printers would make rough drafts that were full of errors. They would correct them trying to produce a final draft. The question many poskim dealt with is what to do with the rough drafts. After a while they had hundreds of these drafts. Eventually the place to store them became very scarce and a solution was needed.

Some poskim suggested that the rough drafts be burned since it costs a lot of money to keep all these rough drafts around, and if they were not burnt then they would come to a greater disgrace by just lying around.[82] Nonetheless, many poskim disagreed with this premise and said it is forbidden to burn any sefer[83] including rough drafts.[84] Throughout the years people have burnt seforim, but that was because the goyim would have done disrespectful acts to it and it would have come to a greater disgrace.[85]

Other poskim suggested that divrei Torah is only forbidden to be thrown out etc. if one has intention for the Torah to acquire kedusha. However, if one does not have that intention, then divrei Torah without the name of Hashem may be thrown away (not in a disgraceful manner, but put in the garbage wrapped in a plastic bag).[86] Therefore, according to this reasoning the printers should have in mind beforehand that these pages should not have kedusha, since these pages are not being learnt from and are just printed to correct.[87]  Some say no condition is needed because one does not have intention for these pages to last, only for one to look at the mistakes and to correct them.[88]

Others suggest one should get rid of it by a grama. A goy or child[89] should take them away even if they will be destroyed.[90] Accordingly, one would be able to take them and place them in front of one’s house for the garbage men to take. However, this is only true for shaimos which do not contain any of Hashems names in them. Many poskim did not like this idea, since doing so is considered destroying it with his own hands.

Many of the contemporary poskim say that today the above heterim do not apply and one should treat the rough drafts with kedusha. These heterim were used when the Torah would otherwise come to disgrace, this is not true today when we can place them intoshaimos.[91]

Newspapers

There are some poskim who wish to suggest that just as many hold that the printer’s drafts do not need to be placed in shaimos, so would be true regarding our journals and newspapers. They reason that since they are normally thrown out after a short period of time one would be able to discard them.[92] Others say to wrap it in a bag first.[93] Nonetheless, most poskim maintain that one may not discard a newspaper containing Torah.[94] The publishers have intent for one to learn from the Torah in the newspaper. Therefore, they are sanctified and a condition prior to the printing would not help to rid the newspaper of kedusha.[95]

Therefore, one should rip out the divrei Torah in the newspaper and place it in shaimos.[96] Although this may seem difficult with some papers whose Torah is spread throughout the newspaper one will get the hang of it eventually.[97]

Many poskim took strong issue with the fact that newspapers contain divrei Torah and they say a newspaper is not a place for Torah since many treat the Torah in a newspaper with disrespect by throwing it out etc.[98]

In conclusion, on this issue of newspapers, you see many people are not careful with this and throw out the newspapers with the divrei Torah in them. If one is going to throw out a newspaper containing divrei Torah (without the name of Hashem or a posuk)[99] he should wrap it in a bag and then put it outside together with the rest of the garbage and let the goyim take it away.[100]

Nonetheless, we are dealing with the honor of the Torah, and many poskim maintain that one should not throw out the divrei Torah, but rather one should place it in shaimos. This being the case one should try to do whatever he can in order to place the divrei Torah inshaimos. When putting the divrei Torah in shaimos you should cut it out of the paper. It is disrespectful to the shaimos if the whole paper is placed in shaimos.[101] One should be careful that the divrei Torah part of the newspaper is not on the floor.[102]

Book of the Missionaries

Many poskim maintain that a “book” of the missionaries which may contain a t’nach may be burnt and one should not keep this in his possessions.[103] Others maintain that one should place this sefer in shaimos.[104]

Recycling

Some poskim say one is permitted to recycle shaimos (without Hashems name) if one is doing so to write new seforim.[105] However, one would not be able to do this if the divrei Torah being recycled is going to be used for secular material or for toilet paper (common in Eretz Yisroel).[106] Nonetheless, most poskim disagree and hold one is forbidden to recycle divrei Torah for any reason whatsoever. The reason is because it is a great disgrace to the seforim or divrei Torah.[107]

Pesukim

One is forbidden to write a posuk if the object it is written on will come to a disgrace.[108] Therefore, one should refrain from writing a posuk in a newspaper since it will come to a disgrace.[109] Some say one should not write a posuk (i.e. la’yehudim etc) on themishloach manos for this reason.[110] Writing pesukim like kol sasson on invitations will be discussed below.

The custom is to write a posuk on a challah cover,[111] a tzedaka box[112]  or a becher[113] since these objects do not come to a disgrace.

One is forbidden to write a posuk or a beracha on a tallis godel since one might take the tallis into the bathroom.[114] If one bought such a tallis then a beracha may still be recited on it.[115] Today, we see talleisim printed with a posuk on them and one begins to wonder how can they do this when it is seemingly against halacha. However, today the custom is that one does not take a tallis into the bathroom for any reason. Therefore, one can say that this is why the minhag of some circles is to have a posuk written on a tallis. One must be careful not to sit on the words on the tallis.[116]

On Succos many decorations contain pesukim. Some poskim say that since these decorations come to a disgrace by being stepped on, one is not allowed to buy such decorations.[117] However, the minhag in klal yisroel is that buying these posters is permitted and one should make sure to treat them with the proper respect.[118]

What is considered a Posuk?

Two or three words of a posuk are considered like a whole posuk if one is able to understand that it was taken from a posuk.[119] If one is not able to tell that it is from a posuk then one may not write four words.[120] One word from a posuk does not require being put into shaimos. [121]

Invitations

One is not allowed to write a posuk or a message from chazal on an invitation because an invitation is generally discarded.[122] One who receives an invitation with a posuk on it should cut out the posuk and place it in shaimos.[123] Some change the format of theposuk and write it on two different lines in order to avoid the pesukim from coming to be disgraced by throwing it out. The reason why this is not considered writing a posuk is because it is on two different lines and is not read as one posuk. Based on this someposkim say that one should write kol sosson; v’kol simcha; kol chosson; v’kol kallah on different lines.[124] Many poskim did not write any pesukim on an invitation even in the aforementioned manner.[125] Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l maintains this is how one should act.[126] Some say the custom is not to write a posuk etc. on an invitation.[127]  

The words of od yishoma etc. are taken from two different parts of one posuk.[128] Some say one should be stringent with this as well.[129] Others say a group of words which have no intention of being written for a posuk, but rather as a “melitzah” is permitted to be written.[130] Therefore, the custom of many has become to write od yishoma etc on an invitation.[131]

A posuk in which the language is changed from singular to plural may be written on the invitation.[132]

Some have the custom to write “naaleh” eis Yerushalayim instead of the real word to avoid having the posuk come to being disgraced when the invitation is thrown out.[133]

According to some poskim writing a posuk in a way that is not allowed, would not be permitted even if it is written in a different shape.[134] Some say  that since they write od yeshoma in a different form than in the posuk (rainbow shaped) it is permitted to be done.[135] Some say if one gets an invitation with a posuk on it that is not written in a permitted fashion he may throw out the invitation, but he should wrap it in a bag beforehand.[136]

Invitations- Kesav Ashuris

Many poskim maintain that one should refrain from writing secular material in kesav ashuris (the script used to write a sefer Torah),[137] especially if one is going to discard the invitation. This form of writing has a special kedusha to it. Therefore, one should refrain from writing wedding invitations in this manner since one is going to throw out the invitation.[138] Others say an invitation is considered a devar mitzvah and one would be permitted to write a wedding invitation using kesav ashuris.[139] Some poskim say that kesav m’ruva (the standard way of written Hebrew) is considered like kesav ashuris.[140] Based on this one would not be able to write an invitation with this lettering and one would have to use Rashi lettering instead.[141] However, many poskim say that kesav m’ruva does not have the same kedusha as kesav ashuris.[142]

Halacha on a Food Item

A food label that says which beracha to recite on the food does not require to be placed in shaimos.[143] For example, a bottle of wine that says one recites a hagofen.[144] Some say only if the words are not written on one line can one be lenient.[145] In any case theminhag is that the above does not require shaimos.[146]

Miscellaneous

A story book that is meant for children and teaches something to them has kedusha and is required to be put into shaimos.[147] Some say tzadikim biographies that contain no pesukim or a mamer of chazal may be thrown into the garbage.[148]

Tests which have divrei Torah on them need to be placed in shaimos.[149]

A nusach that chazal established, even if it does not contain Hashems name requires to be placed into shaimos. Therefore, a tefillas haderech card requires to be placed into shaimos.[150]

Pictures drawn in order to understand the parsha do not require shaimos if a posuk is not written on them.[151] The same would apply to Noachs tent made from paper etc.[152]

A sefiras ha’omer chart which just say the day without a beracha may be thrown out.[153]

A chart which says the time of krias shema or tefilla should be put into shaimos. A chart which just says when Shabbos comes in and when Shabbos is over, may be thrown out.[154]

A paper on which Divrei Torah was written which ripped needs to be put into shaimos even if the divrei Torah is not on the entire paper.[155]

Many times one is walking in the street and a poster of some sort of Yiddish relevance is on the street. One does not have to throw this poster in shaimos if it does not contain a posuk or a halacha. However, one should be careful not to step on it.[156]

Zemiros Shabbos that does not contain halacha, name of Hashem or a posuk should still be placed in shaimos since it contains praises of Hashem.[157]

The Shaimos Bag

Every house should have a designated bag for shaimos. One does not have to place shaimos in a bag in an orderly fashion.[158] One is permitted to place a chumash on top of a gemorah.[159] One should be careful not to step on the bag of shaimos.[160] One should not place a shaimos bag in a place where it may rain.[161] The minhag seems to be that there is no concern with placing the shaimos in a bag on the floor.[162]

The “Shaimos Box”

Many times one refrains from placing items in shaimos because the accumulated amount of shaimos takes up a lot of room in one’s house.

However, this problem was solved with the innovation of the Shaimos Box. One can pick up this box in any seforim store. It is a box which measure 12” x 7” x 15” which is enough for twenty pounds of shaimos. One can put it in a corner of his house let it fill up and when it is full one can mail it to the address on the box. Once it is there the OU certifies that the shaimos will be buried according to halacha. It is usually buried during Tisha B’av. With this box one does not have to wait until Pesach to bring many heavy bags ofshaimos to a drop off location.