In Orthodox Judaism, there are seven specific holy names of God (Hashem) that, once written, are so sacred they are forbidden from being erased or destroyed. If a document containing these names is no longer used, it must be placed in a special repository called a genizah and eventually buried in a Jewish cemetery.
The 7 Holy Names of Hashem
- The Tetragrammaton
- Written as four Hebrew letters: יהוה (YHVH).
- This is the most sacred, unpronounceable name of God.
- Pronounced aloud as Adonai (My Lord) during prayer, or referred to as Hashem (The Name) in conversation.
- El (אל)
- Translates to “God” or “Mighty One.”
- Often appears as a root in other biblical names (e.g., Michael, Israel, Bethel).
- Elohim (אלהים)
- Translates to “God” or “Judge.”
- Represents God’s attribute of strict justice and mastery over all forces.
- In casual speech, it is often altered to Elokim to avoid saying it in vain.
- Eloah (אלוה)
- A singular grammatical form related to Elohim.
- Used frequently in poetic biblical books like the Book of Job.
- Eheyeh Asher Eheyeh (אהיה אשר אהיה)
- Translates to “I Will Be What I Will Be” or “I Am Who I Am.”
- The name revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14).
- Shaddai (שדי)
- Commonly translated as “Almighty.”
- Frequently found on the outside of Mezuzah scrolls.
- Tzevaot (צבאות)
- Translates to “Hosts” or “Armies.”
- Refers to God as the leader of the heavenly hosts or the assemblies of Israel.
Key Laws of Respect (Halakha)
- No Erasure: Scraping, wiping, or cutting away any part of these names is strictly prohibited by Torah law.
- Casual Writing: Because of these strict laws, traditional Jews avoid writing these names fully in English or Hebrew on temporary materials (often writing “G-d” instead).
- Desecration Prevention: Printed materials like Torah scrolls, prayer books (Siddurim), and printed sheets of Torah study (Divrei Torah) that contain these names require careful handling and holy burial.
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