Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 85 - Places in which it is Forbidden to Recite Shema

Bamidbar 15:31, as interpreted by Berachos 24b.

Shabbos 40b.

Cf. Yehoshua 1:8; Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:7.

In Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:8 the Alter Rebbe writes: “ ‘It is forbidden for a Torah scholar to stand in a place of filth, because he cannot remain without thoughts of Torah’ (Berachos 24b). Nevertheless, he is permitted to enter a lavatory or a bathhouse even in the midst of an analytical discussion [of Torah law] or [after considering] an unresolved halachic question. It is not suspected that he will continue thinking about it there.... If, against his will and desire, [Torah] thoughts occur to him, he is considered as [transgressing due to] factors beyond his control (Kiddushin 33a).”

According to the letter of the law (see sec. 307:13), the mental calculation of one’s past accounts is permitted on Shabbos. Possibly the Alter Rebbe is referring to reading written accounts. This is forbidden since it is apparent that one’s thoughts are preoccupied with mundane affairs (see sec. 307:21). Alternatively, he is referring to mere thoughts, but these are also discouraged since they detract from the spirit of Shabbos. See sec. 306:21.

In the original, Lashon HaKodesh; i.e., classical Hebrew, the language of the Tanach and the Mishnah. See Shabbos, loc. cit.

Tehillim 112:4.

I.e., the name spelled yud-hei-vav-hei and the names A-donai, E-l, E-loha, E-lohim, E-hyeh, Sh-addai, and Tz-vaos. (See Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 6:2; Shevuos 35a. See also Yoreh Deah 276:9.) These eight names are counted as seven because the first two, being pronounced identically as A-donai, are counted as one. (See also sec. 5:1 in Vol. 1 of the present work.)

In his Kuntreis Acharon, gloss #1, the Alter Rebbe cites sources that support this ruling. Sifsei Kohen (Yoreh Deah 179:11) apparently rules that a name for G‑d in a secular language is not holy and may be erased. Nonetheless, he too would agree that one may not mention such a name in the bathhouse — just as the word Shalom may be erased, yet all authorities agree that it may not be mentioned in the bathhouse. (This is discussed later in this subsection.) [Moreover,] were this not the case, one could theoretically recite Shemoneh Esreh in a lavatory, for Shemoneh Esreh may be recited in other languages and its words are not intrisically holy.

The Alter Rebbe draws support for the more stringent ruling regarding the mention of G‑d’s name in secular languages from the ruling of Rama (Yoreh Deah 340:37) that one must rend his garments when hearing someone blaspheme, even if G‑d is referred to by a word in a secular language. From Rashi (Sanhedrin 36a) it would appear that, with regard to blasphemy, such terms are equivalent to the names E-lohim, A-donai, and the like; these names may not be erased, but have the secondary status of kinuyim (i.e., descriptive epithets), as distinct from the Four-Letter name of G‑d, which is His unique “proper name,” so to speak. (Rambam, by contrast, in his Commentary to the Mishnah, Shevuos 4:13, considering the case of a curse that invokes one of the Divine names, attributes this status to all the names listed in the above footnote.) Nonetheless, a person hearing someone blaspheme is obligated to rend his garments even if a kinuy was used, and even if G‑d’s name was uttered in a secular language (Rama, loc. cit.).

The prevalent practice is that in ordinary reading material, such as newspapers or magazines, the name of G‑d in English (or in other languages) is hyphenated, lest at some stage their pages will be treated disrespectfully. This follows a more stringent approach (quoted in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 6:3. See also Achiezer, Vol. 3, Responsum 32). In sacred texts it is often spelled in full, since such books will be treated with respect.

In his Kuntreis Acharon, gloss #2, the Alter Rebbe brings support for this ruling from the Grace after Meals. That blessing was ordained because it is written (Devarim 8:10), “And you shall bless G‑d your L‑rd.” Our Sages rule (see sec. 214:1 below) that any blessing that does not include G‑d’s name is not a blessing. Nevertheless, Grace can be recited in any language, not only in the Holy Tongue (sec. 185:1).

In his Kuntreis Acharon, gloss #3, the Alter Rebbe cites as support the ruling of Sifsei Kohen 237:2 that non-Jewish names for G‑d are effective with regard to oaths. He states that one might argue that these names have merely the secondary status of kinuyim (descriptive epithets rather than actual names; see subsection 2 above), and hence it would be permitted to mention them in a place of filth. However, he rejects this argument. The kinuyim may be mentioned because they are also used refer to mortals, which is not the case with the names for G‑d in secular languages.

This section is not extant in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch. See the Shulchan Aruch of R. Yosef Caro, Choshen Mishpat, sec. 27:1.

This refers to the section in the Shulchan Aruch of R. Yosef Caro, Yoreh Deah. This section, too, is not extant in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch.

Shabbos, loc. cit.

I.e., and vigilantly avoid the prohibition against uttering words of Torah in such a place.