Zack Lanphere was overheard asking Tom Goodman:
ZL> This G-d thing is throwing me for a loop here. You seem like
ZL> a man who loves God, so I'm assuming that the omission of a
ZL> letter is for some actual reason rather than a wild right
ZL> ring-finger. Could you fill me in?
Please allow me the privilege of explaining that to you. You see,
I'm a Messianic Jew -- a Jewish Believer in Jesus the Messiah.
Tom, like many of the other callers to my BBS, has picked up on
the practice. I'm sending you the following text file which I
keep on my board to answer that very question. Please read & be
blessed -- and as you read please remember that I stress that my
practice is not done as part of some legalistic notion -- it is
purely & simply a means to worship & honor G-d, and it's strictly
up to the individual if they wish to follow the same practice.
Please let me know what you think after reading this:
Why the Hyphens?
by Shoshona Bieman
Sysop, Shofar BBS
  I often get asked why I use hyphens when speaking about the L-RD. Here
  is a brief explanation:
  Hyphens are used in place of the vowels in the Names of the L-RD to
  avoid the possibilty of taking His Name in vain. It is also done to
  show the utmost respect for Him. His Name is also unutterable -- we do
  not know the exact spelling or pronounciation as the vowels are not
  known -- all we have are the four characters: Yod, Hay, Vav, Hay --
  that's all.
  I do it out of respect for Him and to avoid offense to any of my
  Jewish brethren. It is an absolute practice in the Orthodox Jewish
  community, something I feel comfortable about doing as a Jewish
  Believer, and something several others on the BBS's have picked up
  on and do as well.
  It is not done for any legalistic effect, nor do I impose this
  restraint upon others -- it is simply a part of the way I choose to
  worship and honor Him. I would be happy to answer any further
  questions about this.
  I have also been asked how it could possibly be taking L-RD's Name in
  vain when you are using His Name in worship and praise. A very good
  question -- one which I hope to offer an adequate explanation for:
  As to worship/taking the L-RD's Name in vain, let me explain about my
  unsaved Jewish brethren: There is an old (very old) rabbinic tradition
  called "building a fence around the Law." What that means, is that
  although we know the parameters of the Law, we need to broaden them
  (build a fence around them) to make certain we stay within those
  bounds.
  A good example would be some of the Kosher dietary laws: there is one
  Scripture that says "you shall not boil a kid in it's mother's milk."
  Boiling a kid in it's mother's milk was a pagan ritual, so G-d did not
  want us to do it. To avoid even coming close to boiling a kid in it's
  mother's milk, a "fence" was built up to keep us from even mixing meat
  & milk -- beef stroganoff and cheeseburgers could not be eaten, for
  instance. Further complicating, and adding to that "fence," was strict
  rules on how far apart time-wise you could drink milk and later eat
  meat, or vice-versa. On the extreme side, Orthodox Jews will keep
  separate dishes, flatware, pots & pans, etc. for meat and a separate
  set for milk products. They will also use separate dishclothes,
  sponges, brillo pads, you name it, for cleaning the separate
  collections. They will also (if they can afford it) utilize separate
  kitchen sinks for washing the assigned dishes -- and even store them
  in separate, dedicated cabinets! All that trouble JUST to avoid
  "boiling a kid in it's mother's milk." WHEW! That is a classic example
  of building a fence around the Law -- this example really underscores
  it because the commandment was so minor -- yet it is carried to
  extremes.
  Now... to get back on track... a fence was built around the usage of
  the L-RD's Name -- not to be uttered, not to be written out in it's
  entirety (hence, the hyphens), even to the point of having certain
  ritual observances surrounding the disposition of even a scrap of
  paper that has even a hyphenated Name of G-d written upon it. These
  "fences" are taken to be JUST as BINDING as the actual commandments
  they are loosely based upon.
  My adherance to the practice, even in E-mail, keeps me mindful of it
  -- I do not want to slip up and offend any of my Jewish brethren. I
  was not brought up with the practice -- I was brought up very Reform
  (so Reform, I was an atheist!). As I grew in my understanding of
  Scripture and my own Jewish heritage, I knew I would have to become as
  Jewish as I can to my Jewish brethren. Paul said to be all things to
  all people. Since I am involved with producing literature, bulletins,
  and flyers on my Mac for my congregation, it helps if I keep my
  fingers heading for the hyphen key ;-)  Of course, I can easily spell
  God and LORD (see?) and praise Jesus just as much as anyone else -- I
  am so glad that He made me flexible ;-)
  ---
 [ Shoshona Bieman, Sysop: Shofar BBS _@_ 714-838-3837 ]
 [ _ Such a nice Messianic Jewish, conservative Gal! _ ]
 [ MJCN: 30:30/2 _ ShofarBBS@aol.com _ Fido: 1:103/505 ]
--- Aeolus v1.2.1 (#49820837)
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