Why do Jews write "G-d" instead of "God"?

Question

I'm just curious. I prefer answers from Jews but no mocking please.!

Answer 1

Only SOME Jews do this. They are mostly Orthodox Stream of Judaism and they eliminate the 'o' just in case a paper, book or other form of media should need to be discarded. They do not wish to disrespect God by accidentally 'discarding' his name. In fact, sacred text that is worn out and starting to look shabby and other sacred items to Judaism are usually buried as one would bury a person and usually in a Jewish cemetary out of this same respect for God and things that are his.

Answer 2

Not a problem simply it is neither written that way in Hebrew for a Jew or in English or Aramaic as well. It is Yehweh or Yehovah. There is no such thing as God or G-d only in English. When the Jews pray that I know they usually speak to their Father in his own name pronounced either with the J or the Y depending on their dialect just like Allah or Alla I have never heard my Arabic friends call or write God or say his name that way ever they are American's as well as I am. Now the word Lord or Father both say and write as well as the Christians and we say Jesus. And that is the only difference is the proper name being called for your own interpretation of his name is your business and a private matter I think that way for everyone.

Answer 3

There are a mixture of two reasons and it is difficult to separate them. Semitic languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Amharic, which do not typically include vowels in the written form. This linguistic peculiarity over the eons has taken on a religious significance, which tries to explain everything in religious terms. So an Orthodox Jew might say that they don't include the vowel so that they do not "say" the name of God or out of an intense respect for what they consider to be the reason for everything.

I am not Jewish myself and asked the same question myself years ago. To me it is nothing more than a curious peculiarity that just adds to the convoluted uniqueness to our singular world.

Answer 4

It is a Jewish superstition. They feel the name of God is too holy to pronounce. The fact is that God is not a name at all. It is a title like "president" or "mayor."

The Encyclopaedia Judaica says that "the avoidance of pronouncing the name YHWH . . . was caused by a misunderstanding of the Third Commandment." The third of the Ten Commandments given by God to the Israelites states: "You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way." (Exodus 20:7) Hence, God's decree against the improper use of his name was twisted into a superstition.

Answer 5

The idea is that G-d is a holy name, meant only for use in the Temple or place of worship. Modern people do not understand that the concept, "Thou shalt not take the L-rd G-d's name in vain" was originally, "Thou shal not profane the L-rd G-d's name." Profane, in this context, literally means, "outside the worship place." So to use the holy name outside the Temple or Synagogue is in violation of the commandment.

By overuse, however, the tradition of saying L-rd or G-d has rendered itself quite moot, the - clearly is merely a placeholder for an 'o', and mentally people read it as if the 'o' were still there. But this is the origin of the tradition.

Answer 6

Because they think they are being Holy. There is an injunction against taking the name of The LORD in vain. So in the old testament, you'll notice that term all in capital letters. In the original Hebrew it is his name, actually, what is called a tetragrammaton. Like you just wrote with the definining letter missing. What you will find in the original texts is really; ' YHWH ' without a consonant.

Answer 7

What? where'd this idea spring from? i've lived with jews, and attended synagogue for several years in my teens, and i never once saw god written as g-d. they don't write or pronounce Yahweh in english script, though they will write it in Hebrew they don't pronounce it in Hebrew. Yahweh is the Jewish word for
god and perhaps the Muslim too since it's from the old testament pre moses?

Answer 8

I'm Jewish don't worry! The term G-D is holy. It is the reference, in the English language to the same divine source as Christians, Muslims...Just as other religions have a unique name or reference to the Divine, it's a matter of respect. In actuality, there are terms in the Hebrew language for G-D, and we give Him the same reference. It's kind of like when you refer to Jesus and "Him" with a capital "H" or one might refer to Allah in a particular matter.

Answer 9

We are taught that G-d's Name is sacred & holy; too holy to be spoken...& to sacred to be written.
Should we write out His title & that piece of paper falls on the ground or is somehow blasphemed, His Name remains holy because we never actually wrote it out in the first place.
We are taught to have a sense of awe when it pertains to G-d, as well as to His Scriptures.

Answer 10

Simply reverence for the name of God: YHWH (the tetragrammaton) was traditionally written incomplete without vowels....the name of God being too holy to write.

Think of it as being the same reasoning behind your writing (PBUH) after Mohammed's name.

Same thing. Holiness.