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1. Why do some people write G-d for the name of God?

What is important to any culture is often called by many different words or descriptions. Eskimos have a variety of different words for "snow" and desert people have many different words for "camel." It is not surprising that the Jewish people have many different names for God, each revealing a different aspect of God's essence. Jewish tradition relates that the name of God -- consisting of the four Hebrew letters yod, heh, vav, heh -- was revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Its exact pronunciation was passed on to his brother Moses and kept a secret among the priests, so that the Israelites would not use God's name irreverently. The only time when the High Priest actually pronounced the real name of God was on Yom Kippur.

Outside of the ancient sanctuary, the term Adonai was used to connote God's name. When God's name is invoked in prayer, it is pronounced Adonai. But even this name of God is confined to use during sacred events. In conversation, the name Hashem, meaning "The Name," is often used to protect God's name even further from possible misuse.

Jewish law has always tried to protect the way in which people use the name of God, and the rabbis prescribed a variety of injunctions concerning both the pronunciation and the writing of God's name. For example, if written, the name of God cannot be erased and can only be discarded through ritual burial, similar to that of other sacred texts and ritual objects. The restrictions against writing God's name, although usually applicable only to Hebrew names, have been extended by some traditionalists to include the writing of the name in the vernacular. Thus, a meticulous Jew today might write the name of God as "G-d." In this way, one would protect himself against the possibility of writing God's name in vain.

2. What exactly is a Jewish scribe?

In Hebrew called a "sofer," a scribe is a skilled calligrapher who is involved in preparing the most sacred ritual articles and documents connected with the Jewish home and synagogue. A scribe hand-letters sheets of parchment that are sewn together to form Torah scrolls. Scribes also write parchment that is placed inside of tefillin and mezuzot. They also wrote Jewish divorce documents. Jewish law requires that a scribe be both learned and pious. Although it is males who have traditionally served as scribes, women have never been legally banned from the profession. Two celebrated Yemenite women -- Miriam, daughter of the 14th century Yemenite scribe Bena'yahu and Shama'a, daughter of Shabazi, were well known scribes.

Rabbi Ron Isaacs is the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom, a Conservative congregation in Bridgewater. His forthcoming new book is "Siddur Or Shalom," a Shabbat morning prayerbook. Contact him at www.rabbiron.com or "Ask the Rabbi," c/o Rabbi Ron Isaacs, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 6007, Bridgewater, N.J. 08807.