Welcome to the Judaism community on Codidact!
Will you help us build our community of learners? Drop into our study hall, ask questions, help others with answers to their questions, share a d'var torah if you're so inclined, invite your friends, and join us in building this community together. Not an ask-the-rabbi service, just people at all levels learning together.
Post History
For practical advice you'll need to ask your own rabbi, particularly as some of our sources disagree with each other. Here's what I found: It appears to depend on what specifically the books are:...
#1: Initial revision
by
Monica Cellio
·
2025-12-11T02:00:51Z (9 months ago)
For practical advice you'll need to ask your own rabbi, particularly as some of our sources disagree with each other. Here's what I found: It appears to depend on what specifically the books are: - A *sefer torah* written by a heretic is burned (Rambam Laws of Tefilin, Mezuzah, and Sefer Torah 1:13). - For a Christian bible that contains the Tanakh, [Halachically Speaking: Shaimos](https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/226909/halachically-speaking-the-halachos-of-shaimos.html) has this to say: > Book of the Missionaries > Many poskim maintain that a “book” of the missionaries which may contain a t’nach may be burnt and one should not keep this in his possessions.[103] Others maintain that one should place this sefer in shaimos.[104] Those in favor of burning (note 103) are: Igros Moshe Y.D. 1:172, Yaskil Avdi Y.D. 7:20, Maharam Shik O.C. 66. Those who say it should be buried (note 104) are: Avnei Yushfei 1:204, Emes L’Yaakov Y.D. 281:footnote 199, Ve’alu Lo Yeibol 2:page 121:121, Yugel Yaakov page 251, Divrei Chachumim Y.D. 100:5. [Din Online](https://dinonline.org/2021/06/21/names-of-hashem-and-geniza/) (h/t rosends) also says it's controversial whether to burn it or bury it, and adds that if you bury it you should first deface it. He cites Maharam Shick O:CH 66, Igros Moshe Y:D 2-137, Avnei Yoshpe 1-204. - For a Christian "new testament" (sic), opinions differ. You can just throw it out according to Rabbi Shlomo Aviner as cited [in a comment here](https://judaism.codidact.com/comments/thread/2564#comment-8543) (on a question I asked here some years ago). On the other hand, Rabbi Ari Shvat [wrote in an ask-the-rabbi post](https://www.yeshiva.co/ask/6264) that it should be burned, citing Igrot Moshe, YD 172. I don't know which opinion is more popular. - Other Christian printed papers that have English names of God are treated like the Tanakh case, according to Din Online again (but with no named sources).