Sheimos Guidelines

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

Updated May 2024

The Torah forbids discarding holy objects directly into the trash. Objects which have kedusha must be placed in sheimos, which must be buried. Objects that acquire kedusha after being used for a mitzvah do not need to be placed in sheimos but do need to be disposed of with special sensitivity.

ITEMS THAT QUALIFY AS SHEIMOS

The following objects are included in this category:

  • Any of the names of Hashem
  • Sefer Torah or Sefer Torah cover
  • Seforim, whether handwritten, printed, photocopied, or downloaded and printed (e.g., Chumashim, Siddurim, Machzorim, Gemara, Shulchan Aruch, etc.)
  • Bentchers
  • Pages of a sefer that became detached, or parts of the pages of a sefer, even if there is no writing or print on them
  • A sefer’s cover that has been removed from the sefer
  • Binding tape that became detached from a sefer
  • Printed material primarily intended to quote or explain Torah, even when containing non-Torah portions. This includes Mishna, Midrash, Gemara, Rishonim or Acharonim, and any three consecutive words of a posuk from Tanach that have been written on one line, with the intention of quoting Torah (as opposed to a melitza,* an incidental use of a common expression, which is not sheimos).**
  • Halachic and other Torah material (such as this article)
  • Tefillin or tefillin bag
  • Mezuzah or mezuzah cover
  • Homework and test papers in limudei kodesh subjects when containing any of the the above
  • Invitations from organizations and individuals that contain parts of pesukim, written with the intention of quoting Torah – as opposed to a melitza ,which are often included in wedding invitations*
  • Any paper or material on which is written one of the names of Hashem. However, the Hebrew letters IY”H (im yirtzeh Hashem), BE”H (b’ezras Hashem), and B”H (baruch Hashem) may be discarded according to halacha and Jewish custom, although it is considered an act of piety to tear off those letters and put them into sheimos. The Hebrew letters BS”D (b’siyata d’shmaya) may definitely be put into the trash.**
  • Material written or printed in English or any other non-Hebrew language if they conform with the above rules. (Material written or printed in Hebrew are not sheimos if they do not conform with the above rules.)

OBJECTS THAT WERE USED FOR A MITZVAH

Objects which were used for a mitzvah, although they have no kedusha (innate holiness), may not be thrown directly into the garbage. One may burn them or wrap them in plastic and then discarded. The following objects are included in this category:

  1. S’chach of a sukkah
  2. Tallis
  3. Tzitzis strings
  4. Tallis bag
  5. Esrogim, lulavim, hadasim, aravos

NOT SHEIMOS

The following objects have no kedusha and can be discarded. These items do not need to be wrapped:

  1. Yarmulke or gartel
  2. Bookmark which was used in a sefer
  3. Outer plastic bag which was used to protect a tallis or tefillin bag
  4. Pictures of gedolim

NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND TAPES

Newspapers and magazines which contain secular information should not be placed in sheimos as they degrade the real sheimos that are buried with them, especially if the advertisements and pictures are not within the spirit of Torah. The pages that do contain Torah may be removed and placed in sheimos if the other side of that page also contains Torah or is blank.

Alternatively, the entire newspaper may be put into a bag which should then be put into another bag so that the paper is double wrapped, known as kli besoch kli. It can then be placed into the garbage or into recycling.

Missionary material that contain pesukim may be burnt or double wrapped and discarded.

Tapes and CD’s containing divrei Torah and shiurim may be disposed of after they have been double wrapped in plastic.

PDF OF SHEIMOS CHART

For a handy printable summary of these halachos, see the STAR-K Sheimos Guidelines chart available on our site.

* A phrase is considered a melitza when words of a posuk are quoted not to convey Torah but simply to make a sentence sound more eloquent. For example, the phrase, “kol sason ve’kol simcha,” frequently included in wedding invitations, is considered a melitza and is not sheimos.

** In the above cases, the sheimos or divrei Torah may be cut away from the paper and buried.