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What is the rationale in suggesting that a person who wishes to pray to Hashem outside the context of formal communal prayer, that they may not use Gd's name in doing so?

This seems to me to go against most of the examples of prayer we find in Tanach and the Talmud, as well as Chasidic custom.

Inspired by this question.

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avi
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    Where have you seen such a suggestion? – msh210 Jan 15 '12 at 08:15
  • In the question I linked to... – avi Jan 15 '12 at 08:26
  • I think that that question is referring only to sh'mone esre. – msh210 Jan 15 '12 at 08:35
  • Seems to be saying that mentioning Gd's name many many times is an issue. – avi Jan 15 '12 at 09:05
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    I agree that it is unclear what the linked questioner meant by "many many times". AFAIK, women can pray any or all of the three daily prayer services, if they so choose (and according to Rambam and others, women have an actual obligation to engage in some form of prayer daily). If "many many times" means shemoneh esreh, it's not an issue. If it means personal prayer (hisbodedus, informal voluntarily prayer etc). - I don't know of anyone who says Ado-shem during that. G-d, Hashem, Father, Abba, L-rd, are more commonly used - but I don't have a source that forbids use of Ado-shem for this. –  Jan 15 '12 at 10:49
  • but in any case, the above sub-questions I posed (and their corresponding answers, whoever finds them) should not be gender-dependent. –  Jan 15 '12 at 10:50
  • In the question linked to, I meant that mentioning Gd's name when you don't have to is a potential danger, if you do not have kavonnoh. There are two traditions of prayer - the spontaneous and the formal (see Chief Rabbi Sacks introduction to the Siddur). IMHO the spontaneous is much less likely to suffer from problems of kavonnoh. The mispallel is crying out to his Creator in a moment of need. He will have kavonnoh! – Avrohom Yitzchok Jan 15 '12 at 10:57
  • @Will, at least some people say Hashem's name in the short prayers said with the simanim eaten lel R"H, and even do so for made-up simanim and accompanying made-up prayers. – msh210 Jan 15 '12 at 17:27
  • @msh210 point taken, but I've still never heard of someone using Ado-shem in a personal conversation / prayer with our Creator. –  Jan 15 '12 at 18:14
  • @Will how would you? To everyone ... some of these comments could be answers! – avi Jan 15 '12 at 20:17
  • @avi I usually say G-d. Everyone should say whatever is most comfortable for them. –  Jan 15 '12 at 20:19
  • Do you have a source that there was a chassidic custom to spontanuously daven using Hashem's Name (rather than a kinui like Aibishter or Ribbono Shel Olam)? –  Jun 07 '12 at 22:58
  • @commentator What is the difference between saying "master of the world" , and "my lord", or "our Gd"... Nobody is pronouncing the unpronounceable. – avi Jun 08 '12 at 09:28
  • @avi according to the teachings of the Arizal, when one pronounces Ado-shem with the kavana that one is saying it in place of Y-K-V-K it is literally as if one had actually pronounced Y-K-V-K. – yoel Jun 15 '12 at 19:22
  • @yoel great so acording to the Arizal's teachings we are now all guilty of karet – avi Jun 18 '12 at 07:50
  • I suspect you are understanding the teaching incorrectly – avi Jun 18 '12 at 07:51
  • @avi there's obviously a difference between saying G-d's Name verbally and saying It according to kabala. – yoel Jun 18 '12 at 16:19
  • @yoel I'm asking a question here about not being allowed to say Gd's name while praying spontaneously. Please don't get lost from the context of the comments. – avi Jun 18 '12 at 16:47
  • @avi right, and you contended that Ado-shem is no different from Ribono shel Olam. According to Kabala this is not the case. – yoel Jun 18 '12 at 17:46

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It is my understanding that it is entirely permissible;

It is permissible, however, to invoke the Name of Hashem to praise or to give thanks to Him. Similarly, it is permissible to call on the Name of Hashem in the context of private supplication. The familiar יהי רצון מלפנך ה' אלקינו as a prelude to prayer is acceptable and does not constitute uttering the Name of Hashem in vain (Rabbi Forst, The Laws of B'rachos, p. 48, with the footnote "Tosfos Chaim on Chayei Adam 5:7 citing the Magen Avraham 188:11. See Sefer Chassidim cited in M.B. 5:3")

(I believe that the issue in the question referenced is not, strictly speaking, one of a beracha l'vatala (a blessing in vain) but rather a berachah sh'aina tzirchah (an unnecessary blessing, using G-d's name in a formal blessing which was redundant or not obligatory), see ibid, page 55 for a better presentation.)

Yirmeyahu
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  • What is the difference between a formal blessing which is not needed, and a private supplication? And why do you think the difference bewtween bracha l'vatal and beracha sh'aina tzirchah is relevant? – avi Jan 03 '14 at 13:32