#844: Because my Books Aren’t Really Mine
Many affluent individuals enjoy displaying their impressive library of sefarim (holy books). Some house so many books—with the shelves reaching from floor to ceiling and stretching from wall to wall—that their libraries are worth millions!
The Owner of the greatest library on earth, which includes every book ever printed, is Hashem, the Creator and Master of the World—and the Possessor of everything it contains. We acknowledge this by inscribing LaShem ha’aretz u’mloah (To Hashem is the land and all within it, Tehillim 24:1) in all of our sefarim even before marking our name. The acronym ??"? is often used instead.
While there is an issue, in general, of writing three consecutive words of a passuk (Torah verse) in vain, the words LaShem ha’aretz u’mloah are not subject to this restriction, since the word “laShem” is only representative of the actual shem Hashem (G-d’s name) that appears in the verse.
The basis for this practice can be traced to the Talmud, which tells of Reb Chiya bar Abba’s visit to the city of Ludkia. There he witnessed how a golden table, its top adorned with silvermetalwork and laden with delicacies, spices and perfumes and set with luxurious tableware, was carried by sixteen servants before his host. When they set down the magnificent table, the servants called out, “LaShem ha’aretz u’mloah!” testifying to the fact that all one owns truly belongs to HaShem.
Another more direct source for writing this passuk in sefarim appears in the tzava’ah (will) of Reb Yehuda HaChassid: Refrain from labeling a book as yours; instead, merely inscribe your name. This is understood as a caveat against marking a book as a private possession. Instead, we quote the passuk, LaShem ha’aretz u’mloah, attributing ownership to Hashem.
(There are opinions that contend with this interpretation of Reb Yehuda Hachassid’s tzava’ah; some maintain that he is addressing an entirely different issue. “Refrain from labeling a book as yours” is not a directive to the owner, but rather to the author of the work, cautioning him from taking credit for his achievements. Indeed, we find a similar prohibition cited in Reb Yehuda Hachassid’s Sefer Chassidim.
Nonetheless, in current times, it has become customary for the writer to identify himself as a tool for the reader in assessing the book’s content.)
Practically, the terms mi’sifrei— (from the library of) or shayach l— ([this book] belongs to) may be used when preceded by the verse LaShem ha’aretz u’mloah, testifying to Hashem’s true ownership. Certainly, in the case of a book donation, there is no issue of writing, nidvas– (donated by…) or the like.
On the topic of sefarim ownership, honorable mention should be given to the Jewish custom of purchasing a chumash, tehillim, siddur, and (lehavdil) tzedakah pushka (charity box) for each child to be placed in a conspicuous place in their room. Each sefer, as well as the pushka, if possible, should bear the words LaShem ha’aretz u’mloah and the child’s name, so they may learn, daven and give tzedakah using their personalized items.