[Avodah] HaShem as God's Name

[Moshe Y. Gluck]

> R' Moshe Y. Gluck wrote:
> > So to say, "God bless you!" or "Gott tzu danken!" (and mean
> > them) should be permitted, while saying, "God Almighty!"
> > or "Shadai!" (I heard that this is popular in Israeli
> > Chiloni circles?) should not.

R' Akiva Miller: 
> I have very clear memories of a gemara in which an amora (or maybe a
> tanna) was quoted as saying "Elo-him!" in a context which I was unable to
> tranlate in any manner other than as a meaningless exclamation. The gemara
> spelled that name with the usual five letters, and no fancy abbreviation
> marks. I've mean meaning to ask about it for many years, but unfortunately
> I've forgotten where it appeared. Does this ring a bell in anyone's
> memory? Anyone know where it appears?

Comes up in a few places (simple computer search for "Ha'elohim Amar" and "Amar Ha'elohim" will turn some up) but I am sure that you didn't see the example on Bava Metziah 16b, because Rashi over there explains that it is a Lashon of Shevuah. Like, "By God!" or "I swear to God!" These also should be OK (though the person saying them should really be very, very sure that they're swearing the truth). The "Shadai!" that I mentioned in my previous post, I understood to be used in the context of performing some mighty act. Like that would be the interjection used while trying to benchpress some phenomenal amount. Not OK.

KT,
MYG