Can I throw it away or does it need he be buried? TB Shabbat 90

We finish the ninth chapter of massechet Shabbat with today’s daf TB Shabbat 90. The mishnayot (plural of Mishnah) return to the topic of carrying from one domain to another on Shabbat. One of the categories discussed in the Mishnah are sacred objects. “Sacred scrolls or their coverings that became tattered due to an insect called mekek that destroys scrolls, and mekek that destroys their coverings, is any amount. That is because people store them in order to bury them, due to their sanctity, and accord significance to even a small measure of those items.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Everybody knows that sacred objects because they contain God’s name in Hebrew need to be buried. They include Torah scrolls, tefilin, and mezuzot. Before the invention of the printing press, all prayer books were written by scribes. With the invention of the printing press the question arose whether printed prayer books were also to be considered holy and needed to be buried. In other words, is mechanical printing analogous to writing? The answer is yes.  Printed prayer books also need to be buried. One time when I was davening in the Young Israel of New Hyde Park, the Rabbi taught that according to Rabbi Feinstein photocopying a holy text does not need to be buried. I don’t remember the reasoning nor do I have access to Rabbi Feinstein’s teshuvot to refresh my memory. I was surprised at this leniency, but happy to learn of it.

There is a category of objects called tasmishei kedusha. They serve and protect sacred objects. The prime example of tasmishei kedusha is Torah mantles. Tasmishei kedusha also need to be buried. Another category of objects of lower sacredness are called tashmishei mitzvah. Included in this category are such things as: the garments of a tallit or tzitzit (after the fringes have been removed for burial), tallit bags, the Four Species, willows used for hoshanot, schach (foliage covering for a sukkah). Although these items do not technically have the status of a sacred object should be treated respectfully when disposed. Finally there items like kippot, audio or video materials, and computer disks that can be thrown away without any hesitation.