The Rambam[1] was asked about a tallit with p’sukim embroidered on it. He forbade it, as did the Shulchan Aruch.[2] His major issue is that we need to be concerned that one will enter a bathroom with the tallit, thus disgracing the p’sukim.[3] One could use this source to prohibit the jewelry in question outright. Although there are poskim who permit one to adorn himself with scrolls,[4] we note that most of those poskim discussed cases where the p’sukim were worn for the specific purpose of Divine protection, which is unusual these days. Furthermore, we have questioned several people who wear this kind of jewelry, and most have admitted that they sometimes enter the bathroom without taking the necessary precautions (see below). Thus, this jewelry appears to be against the spirit of the rulings of the Rambam and poskim, if not the letter of the law.
How should one who does wear such jewelry conduct himself? Under normal circumstances, the Mishna Berura[5] allows taking tefillin into a bathroom only if it has two coverings, one of which is not routinely used for them. However, the Magen Avraham[6] permits bringing Torah scrolls with a lower status than that of a sefer Torah into a bathroom with only one covering. The Radvaz[7] shares this view, although he recommends relying on one covering only when the article was written in a script other than K’tav Ashurit (block Hebrew characters used in a sefer Torah). The Shulchan Aruch[8] also says that one may bring an amulet, which includes words of the Torah and/or Names of HaShem, into a bathroom in a leather covering. Most poskim assume that amulets and leather coverings are just common examples of a general rule.[9] The Mishna Berura[10] cites the Magen Avraham but mentions that there are those who require two coverings.
All writings on Torah topics have kedusha and therefore may not be discarded disrespectfully[11] or brought exposed into a bathroom. Moreover, those that contain one of HaShem’s Names have an even higher level of sanctity. To illustrate, teachers may write and erase divrei Torah and p’sukim on blackboards, which they could not do if HaShem’s Names appeared.[12] We also write divrei Torah using a shorthand abbreviation for HaShem’s Name, out of concern for how they might be treated. Thus, leniency in the aforementioned issues is easier when His Name does not appear.
It is difficult to claim that these issues apply only to a full pasuk. Various laws of respect for Torah texts apply even to a phrase of three or four words.[13] If the words express a coherent Torah thought, they are no less holy than divrei Torah that are not p’sukim. There is one exception, which may be relevant in some of the cases at hand. If the words are borrowed from the Torah to be used as a catch phrase to describe something such as a friendship (e.g., “ani l’dodi v’dodi li”[14]), there may be no restrictions.[15] However, usually the phrase is intended to draw attention to its Torah content (e.g., “im eshkacheich …”[16]).
We are of the persuasion that it is often worthwhile to attempt to justify customs even when their correctness is questionable. However, not every practice is a custom, and the rabbinic reaction to a practice helps determine whether it becomes a custom. It is nice to see how popular Torah has become. However, our ‘vote’ is that it is more appropriate for p’sukim to appear in sefarim than on jewelry or t-shirts. This fashion causes halachic difficulties for all and is forbidden for one who is not careful. If, despite that, one will have them made anyway, he should at least be vigilant that HaShem’s names not be spelled out, and it is better if Torah scroll letters are not used. If one does wear this jewelry, he may bring it into a bathroom covered by clothes or something else (two covers are preferable but not necessary).