New York – Government agencies in the United States often forbid the use of initials instead of full signatures on their forms. Medicaid, for example, is very strict on this.
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What is the view of halachic authorities about initials? Are they acceptable instead of a signature?
Our Daf (Bava Basra 161a) discusses the issue of a witness leaving out a first name and states that it is acceptable. The Bais Yoseph (Even Ho’Ezer 130) cites the Rashbatz that the enactments about signatures found in Gittin 36a is only for Gittin but not for other documents.
He allows initials on other documents if the initials are recognizable as uniquely his. The term “Aid”, however, is still necessary according to the Toras Gittin (Rabbi Lorberbaum).