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Hak Tochot: Difference between revisions
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There are many letters of the Aleph Bet which contain three walls. The space between these walls is called the “inside” –“תוך” (singular of תוכות). For example, the letters ב,ה,ח,ט,כ,מ,ס and ת clearly have an inside surrounded by three walls. חק תוכות literally means carving the insides of these letters, and implies that the outsides of the letters will be carved out as well in order to form the letter itself. Of course, this rule of חק תוכות applies to all the letters, even part of a letter, and is not limited to letters that actually contain an inside. | There are many letters of the Aleph Bet which contain three walls. The space between these walls is called the “inside” –“תוך” (singular of תוכות). For example, the letters ב,ה,ח,ט,כ,מ,ס and ת clearly have an inside surrounded by three walls. חק תוכות literally means carving the insides of these letters, and implies that the outsides of the letters will be carved out as well in order to form the letter itself. Of course, this rule of חק תוכות applies to all the letters, even part of a letter, and is not limited to letters that actually contain an inside. | ||
<ref> | <ref> | ||
Mishna Berura, Siman 32, Seif 17 | Mishna Berura, Siman 32, Seif 17, Seif Katan 66 | ||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
* In short, a letter may not be completed by removing the ink around it. | |||
==Halacha== | ==Halacha== | ||
If a drop of ink falls on a letter making the letter unrecognizable, the drop may not be removed because it is considered Hak Tochot. | |||
<ref> | |||
''' שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות תפילין סימן לב סעיף יז,יח ''' | |||
אם נפלה טפת דיו לתוך האות ואינה ניכרת האות אין תקנה לגרור הדיו ועל ידי כך יהיה ניכר האות דהוי חק תוכות ופסול משום דבעינן וכתב ולא וחקק והוא הדין אם טעה וכתב דלי"ת במקום רי"ש או בי"ת במקום כ"ף אין תקנה למחוק התג לתקן האות משום דהוי כחק תוכות: | |||
</ref> | |||
Similary, if a letter is written incorrectly,if the mistake makes the letter unrecognizable, ink may not be removed (erased) to correct the mistake. | |||
==Application== | |||
The following are several examples in which the Issur of Hak Tochot applies: | |||
# If a drop of ink falls inside the letter Dalet, ד, making it look like a He, ה, removing the drop is Assur because it is Hak Tochot. The Dalet was formed (From a He to a Dalet) by removing the drop of ink. | |||
# If a Sofer accidentally adds an Ekev, heel, to the letter Caph, כ, making it look like the letter Bet, ב, it is Assur to remove the Ekev, because it is Hak Tochot.<ref> | |||
'''שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות תפילין סימן לב סעיף יז | |||
'''</ref> | |||
# If a drop of ink Falls inside the letter Caph, כ, making it look like the letter Pe, פ, removing the drop is Assur because it is Hak Tochot.<ref> | |||
Mishna Berura, Siman 32, Seif 17, Seif Katan 63 | |||
</ref> | |||
# If a drop of ink falls on the letter Mem, מ, making it look like the letter Mem Sofit (Mem in its Final letter form; in the end of the word),ם,removing the drop is Assur because it is Hak Tochot. <ref> | |||
'''שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות תפילין סימן לב סעיף יח''' | |||
</ref> | |||
==Avoiding Hak Tochot== | |||
If any such mistakes should happen, rendering the letter unrecognizable, what should the Sofer do? | |||
*If a drop of ink falls on the letter Mem, מ, making it look like the letter Mem Sofit ,ם,removing the drop is Assur because it is Hak Tochot. | |||
However, the Sofer may erase the enire leg of the Mem, leaving only the shape of a Nun, נ, and then rewrite the leg. In this way the letter is completed by writing and not by erasing the ink around it. <ref> | |||
'''שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות תפילין סימן לב סעיף יח''' | |||
</ref> | |||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
