Writing a Sefer Torah: Difference between revisions
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==Who is obligated to write a Sefer Torah?== | ==Who is obligated to write a Sefer Torah?== | ||
# Men are obligated to write a sefer torah.<Ref>Rambam (Sefer Torah 7:1), Shulchan Aruch YD 270:1</ref> | # Men are obligated to write a sefer torah.<Ref>Rambam (Sefer Torah 7:1), Shulchan Aruch YD 270:1</ref> | ||
# Women aren’t obligated to write a sefer torah.<Ref>The Rambam writes that the mitzvah of writing a sefer torah does not apply to women. The Shagat Aryeh (Siman 35) questions this. He explains that the understanding behind the mitzvah of writing a sefer torah is that a person should prepare a sefer torah for himself so that he’s able to learn from it. If so, since women need to learn the laws that are relevant to them, they should be obligated to write a sefer torah. The Bet HaLevi 1:6 answers that fundamentally women aren’t obligated to learn torah. While it is true that they are obligated to learn about the mitzvot that they are obligated in, that’s only as a preparation of fulfilling the mitzvah, but not as a part of the mitzvah of learning torah in general. The obligation of men to learn torah is all encompassing; they are obligated to learn all of torah, even about the mitzvot that aren’t relevant to him.</ref> | # Women aren’t obligated to write a sefer torah.<Ref>The Rambam writes that the mitzvah of writing a sefer torah does not apply to women. Chinuch (Mitzvah 613) agrees. The Shagat Aryeh (Siman 35) questions this. He explains that the understanding behind the mitzvah of writing a sefer torah is that a person should prepare a sefer torah for himself so that he’s able to learn from it. If so, since women need to learn the laws that are relevant to them, they should be obligated to write a sefer torah. The Bet HaLevi 1:6 answers that fundamentally women aren’t obligated to learn torah. While it is true that they are obligated to learn about the mitzvot that they are obligated in, that’s only as a preparation of fulfilling the mitzvah, but not as a part of the mitzvah of learning torah in general. The obligation of men to learn torah is all encompassing; they are obligated to learn all of torah, even about the mitzvot that aren’t relevant to him. Chida in Shiurei Bracha 270:2 rejects the Shagat Aryeh in favor of the Rambam and Chinuch.</ref> If a women writes a Sefer Torah it is invalid.<Ref>Gemara Menachot 42a, Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 281:3</ref> | ||
==Materials== | ==Materials== | ||
# A sefer torah may only be written on the hide of a kosher animal or bird. It may not be written on the hide of a non-kosher animal, bird, or the skin of any fish.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 271:1. Gemara Shabbat 108a has an unresolved question as to whether one may use the skin of kosher fish for the writing of a sefer torah. The Shulchan Aruch YD 271:1 rules that one may not use fish skins even of kosher fish.</ref> | # A sefer torah may only be written on the hide of a kosher animal or bird. It may not be written on the hide of a non-kosher animal, bird, or the skin of any fish.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 271:1. Gemara Shabbat 108a has an unresolved question as to whether one may use the skin of kosher fish for the writing of a sefer torah. The Shulchan Aruch YD 271:1 rules that one may not use fish skins even of kosher fish.</ref> | ||
# A sefer torah may be written on the hide of animals that are from kosher species even if that animal itself is a Terefah or Nevelah. <ref>Briatta quoted on Gemara Shabbat 108a, Shulchan Aruch YD 271:1</ref> | # A sefer torah may be written on the hide of animals that are from kosher species even if that animal itself is a Terefah or Nevelah. <ref>Briatta quoted on Gemara Shabbat 108a, Shulchan Aruch YD 271:1</ref> | ||
==Text== | ==Text== | ||
# Yemenite Sifrei Torah have symbols for the end of a Pasuk, for example, pressed in to the parchment with a metal instrument. This way, the reader is informed of certain stopping points and pronunciations. Such scrolls are even Kosher for Ashkenazim to read from, but only Yemenites should be exercising this practice. Bediavad, Ashkenazi Sifrei Torah would also be Kosher, but it's not recommended Lechatechilah.<ref>Shu"t Revid HaZahav based on Shu"t HaRivash (Siman 286) and Rama (Yoreh De'ah 274), Shu"t Iggerot Moshe Yoreh De'ah vol. 3 Siman 117</ref> | ''See the [[Tzurat HaOtiot]] page for [[How To Write Letters in a Sefer Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzot]].'' | ||
# Yemenite Sifrei Torah have symbols for the end of a Pasuk, for example, pressed in to the parchment with a metal instrument. This way, the reader is informed of certain stopping points and pronunciations. Such scrolls are even Kosher for Ashkenazim to read from, but only Yemenites should be exercising this practice. Bediavad, Ashkenazi Sifrei Torah would also be Kosher, but it's not recommended Lechatechilah.<ref>Shu"t Revid HaZahav based on Shu"t HaRivash (Siman 286) and Rama (Yoreh De'ah 274), Shu"t Iggerot Moshe Yoreh De'ah vol. 3 Siman 117</ref> | |||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Safrut]] | |||
