Shiyur Moshav of the lamed #2

The reason that mlo ois ketana is the minimum measure for the foot of the hai, is because the yud is the smallest letter. IE the smallest considerable piece in the script.

Therefore, the basic pieces of a letter [for ex. a hai has 3 pieces, gag & 2 feet] their minimum measure that is accepted, is the minimal letter of yud.

This keeps the basic structure of all the letters/script in a unified size.

We find the use of the yud also a measure for the separation of words from each other, that l'chatchila they should be seperated the size of a ois ketana which is the yud (MB 32:143). And even for bdieved this measure is used, for measuring the separation of one parsha from another parsha = 9 oisios, the minimal ois being a yud. So the shiur [of revach parsha] is 9 yudim.

The chidush is, that we see Chazal used the shiyur yud also to the width, not only to the length as in the foot of hai.

The basic unit of measure for script in stam, is a yud.

 

Now one can assume that if Chazal established a shiur for the foot of an ois, definitly there must be a shiur for all basic parts of the ois!

This is what the MB is teaching us: the moshav of the lamed has the shiyur MOK, and so should be the minimum measure for any moshav of a letter (unless there is a special instruction teaching different – as the BH writes in regard to the kuf).

 

From this I would assume that this min. measure of OK should apply to other moshavim also, example - mem psucha has a moshav. If the moshav of its caf isn't MOK, the mem isn't kosher [unless fixed]. I am thinking about some other the letters (for exa. tes, samech,..)

We can continue this theme - that a gag isn't worthy to be called a gag if it isn't at least MOK, less than this measure isn't a letter. Although it is quite difficult to picturize this, because the letter would have lost its tzura anyway, it is practical to other relevant issues.

 

Although the right side of kuf and lamed where not included in MOK as explained [the post before], nevertheless it doesn’t make sense that they are less important than the foot of hai & its group, therefore a very short kuf or lamed may be pasul, because its lacking the shiyur of its right side!

Another example is the heads of thin letters like vav, zayin, the zayinim of the ches, the heads of shaatnez getz, the yudim of alef and pei, are all distinct pieces and must have a shiyur minimum = MOK.

It would seem less than a yud in any of these situations isn't MOK and pasul.

[Are these letters kosher??]

 

Another point in regard to shiyur MOK of moshav ha'lamed.

How is this measured?  By the length of the yud from top to bottom which is obvious 1k (and according to MB 32:44 a yud with a regel – 1.3k) or the width of the yud, and a regular yud in a particular csav may be 0.7k.

I would think that in regard to the moshav (and any piece that is measured right to left) the measure should be of the width of a regular yud in this particular csav. Just as the measure of 9 oisios ketanos for a separation between parshiyos is 9 small letters, which are the width of 9 yudim of this csav.

But whenever the measure is to the highth of the piece like the yerech of hai the measure is the hight of the yud – 1k.

 

[maybe the yudim of alef and pai above, may be measured as a yud to their width - as the width of a yud??]