The Morning After

By Anonymous -
We have all experienced the morning after Simcha Torah.  Broken atzei chayim, ripped parchments, seams to be repaired, etc.   Shuls turn to us to repair their bruised scrolls and patch-up their ailing Sifrei Torah.  With a sense of duty we all rise to fulfill our call to be true Torah doctors.

What about the morning after Purim?  Did someone's drinking ever affect a Megillah?  Today, I received this one.  It didn't necessarily happen on Purim, but some liquid went over it causing the writing to run and staining the parchment.


Tomorrow, I will try to clean it up a bit.  Before doing so, however, I would like to hear from your experiences and what you have done to remedy similar mishaps.

Comments

  1. BenyominMarch 15, 2012 at 1:21 AM

    I think first I'd check to see whether the ink has sunk all the way through the klaf. If yes, I don't think there's any repairing it, better to rewrite that section. If the ink hasn't gone through the klaf entirely it might be possible to slice away the damaged letters and the running ink with a thin double sided razor held bowed in the hand. Alternately, if you have an old ink erasing knife with a razor sharp spade shaped blade that would likely be an even better approach.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rabbi Eli GutnickMarch 15, 2012 at 8:16 AM

    megillos have a rough life. I am always fiving megillos ruined at purim parties, some actally brand new. they will never be the same again. I always instruct buyers of megillos to adhere to the following rules;

    1) Always make sure you put it down on a clean dry surface
    2) Never touch the ksav with your fingers
    3) always make folds in the margins, not on the letters
    4) stay far away from people eating and drinking at purim functions where the megillah is read

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michoel GMarch 15, 2012 at 10:02 PM

      I'd add one more:
      5) Take the megillah out of a silver holder, before the holder gets polished (pesach cleaning)!

      Delete
  3. Rabbi Eli GutnickMarch 18, 2012 at 9:05 AM

    THATS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH POLISHING SILVER MEZUZAH CASES WITH THE MEZUZOS INSIDE

    ReplyDelete

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