parsha stuma in mezuza
The norm is one of 3;
A. minhag sfarad [and many ashkenazim] place a space of 9 letters before ve'haya, but no space, or minimum space [3 or 4 letters only] after uvshe'arecha. This stuma is mentioned in SA OC 32 in regard to [the spacing before parshas vehaya in] tefilin, and they use the same idea for the same stuma in mezuza. This stuma is according to Rambam, that 9 letters space in the same line before the begining of the script is a stuma.
B. small space of less than 9 yudim after uvshe'aracha and same space before vhaya, so there is no 9 letter space in one line, and only a combination (b'tzeruf) of the 2 small spaces together there is a 9 letters spacing. This is a stuma according to Taz in tefilin, and many ashkenazim follow this opinion in mezuza as well.
C. 9 letters space after uvshe'arecha, and 9 letters space before v'haya. This is the Baal Hatanya's opinion in tefilin and mezuza, and this is the Chabad minhag.
Here the sofer left 9 letters after uvshe'arecha, and a small space of 2-3 letters before vehaya. There is no such minhag to space the stuma in mezuza (or tefilin).
But it is still kosher, since this is also a stuma according Rambam [hilchot sefer tora 8:2]. Even according to those that disagree with Rambam, and hold that this is a psucha (the 9 letter space after uvshe'arecha is dominent, and the 2-3 letter space is batel) a psucha is also accepted [bdieved] in mezuza.
Interesting: Either this is a maschil who has no idea what he is doing, or he davka really knew what he was doing because he inadvertantly left so much space at the end of shema he countered it by leaving a very small space at the start of vehoya which is still a kosher stuma acc to the rambam, which is good because this is a sefardi mezuzah. Had he left a larger space at the begining of vehoya he would have made a chabad revach which is possul according to sfardim (Rav Ovadia Yosef at least).
ReplyDeleteEli, chabad revach is kosher for sefardim. I never heard or saw that R. Ovadya Yosef said they are posul.
ReplyDeleteR. BenTzion Aba-Shaul clearly writes in his sefer Or Le'tziyon that chabad revachim are kosher according to Rambam and Shulchan Aruch (for sefardim).
There is a Rabbi Peretz from Mexico City that publicized long ago that chabad tefilin [because of the revachim] are posul for sefardim, but he is totaly mistaken on the issue, and it is obvious that the psak of R. BT Aba-Shaul is correct.
many sefardi poskim kvetch that chabad revachim are problematic and only either rambam is acceptable for sefardim . R' Ovadia definitely passels taz mishnah berurah, it's printed in his teshuvos(I do not have Y"O with me now but it's def there as a matter of fact a new kuntres called Hastumah Shebestam by R' Yonason Herschlag the various shittos are explained with their relevant mare mekomos , and which stumos are problematic for whom). I once received a tzetel from a sefardi sofer that says R' Ovadia also takes major issue with chabad revachim and says sefardim should not use revachim chabad. There are other sefardi poskim on the tzetel. I have heard it many times sfardim involved in stam (rabbis, sofrim) reiterate this sentiment.
ReplyDeleteIt could be that he doesnt like the chabad revachim, but I didnt here or see in his [or son - Yalkut Yosef] that they clearly claim it - pasul. If anyone has a statement [psak] from R. O. Yosef otherwisa please publicize !!
ReplyDeleteIn regard to Taz revachim you are correct, all sefardi poskim of today pasel it.
Maybe the tzetel was from R. Peretz of Mexice that I mentioned above, if you still have it please check its origin.
I'm looking for the tzetel, I am pretty sure the message was that chabad revachim were not OK for sfardim. whether he used the word "possul" or not, I do not remember but it was a very strong loshon.(I have seen this tzetel hanging in sefardi stam shops in Israel )
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, the point I originally made, which I think remains valid, is that the sofer who wrote the mezuzah in the picture may have deliberately left the smaller space at the start of teh 2nd paragraph to rectify the error of too large a space at the end of shema - thus ensuring that he makes a revach acceptable to the rambam as you explained in your post, as opposed to leaving it as he would normally write it (wider) which would have resulted in a chabad revach, which is clearly less desirable for sefardim.
I just spoke to a sefardi maghiha I know in Israel. He said a shailah should be asked in such a case (sefardi with chabad revachim). He says usually if the customer is a full fledged sefardi, they are told to change the parshiyos.
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ReplyDeleteI am not registered to your blog or Moshe Wiener's blog.
the reason (from what I heard) that he left such a space is so he could write the "Shakay" opposite the Vehaya according to BY and at the same time it should not be to deep inside so it should not get covered when rolled up.
see also here http://www.or-lasofer.com/FORUM1.asp?FType=178633&MsgID=2541