A place for English speaking sofrim (scribes), magihim (examiners), rabbis and vendors of Stam (Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzah scrolls) from around the world to communicate, share ideas, ask questions and offer support and advice.
Much human suffering and devastation in the aftermath of Sandy. Another victim was a shul in New York as their Sifrei Torah were water-damaged. Click here for article and picture.
My heart goes out to them and all other families that have sustained losses due to the storm. It is a hard and trying time. Yet above all, we must remain grateful for the blessing of life, even with all the travails that it brings.
From the pictures on the news article, it is apparent that water damage to the scrolls is pervasive. Attempting to repair them, appears as a misuse of hard earned community resources. Likewise, it places and extra and unnecessary burden on these already hurting communities. It is my opinion, that their rebuilding efforts would better directed by purchasing new scrolls.
If they were written with דיו לנצח nothing would have happened to them. They would remain kosher. Here is a picture of water flowing over a klaf written with דיו לנצח : http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pwSDH6rpzyM/Tu5AAih5G2I/AAAAAAAAAIs/kB-JvduNAMc/s1600/wet3a.jpg
Dear Zvi, as far as one can see in the photos, situation of the ink in these seforim is not so bad. Maybe they also remained kosher. Maybe good old ink makers knew something as well?:-)
Six Sifrei Torah were damaged. Here, on the left, is a closer look at one of them. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0A75JxyVN8/UJXdk-hGajI/AAAAAAAAATc/mHw8jiWNPGk/s640/flooded-torah.jpg
Dyoy lonetzach is great if a drop of water sprays on it, but in such a situation you need klaf lonetzach as well.... I got a pair that went through the flooding, the letters were fine but the klaf was ruined beyond repair it became stiff and black... as well some acid somehow got in, maybe sea salt? and ate through the klaf in a few spots it was interesting because the letters were complete but parts of the letters were hanging over the holes... I showed it to HaRav Vosner and said its possul regardless because even though it doesnt need to be mukaf gvil leachar hakesivah the letters need to be written on klaf.
We all know that there is no ancient source that requires ink to be מן המותר בפיך . Possibly, as said here before, because in the olden days ink was always מן המותר בפיך and the question was never raised. It was probably self-evident. Nowadays, no decent Rav will approve an ink which is not מן המותר בפיך . Who was the first one to raise this question? Was it raised because of animal ingredients or because of non-kosher wine?
Dear Readers and Members, The forum has been down for over 6 months because the domain name (www.stamforum.com) lapsed and it is no longer available to re purchase. Although this forum is now defunct (it has morphed into several whatsapp groups), I have had many requests to put it back online because it contains so much information (over 1,800 posts and thousands of comments in the discussions, on a wide range of topics related to STa"M). I have therefore put the forum back online at blogger, so the address is www.stamforum.blogspot.com. The forum lasted for a decade...not a bad effort! It was pretty popular back in the days before whatsapp and managed to receive over a million hits in it's short life. It was one of the only organised forums in the STa"M world and definitely the largest in it's heyday. I would like to thank all those who cobtributed over the years, particularly the early members who helped build it up. Thanking you all, Eli
sad
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to them and all other families that have sustained losses due to the storm. It is a hard and trying time. Yet above all, we must remain grateful for the blessing of life, even with all the travails that it brings.
ReplyDeleteFrom the pictures on the news article, it is apparent that water damage to the scrolls is pervasive. Attempting to repair them, appears as a misuse of hard earned community resources. Likewise, it places and extra and unnecessary burden on these already hurting communities. It is my opinion, that their rebuilding efforts would better directed by purchasing new scrolls.
Lets hope they were insured
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteIf they were written with דיו לנצח nothing would have happened to them. They would remain kosher. Here is a picture of water flowing over a klaf written with דיו לנצח :
ReplyDeletehttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pwSDH6rpzyM/Tu5AAih5G2I/AAAAAAAAAIs/kB-JvduNAMc/s1600/wet3a.jpg
Dear Zvi, as far as one can see in the photos, situation of the ink in these seforim is not so bad. Maybe they also remained kosher. Maybe good old ink makers knew something as well?:-)
ReplyDeleteSix Sifrei Torah were damaged. Here, on the left, is a closer look at one of them.
Deletehttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0A75JxyVN8/UJXdk-hGajI/AAAAAAAAATc/mHw8jiWNPGk/s640/flooded-torah.jpg
The sefer on the picture on the left is damaged indeed. HaMakom yemale chesronam.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDyoy lonetzach is great if a drop of water sprays on it, but in such a situation you need klaf lonetzach as well.... I got a pair that went through the flooding, the letters were fine but the klaf was ruined beyond repair it became stiff and black... as well some acid somehow got in, maybe sea salt? and ate through the klaf in a few spots it was interesting because the letters were complete but parts of the letters were hanging over the holes... I showed it to HaRav Vosner and said its possul regardless because even though it doesnt need to be mukaf gvil leachar hakesivah the letters need to be written on klaf.
ReplyDelete