The International STa"M Forum

As you all know I set up a MISHMERES STa"M Station on my computer.I did not dream of their capability to detect and warn of forged mezuzos. I had 2 separate packages scanned on 2 different dates to be checked by  MISHMERES STa"M.(b"h none were sold by our office) Below is the letter they sent me. After Speaking to Rabbi Granetstien I learned that the program was developed to catch posul tefilin and mezuzos that were corrected and submitted again however it worked just fine on these forged Mezuzos .

Hi, I was looking at someone's mezuzah today. Here is an image of part of it: When I looked closely at one of the words I saw roshem that looked like something had been erased in between the ל and כ. Here is a close-up: My question is: Not knowing the source of the mezuzah do we assume that the erasure was before the כ was written and it is ok, or do we assume that it was afterwards and therefore passul? Thanks, Phil

Hi, I just took a look at someone's mezuzah and found that on the bottom right corner there were some extra marks: 1. Pencil checkmark - I assume that this can be erased. 2. Ink mark - is this a problem? Can the extra ink be scratched off? Also, all of the alephs have a bump/tag on the bottom left foot. Does anyone know the source for this? Thanks, Phil

in word  לשלחנו would the maharsham allowing a negia between ches and zein to be scratched apply here as well. would the kol sofrim be machmir here as well

I have received a number of emails from resellers of STa"M in the United States since my post last Wednesday,  where I wrote a warning about forged mezuzos.  I also included a picture of the forged mezuzos, which I received by email from a reseller in the United States (who asked me to publicise on the forum that they are forged.) One of the forum members posted the associated news story in the comments section of that post - namely that they had come from a forger's ring in Ashkelon. There may be other forgers doing the same thing. Through the emails I received, I now know that quite a number of Frum / Heimishe American sofrim and dealers were unsuspectingly sold this mezuzah under the name "Weiss" or "Viess"- and possibly some other names. There may also be other forged mezuzos from the same source. Some of the questions I have been asked include : 1) Do I have to recall these mezuzos if I sold them? 2) If yes, do I ha...

A Feilichen Shushan Purim: If a sofer does ponim chadoshos say on the left regel of a tav,  can one fix by scraping back to the original aiver and thus 'undo' the ponim chadoshos - or is it chok tochus to do this? Thoughts or mareh mekomos on this matter would be appreciated.

anyone in stamforum land know of someone in the jerusalem city center (i'm located in nachlaot) who has access to bedikas machshev software and knows how to do t'fira? i'm finishing up a last-minute megillas esther and want to have it sewn and checked for chaserot/yeteirot please contact me at pesachrothberg@gmail.com or cell phone 054.393.5777 thank you thank you and GOOD PURIM!!!

What is the heter to write the parshas haketores on klaf in ashuris? I am aware that the Kaf Hachaim and others bring down the practice and that it is a segula for parnasa, but why is it okay to write it in the first place? I am vaguely aware that there is a shayla about whether or not it is muttar, but I'm not aware of who discusses it explicitly. Any sources would be appreciated.

Where can I read about the kesher of the tefillin shel yad according to the Baal Hatanya? Why is it considered by some than the regular kesher? If somebody has different sources, I would be very interested.

Does anyone know how I can get my hands on a copy of ילקוט צורת האותיות? I emailed Rabbi Greenfield a few months ago and he told me that it's (obviously) out of print, but they are working on reprinting it. Does anyone know where I could get a second-hand copy? Additionally, I am interested in reading some of his other articles, namely "תפילין הקדושות של רבותינו" and "חתימת המסורה". I emailed his recently about these but have yet to receive an answer. Does anyone know where I might get my hands on one? I live in Kew Gardens Hills, NY, but am often around Brooklyn. Any leads would be greatly appreciated!

I think its important for those selling megillos to make the folds for the customer or at least explain to him how to do it in such a way that the folds are not done on the ksav but rather in the margins or on the seam itself. I am forever fixing broken letters on megillah folds, and some of them are really not that old...