I received this question via email. I am not really a klaf expert, I was wondering if anyone could answer this question: Dear Rabbi Gutnick, I am writing to you because a good friend of mine has put the idea into my head that the klaf in my tefillin were not really tanned and therefore are not kosher. He referred me to Megilla 19a re diftera. From the research that I have done so far, it seems that the klaf that is used today is tanned only with a lime wash. On all of the tanning websites I’ve seen so far, they say that the lime doesn’t accomplish tanning but only the removal of the hair and some other pre-tanning effects. Would you be able to explain to me or refer me to a website that explains how the tanning process that is used today takes the hide out of the category of diftera? Thank you very much.
Interesting. And the ksav too
ReplyDeleteיש עוד דבר מעניין - באלפי"ן היודי"ן העליונים הפוכות
ReplyDeleteאפשר לראות חלקים נוספים מהמגילה בכתובת הנמצאת בפנים, ושמה רואים שסתם אלפי"ן בשאר המגילה היודי"ן של האלפי"ן ישרות כלפי מעלה, ולא הפוכות
These are new innovations that have been introduced. I suspect that this AYIN RABATI is based on the concept that the hanging of the 10 evil sons of Haman represents a pivotal moment in the ushering of the Ge'ulah. Therefore, we see Daryavesh, (Queen Esther's descendant) giving permission to Ezra to return to Eretz Yisrael and to rebuild the Beis ha'Mikdash. This according to our tradition happened EXACTLY 70 YEARS after the Churban of the Bet ha'Mikdash. The AYIN is made large because it alludes to those 70 years.
ReplyDeleteThere are other innovations in this megillah as well. I will post it in a follow-up post with pictures so that you may be better able to view it by visualizing the text.