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.
In most of the above KHAFS it's the width of the ROSH vs. the MOSHAV that confuses. Most have a CHALLAL and are Kasher. Others, if you're in doubt should be shown to a Tinok. However, the one of La'avotekhem is like a RESH - and is PASSUL.
Actually there are 2 very reliable sochrim who sell most of this sofer's mezuzahs and they are checked by their reliable magiim and the vast majority make it through hagaah. The sofer is an ehrliche ben Torah who learns part day. He does have his issues, including the chaf and has improved and takes hearos seriously. He writes a lot, mostly 10cm and a small amount of 7cm (he used to only write 6cm). I personally don't think the chaf in la'avoseichem is pasul.
I will email you privately re some of the issues with these mezuzos, since you know the sofer and he sounds legit perhaps you could consider presenting my concerns to him
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.
Last week I posted some thoughts in response to a public lecture given by Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz regarding Ksav Chabad (the Alter Rebbe's ksav). I felt he did not represent the issue fairly, and since I had received questions about it from a number of people I felt it made sense to write a general response. After I posted my response on this forum, Rabbi Mendlowitz reached out to me by email and we ended up having a respectful and productive email exchange regarding the relevant issues surrounding Ksav Chabad. His position is a lot clearer to me now, and I think he also took certain things on board that I clarified with him. The purpose of the Stam Forum (at least back in it's heyday before all the whats app groups took over) was to connect sofrim from around the world, to promote achdus and build bridges, as well as to offer support and advice. In that spirit, I felt I should write a follow up post, to clarify some of the issues and misconception...
In most of the above KHAFS it's the width of the ROSH vs. the MOSHAV that confuses. Most have a CHALLAL and are Kasher. Others, if you're in doubt should be shown to a Tinok. However, the one of La'avotekhem is like a RESH - and is PASSUL.
ReplyDeleteActually there are 2 very reliable sochrim who sell most of this sofer's mezuzahs and they are checked by their reliable magiim and the vast majority make it through hagaah. The sofer is an ehrliche ben Torah who learns part day. He does have his issues, including the chaf and has improved and takes hearos seriously. He writes a lot, mostly 10cm and a small amount of 7cm (he used to only write 6cm). I personally don't think the chaf in la'avoseichem is pasul.
ReplyDeleteI will email you privately re some of the issues with these mezuzos, since you know the sofer and he sounds legit perhaps you could consider presenting my concerns to him
DeleteHow can an "Ehrliche Ben Torah" write a mezuzah that looks like that?!
DeleteHow can an "Ehrliche Ben Torah" write a mezuzah that looks like that?!
Delete