Yud without a Rosh (edited)
This is not the first time I've encountered this problem in a mezuza.
(Btw we've been here before www.stamforum.com/2014/02/yud.html though I think this case is worse)
Again, I'll reiterate - it is not easy to distinguish between (1) a yud whose Rosh is slanted and also functions as a "kotz" אליבא דחתם סופר ודעימיה and between (2) and yud that has only a kotz and no Rosh. In this case I believe it's the latter.
You can choose to chop off any part of any letter...
ReplyDeleteIn this case you must chop the top and bottom with the same paralel lines as the letter is slanted upwards (just as the yudin of the shin).
This is a good shailo, and we have discussed it many times in the past. Ultimately I find its "tolei l'eiynei hamoreh". In the past I've had at least one well known posek be machmir, and others have been meikel. Either way there is strong argument that it's ok to fix (by adding a tiny bit of ink - not scratching. I would add a defined, tiny kotz first, so the original bit protruding would then be the rosh. I would then work from there and build a better tzurah)
ReplyDeleteThis Yud is kosher.
ReplyDelete