The International STa"M Forum

I tried to redo the picture s per R Zvi's instruction, hope it will work now, Good Shabboss everybody. Rabbi Zirkind Mezuzah:

I talked to a grandson of the famous Chabad sofer  R' Eliezer Zirkind. He said that his grandfather had a Massoret of Ktav Alter Rebbe which has some differences from the כתב חבד used by sofrim today. He did not know what these differences are. Does anyone know what these differences are? Can we see samples?

(Below is a cut and paste from an email I received) Yasher koach - wonderful blog! I'm getting started in stam, not yet ready to join you as a member (plus I see that you're maxed at 100 authors anyway). I do, however, have a question that I hope you'll consider posting yourself, as it's a common and critical one that I don't see dealt with yet by your chevra... When a near-negiah is discovered in a sefer Torah during kriah, and it takes young people with good eyesight getting their noses right down next to the klaf to see that yes, there seems to be a chut hasairah of white space between - do we call that a negiah? Near negios are judged l'fi "ayin regilah," according to Rav Wosner's zt"l teshuva ch' 1 siman 7 s"k 8, cited by the Mishnas HaSofer. I went to the teshuvah, and though he makes clear that you can't save such a situation with a magnifying glass, he doesn't explain precisely what r'us tivi (normal visi...

Hi all. I constantly get emails from people to join the forum, and am happy to send all new members an invite so that they can contribute. However Blogspot only allows 100 authors and I have exceeded that a while back. So I have been slowly dropping out some authors to allow for new ones. I have only been dropping out authors who don't post or comment. If I have dropped you out and you wish to remain an author, I apologise and I am happy to re invite you. Having said the above, being an author allows you to post. But everyone who has ever joined, even if dropped as an author, remains a member. The membership list is manually added to the side bar, and I apologise again, I have not updated this in a long while. (There are about 25 members who joined since I last updated the list and hopefully I will find the time to do this soon). I hope the above clarifies things. Thanks again to all those participating in this forum.

B"H Did anyone here used  דיו לנצח and if yes ,how was the experience and outcome ? Is it shiny or not ?does it flow easily ? and so on.   

Can a Bayit shel rosh be repaired if there is a thin split at the top of the bayit.  Interestingly, while checking i accidentally looked inside the four sections and the light came through the other side a hairline split. These batim are better quality pshutim mehudarim.  Is it Efshar letaken or not ? Am thinking I can put a glued piece of klaf inside but only if everyone agrees its mutar.

http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.co.il/2015/10/free-mezuza-checking-app.html?m=1 Michshal lerabim or zikuy lerabim? Comments welcome

Finally finished my first column. I had a rough start, and I think I should have waited until tomorrow to finish it. I just wanted to get the first column done with. While doing a cursory check I noticed 2 lameds under a stretched out heh. Is this something I should fix? Below is the full column:

I am hoping if you guys can confirm the origin of this megillah. I recently acquired an old "North African 19th century" Megillah. It's written with 19 lines on gevil with setumot according to Rambam. (I believe) At a cursory glance there are a number of letters that are rubbed out, some old patches, worm holes, and discoloration of the gevil. At the very beginning there is a prayer (I think) written in Rashi script with a tear through it at the edge. The 10 sons of Haman is written similar to Chabad. It doesn't look like it was mounted on an etz, unless it was glued on, and it seems to be folded between each column. I would like to, at least, reinforce the edges where the gevil is starting to tear or has torn. What's the best way to do this? Glue strips of klaf on the tears? What are some precautions I should take in caring for this megillah? Thanks in advance First Column with prayer Tear at first column Column 1 of  Megillat Es...

A local shul had a problem with one of their Sifrei Torah, they ordered a new yeriah from a Sofer in Eretz Yisroel and have asked me to sew it together for them. I noticed that the Sefer is 48 lines and the new yeriah is three amudim of 42 lines each. Is this a problem of מנומר

Based on the other khafs, and the nun right near it. Is this כ in לכם kasher?

I am working on my first Megillat Esther and it's been an interesting learning experience. I am writing it for myself and G-d willing it should be done before next Purim. Looking at my progress, I am rather hypercritical of my work. I would like an objective opinion/critique/advice of my work. What I think: After a few experiments, I am getting the feel of my kulmus.  Spacing is still an issue for me, hopefully I will get the sense of it by my second column. Picture was taken at a slant, so the perspective is a little deceiving.  Thanks in advance.

מצאתי בדפוס חדש של ספר התרומה (הוצאת מכון ירושלים, תש"ע, עמודים תקלט, תקמד-ה) הוספות דינים בכמה מצורות האותיות, שאינם כתובים בספר התרומה המצוי. והעתקתים כאן מתוך הספר, בהוספת הערות - מה שנראה פירוש דבריו. [יש להעיר דאף אחד מהראשונים, אינו מזכיר כלל דברי בעל התרומה בצורות האותיות. הראשון שמזכיר [ורק מהאותיות שבדפוס ישן] הוא הבית יוסף. אע"פ שנראה שבעל הגהות מיימוניות העתיק רוב דבריו מס' התרומה]. *** ו  צריך שלא ימשוך ראשה של וא"ו מעט למטה, כדי שלא יהיו נראות כמו זי"ן, כמו שמצינו בפרק הבונה, דקתני שלא יעשה ביתי"ן כפי"ן: [ ז ] צריך לעשות ראש של זי"ן עב, ושלא יאריך לה רגל שלמטה, כדי שלא יהא נראית נו"ן פשוטה: נ ן  נו"ן כפופה נו"ן פשוטה. וצריך שיהא הנו"ן פשוטה ארוכה, כדי שלא תהא נראית כזי"ן: ס ע  סמ"ך צריך להיות סתומה מכל צדדיה כמו המ"ם. ויש הפרש בין זו לזו, שהסמ"ך עגולה מלמטה ומאחוריה, ולא המ"ם שהיא רחבה מלמטה: פ ף  צריך להיות הפשוטה ארוכה ועגולה, ושלא יהא מחובר הנקודה שבתוכה, שלא...

Hi, I hope everyone had a wonderful Yom Tov. I've always understood that if the thin layer of klaf that is stuck to the underside of dakkos batim comes away or breaks or peels off (at the sides or corners) this constitutes a flaw in the ribuah (even though the actual shape of the titurah is square)m See pic. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to fix this? I don't work much with dakkos anymore and I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks

Hi all and Freilichen Sukkos. Can one sew the atzei chayim onto a sefer Torah during Chol Hamoed? There are other kosher seforim in the shul but they really would like it done for Simchas Torah (it just arrived back from repair in Israel). Thanks