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...
Great question- I had a thought. If a shem hashem is written top to bottom may it be erased? I did not find the answer in hilchos stam however in hilchos shabbas כותב ומוחק the m"b discusses the issue.I dont have chelek gimel here. I believe same would apply here
ReplyDeleteאפשר שיש לפסול כהאי גוונא - משום שראינו בחז"ל שמגילה יש בה דיני ספר, וכל ספר נגלל מצד לצד, ולא הפוך ממטה למעלה וכדומה, ואפשר שאין זה קרוי ספר
ReplyDeleteנכון שלא מצאתי דבר זה בכתובים, אבל מסברא נראה כן
יישר כח על השאלה המענינית
To clarify, I refer to writing side to side but columns would be one below the other.
ReplyDeleteThe person wanted to claim that since a megillah is an igeres and supposedly royal proclamations were written in such a fashion that it would be the crrect way to write it.
As it's obviously not the mesorah and has always been written in the same format as a sefer I told him to provide sources and a gadol who permits it.