The International STa"M Forum

I just wanted to post a follow-up to R' Avi's recent post about gevil, particularly the link he posted to R' Yehuda Sherez website http://www.klaf1.com/.  It really is a fascinating read.   He does beautiful work and it's nice to see interest in gevil reviving somewhat.  I think the art of making it very nearly went extinct. As I was looking through some of the images and information on his site, I was struck by the fact that there must exist a variety of traditions for making gevil.  Although all the techniques center on the same process melach to slip the hair, kemach to bate the skin, and afeitzim to tan it, the end results are dramatically different.  The technique I know results in a deep red gevil and glossy surface. This is a sample of some of my gevil that I sent to YK Sofer in the Netherlands.  This is his ksav on a menorah shaped lamnatzeach.  If you would like to see his whole post it's here http://www.lavlor.blogspot.com/2012/04/writing-on-

Sorry for all the beginner level posts. Ignoring the terrible ksav, how would you fix this?  As it appears, these are hand smudges which occurred after ksiva. I am looking for both the halachic status and practical strategies to fix. Thanks!

Are there any tikkunim or texts available from which one could write a sefer of Nach? I know there is some debate about the exact text, but before I figure out which mesorah to use, I want to at least have in hand a text. Thanks

If its not too much trouble, i would really appreciate any comments, critique and advice thanks!!

I am hoping to write myself a Sefer Torah on g'vil, but in my limited attempts at writing on it (mezuzos) I have had very little success writing sharply at all. I have been writing with d'yo ashan sh'manim. Does anyone have any experience and/or tips on how to write well on g'vil?

From a small sefer torah that is apparently on its way to me after chag.

Hi All, I have had some time this evening to update the forum Members list as well as make a few changes to the general layout that will hopefully make it more user friendly. My eventual goal is still to find a sponsor for this forum and have it laid out more professionally, as well have all the posts classified into proper subject groups. I wanted it to build up a little before approaching potential donors but I'm thinking its already getting there, so hopefully I will be able to take things to the next level soon. I'm also meeting a lot of sofrim and magihim here in Israel who would contribute if it was in Hebrew. I don't think anyone would have any objections if a post or two here or there appeared in Hebrew. It would still be predominantly for English speaking sofrim. I would like to thank everyone for their contributions and posts. Please put a few tags at the end of your posts in the future. (Not everyone has been doing this and it helps a lot when you are sea

I am in Eretz Hakodesh for Pesach, hopefully I will have some time to work on the Forum while I am on holiday, including updating the Members list, something I have not done for a long time. I alos will be meeting Rav Freidlander, I hope to discuss some shailos with him, if I get any interesting teshuvos I will post them...

I came across this partially peeling patch a few weeks ago, and took this photo, intending to share it when I got around to it. And lo and behold, R' Alberto Attia posts something similar:  http://www.stamforum.com/2013/03/tzafun.html . I was dan likaf zechus that this was from a scrap that was used to practice with. I don't see any reason that one would be required to think otherwise. I would, however, debate the propriety of putting a matlis on top of a hole. Does anyone have a comment on that? Now, if you will indulge me, I would like to dig deeply into the concept of a matlis with words: If one were to make a matlis that merely covered a word of the sefer Torah without damaging it, would the Sefer Torah then be pasul? Assuming that it is pasul, if the matlis was then removed, would the Sefer then be kosher, or would it be chok tachos? If you follow my line of reasoning, I would like to question if the presence of letters on the matlis, even when not visib

From an old Sefer Torah I was fixing something in. No, it's not a typo, it's just an interesting way of writing these repeating words.

Was checking through a sefer torah, which turned out to be two sifrey torah joined together, but at the end there was an extra piece of k'laf between the last yeriah and the ets chayim. And on it was the writing below showing that one Eliezer Friedmann fixed this in Pesht in 1947. I'm guessing that he was very proud to have rescued two sifrey after the Shoah. A real piece of history as you just never see this sort of 'personalisation' on a torah. Two questions: a) has anyone seen this sort of thing before and b) since it shouldn't be there and probably should be removed but is clearly now an integral part of the history of the Torah, is there any leniency in the halacha that would permit it to remain b'dieved. I have certainly seen additions on Megillat Esther that are permitted (for example  where there can be b'rachot and for Teymanim a poem form of the megillah) and also stamps from a magihah and signatures on the back of a torah. 

There is always a surprise when working with older Sifrei Torah.  So, what message is hidden behind your matlis?

B"H Which ink is fast drying that is optimal for writing gittin? Thank you

I had a funny story in my office this week I thought I would share. A very secular guy came into my office to buy a mezuzah for a more religious friend. He asked me prices for mezuzos. I told him "entry level basic is 35 but if your friend is religious maybe get him something a bit nicer". He asked me how much the nicer ones are, I told him they start at 55. So he says to me "OK, so its only an extra twenty cents, I may as well get the better one"... I've had a few things make me laugh over the years but that one takes the cake. If anyone else has any funny stories or experiences, feel free to share.

Hachnasas Sefer Torah

 samech above?  samech above (both) this is not a negiya but rather a korov negiya. Is it in any way a sofek shinuy tzurah as a tzadik pshuta?

This Dalet has a small line extending down, it might be considered a caf pshuta [or at least a question of one]. I think a tinok can be asked and after read correctly, can be fixed.

I have recently discovered an excellent embroidery company that makes stunning S"T mantels (and other embroidered matter) and are very reasonably priced. While they are not online they have an extensive catalogue, you can ask them to send it to you, their contact is office@jerusalemyarmulka.com . Their quality of workmanship  is also supposed to be very high.

bs"d whats the din if the first kuzu was writen on the back of elokenu and continued from there?

I was wondering if anyobne had any experience which type of outdoor cases work best against the elements?