This video shows a sofer writing a sefer Torah. This sofer has a good hand, writes at a nice pace, and can ask a decent price. But one can also tell how the sefer Torah industry has commercialised the process, allowing for better productivity.
Note the following:
1) The sofer is writing on a light table, which means he does not have to worry about planning the spacing and can just trace over the letters. This saves a lot of time. This also minimises mistakes and saves time of repairs.
2) The quill is a plastic kulmos with a repository, which means you need to dip it into the ink every few lines instead of every few letters. Also you do not need to sharpen it and make new quills. Both of these save time.
3) The klaf today is more refined and smooth, easier to write on. Not uneven and rough like the old days. I'm sure lots of "mei klaf" is added. This enhances writing speed and quality of writing.
4) Double sirtut. Again this enhances quality and neatness.
5) The tagin / …
After posting this I looked around and found the teshuva...
ReplyDeleteThe Aruch HaShulchan writes in YD Siman 282 Sif 4 that even for Nach that was written l'shmo and on a klaf one still doesn't have to stand for it – only by a Sefer Torah.
In the sefer "Kiman V'Hidur"
(See here: http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=50401&st=&pgnum=264&hilite=)
he brings this down. As well as from the Meiri in Kiddushin 33b d"h "Sefer Torah" that davka in front of a Sefer Torah one must stand since it hs a Kedusha Yiserah, however in front of shar seforim "ain omdin clal".