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 / …
Superficially speaking: it requires skill to do it without the Chatoteres filling up with ink. So, some air on the side of caution and just don't do it at all.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it is important to note that the A"R cites the Ari Za"l as the source. Tagei Lame"d have sources much earlier.
ReplyDeleteI fail to understand why the A"R citing the Arizal as a source is reason for not doing it.
Regarding the fact that it's difficult and requires skill. I think you'll find a lot of diyukim and hiddurim are " finicky" but we still do it anyway. (Take your own example of tagei lamed, it's very easy to make negiyos on the line above or have a tag go a questionable space in the line above. It can be very finicky at times but we still do it). The ches is much easier to modify than many other things. Futhermore there are only four chesin in a mezuzah, I really find it's not a very big deal to touch up at all.
I couldn't agree more. I was not justifying. Just observing:)
ReplyDeleteOk, no problem. I'm just wondering...
ReplyDeleteThe kol yakov http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=34817&st=&pgnum=58 is the source for not making right side of chatoteres thicker
ReplyDeleteactually what I touch up on the 4 chesin is that the makal should be a makal and not a kotz. Reb menachem always makes it thin and taller then the chatoteres.
ReplyDeleteהכוונה בקול יעקב שם - לא לענין החטוטרת. אלא שלפי האר"י אין קבלה כלל לעשות ו' ז', אלא תמונתו כמו בכתב ב"י ז' ז
ReplyDelete