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 / …
Whenever I write a megila in a new size I write “פרשנדתא" and “עשרת” (in that size) three or four times on a scrap of klaf and take the average of the measurements.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe Rav Eliashev said so in case of a large megila.
ReplyDeletemaybe he said so as a plus for an 11 liner.
Before doing it take the following into account:
1)It is clear that if it will be read as 2 columns its posul.
2)Lehalacha 9 letters space is kosher.
3)kiflayim is not brought down in earlier poskim.
4) Rashi in megila is a commentator.
5) There are various ways to learn pshat in Rashi
6) Not even one old megila was written with kiflayim.
I'm not aware of any chiluk between an 11 line and 42 line megillah. I'll confirm with the mechaber of Toras Hagilyonos. If Rav Elyashiv holds that there should be kiflayim between Aseres and V'es in any megillah then one who wants to fulfill all opinions would follow Rav Elyashiv's opinion. (I'm sure Rav Elyashiv was aware of everything on your list.)
ReplyDeleteI've clarified that in fact Rav Elyashiv holds the same no matter the size of the megillah.
ReplyDeleteA sefer by the aforementioned mechaber will be coming out that deflects the concern that the aseres of a large megillah appears more as 2 separate amudim than in a smaller one.