Reed Pen
I noticed the question was asked previously but not answered:
Does anyone know where to find a reed kulmus in Yerushalayim or how to make one?
How about the Bais of Uleovdo?
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Not a "khaf"
This gave me a "Safrut smile"... OK, I realise that this is not Ktav STaM, however it is interesting what happens when graphic/font Hebrew becomes too stylised. Case-in-point, a colleague and I were visiting the mayor's office in the Gaza Belt region of Shaar HaNegev (adjoining Sderot). He is new to reading Hebrew and pronounced the welcome sign as " brooning " or " broobing " (instead of the intended " brookhim ". I replied that he was more correct than the graphic designer, as the letter meant to be a " khaf " was closer to a halakhic "Nun" or "Bet", and had this been Ktav STaM, the letter would likely be considered pasul as a "Khaf".
shin in "Alter Rebbe" script
Both the Shulchan Aruch Harav and the Mishnah Brurah use similar terminology when describing the importance of the shin being "pointy" on the bottom and all three branches of the letter shin meeting at a point or "chad" at the bottom of the letter. There is a strong foundation in Halacha for this and for the bottom of the shin to be flat like a moshav (base) is considered questionable (Pri Megadim) and definitely not Kosher Lechatchillah. It is worse if the moshav is very wide, but it is still questionable if it is lechatchillah if there is a thick noticeable base rather than a chad. Even for Sephardim, who lechatchillah make an angular base, it is still important that the base is indeed on a (significant) angle. If the base is flat, even if all three branches of the shin come out of the base connected , as in the top picture, it is problematic. It is worse in the bottom picture below where the right head/ branch comes out of the right part of the base and the m
One does not buy a ready made redd kulmus. Those who write with a reed, buy sections of bamboo, cut them apart, and make the kulmus.Although the bamboo used for schach will work, it wears out quickly. There is a much better type of bamboo that is imported from Japan. You can find it near Machaneh Yehudah, in a store called "HaKulmous". (Sorry, I don't have the address). The proprietor's name is Chaim Ivgy.I know he teaches how to cut it, but do not know if he charges for this. A reed kulmus is great for Ktav Sefaradi, but does a poor job on Ashkenazi writing. B'hatzlachah!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of bamboo, and was wondering if it qualifies as a reed. Maybe the reeds chazal meant were ones which grow on the water and are moved by it - hence the use of the reed. It seems ot me that most if not all bamboo is grown not near water basins.
DeleteIf you speak Hebrew, you can contact Rav Giat and he can sell you some. Give me your email and I can give you his phone number. He only speaks Hebrew
ReplyDeletePlease email contact info to magnopy2012 at g mail dot come
DeleteContact: אומנות הסת״ם
ReplyDeleteTel: 052-2205580
They have hard reed kulmosim ready to go in all sizes.