Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

Can ink be removed from part of a letter?

As we have learned, letters of Sta”m must be written in accordance with the restriction of chok tochos; they may not be formed by carving around a smear of ink. However, if part of a letter was written correctly and part was then covered by a drop of ink, it is acceptable to scratch at the ink in order to finish the letter. As long as the letter was completed, it is not an issue that part of it was not written in the standard way. A minority opinion disagrees and maintains that the entire letter must be written properly.

[ס"ק סז וביה"ל ד"ה ונסתמה]

Is a letter kosher if part of it was formed from a drop of ink?

If a drop of ink falls on the parchment in the shape of a partial letter and the sofer completes the rest of the letter, the kashrus of the letter is subject to the above-mentioned disagreement about whether a letter must be completely written. Some say that one should be stringent, since part of the letter was formed without any involvement of the sofer. If the sofer completes the letter while the ink is still wet, it is kosher.

[ס"ק סז]

Which part of an extended letter must be erased?

If a letter was extended in a way that makes it pasul, Shulchon Aruch rules that only the stroke of the quill which created the improper form must be erased and rewritten. The other strokes can remain. For example, if a sofer extended a vav so that it resembled a reish, the entire letter must be erased and rewritten. Erasing the extension does not suffice, because the letter was written in one stroke. If, however, a daled was written with two different strokes, and its leg was extended so that it resembled an “ende” chof, only the leg needs to be erased (and not the roof). A minority opinion holds that under all circumstances, only the extension has to be erased.

[סעיף יח, ס"ק עה]

Creating a letter through the method known as chok tochos is not acceptable for Sta”m. A letter that is formed through means other than writing is not considered a letter.

If a splotch of ink fell on a letter and the sofer scratched away at the ink to reshape the letter, it is not considered writing and the letter is pasul. Retracing the newly formed letter is also problematic, since rewriting a previously written letter is not a halachically acceptable form of writing.

Ksav al gabei ksav (writing upon another writing) is not considered writing. The upper layer of script is nullified to the lower layer. If the first writing was written without the proper intention of lishmah, it cannot be “kashered” by rewriting it lishmah.

Do attached letters have to be rewritten?

Can illegible letters be fixed?

Can attached letters of the shem Hashem be detached?

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.